Heather Daveno's Favorite Artists and Art Organizations

My Favorite Artists

In an attempt to tighten up the look of this page, some of these photos are severely cropped. I encourage you to visit their websites for better examples of their work. If your favorite artist or organziation is missing from this page, please email me!

Textile and Wearable Art


	Happ & Stanscz Clothing for the Mysterioys Woman by Priscilla Peterson. Her hallmark, one-of-a-kind pieces are patchworked, reversable jackets from her original designs. I believe Priscilla is a founding member of the Northwest Art Alliance.
	Onoura Onoura (on-or-a) is a derivation of the word "honor" and a tribute to all the creatures who have given their lives so that others could be nurtured. Each one-of-a-kind neckpiece is hand made by Carol Perry out of repurposed deer hide.
	de Vuono Hats Each of deVuono's hats is impeccably put together one at a time. Take note of the exquisite quality. Each flower, leaf, and decoration is created completely by hand in her Seattle studio.

Teresa Ruch Designs
Handwoven, hand dyed, hand painted garments and yarns. Teresa is a Pacific Northwest dyer and weaver who loves color and the challenge of developing cloth with drape. I believe she also sells her yarns.


	Rubaiyat Handmade Shoes Extraordinary hand made shoes by Louis and Melinda Whistler. This husband and wife team share a love for shoes. Originally out of San Francisco, they have made shoes for Tina Turner, Renee Fleming and Grace Slick. Call them for an appointment.
	Stitching Tree Kimberly Tepe has sewn since she was seven years old. Working in the Seattle Opera Costume Shop she takes away scraps of beautiful fabrics destined for the trash that weretoo small for any practical use, and pulls them together into art.
	Dreamscape Studio Zewei (Willa) O'Connor was born and raised in Shanghai, China, where she studied with a Chinese painter before moving to Salem, Oregon. She is a self-taught textile artist who has developed her current style by experimenting with various quilting and sewing techniques to produce wall and wearable art that is unique and contemporary.

Performance Art

	Payne's Magykes Purveyor of Japes, Cheap Tricks, and Minor Amusements. Histronics a Specialty. See his website for a performance schedule. Then, see him as soon as you can. He is one of the best magicians on the West Coast and is available for hire for your next corporate event or gala.
	Graylore Lutes Weldon Gray is a luthier out of Saskatoon Canada. He has been interested in medieval instruments most of his life and has been actively building them for many years. If you have a medieval instrument in mind he can probably make it for you
	PyroSutra I was introduced to fire dancing at the Seattle Art Museum's "Midnight at the Museum" reopening event several years ago. It was fun to watch their acrobatics, dance, flaming, flails, bowls, fans, and hoops, and interractions as often with the crowd as with eachother.


Geared towards Steampunk

	The Fitting Room Custom designed corsetry by Marie Cooley. Visit her online gallery of outstanding custom work in historical, fashion and fantasy designs. Corset making supplies are also available through her website.
	Polonova Hand screen-printed socks and gloves, inspired by many of the same art and cultural sources as Lao Hats! I buy a pair or two every year at the RAGS show in Tacoma. I have never been happier with a pair of socks...
	Old Time Computer Custom-made keyboards and framed monitors by woodguy32, who offers wireless keyboards and wireless (wooden) mice for both PC and Mac. This equipment is completely functional, but with a 19th century/ steampunk aesthetic.
	Tuffets Whimsical furniture, ottomans and pillows by Seattle-area artist Sue Zell, who reupholsters furniture in fanciful ways with designer fabric in vibrant colors. Unexpected color and texture combinations abound, along with images of old paintings and classic movie stills.
	Not so Dull Wood Turning Of all the hand turned objects they displayed at a recent art show in Seattle, it was the pens that caught my eye. I think I need a couple to go with my teak briefcase...

Jewelry and Wearable Metalwork

	Patrick Conlin Metalsmithing Pat's Viking reproductions are well known in the historical reenactment market, and it is a true pleasure to see him expand into other metalworks as well. This piece is his "August Vessel". Run to his site to see his other pieces, and then pop over into Moonbox Studio to see the rest of the craft that he and his wife produce...
	Bill Dawson, Metalsmith I know him best for his metalwork, but he offers custom work in a wide variety of mediums in both contemporary designs and historical reproduction.
	Beggar's Tomb Beggar's Tomb is the name of a silver mine in the lyrics of a song.... Naturally inspired hand crafted jewelry, made in the Northwest by Catherine Stemper.
Garden Art
	Abraxas Crow Company Handcrafted from steel by Gunter Reimnitz,, these large-as-life (perhaps even larger) birds of German folklore are perfect for your home and garden. He also offers functional sculpture including weathervanes, garden gates, staircase rails and room dividers.
	Courtyard Art and Designs Handcrafted metal artworks for indoors or out by Doug Mader. These solid copper bamboo stalks catch my eye at every art show I see him at. Copper leaves and stems have been treated to resist the elements.
	Glass De Vine Inspired by a passion for gardening and desire to create glass art that is both functional and affordable, Larry and Patty began Glass De Vine in 2003 and now have an array of panels, tables, chairs, and arbors. One of their pieces graces my front garden.
	Seymour Stained Glass Stained glass as functional art, including patio table tops as show at left. Karen Seymour also offers classes, and even does windows :) She currently serves on the board for the Northwest Art Alliance.
	dharma works Metal bamboo sculptures and furnishings for both home and garden, created by Paul Wisdom, who is inspired by the timeless elegance of Asian cultures. Available in steel and cast bronze, in a variety of patinas. Beautiful stuff...
	Slate Originals Inc. Fine art furniture crafted from slabs of slate in Portland Oregon. Their current website shows a good variety of their works, and their contact information.
	Winfield Designs Home and garden art from recycled parts, crafted by Johnathan and Jandellyn Ward. My piece is a steel cattail and dragonfly garden stake which props up one of my peonies in a most elegant fashion.

An Artful Home

	Trespasser Ceramics Unique and opulant artwork by Andrew Tarrant. I own a pair of his custom made pieces. Visit his website for his catalog of both production and custom pieces, as well as his extensive resume.

	Jeanne Wood Pottery Another potter friend of mine who impressed me with her medieval cookpots that you can actually cook in. She offers both contemporary pieces and medieval reproductions.
	creative with clay Pottery inspired by Indian fabrics and embroidery, handcrafted by Charan Sachar. His work is impacted by the designs from his mother's bridal boutique in India. He is also influenced by the Bollywood movies and his fascination for his home country.
	Pepper Passion Bruce Morgan hand carves pepper mills, from exotic woods, merging his two passions of woodworking and cooking with hot spices. His website also offers information on the history of pepper, and a selection of high quality peppercorns and sea salts.
	Larissa Spafford Designs Larissa's vibrant beads delight with their variety, complexity, and unexpected colors. Glass is her medium and fire is her tool as she continues the traditions of lampworking that date back to 14th century Italy. Among her most stunning works are her flower-shaped cabinet knobs and pulls...
	Jerry Hill Designs Honoring the arts, culture and traditions of the First Nations People, their art, Jerry started carving at age 7, learning both art and values, and the importance of living everyday awake to the possibilities that surround us. He now crafts incredible home lighting fixtures and jewelry and is available for commission work.
	Josh Cote Fine Sculpture I bought a wire fish for my garden from him last year, and was pretty amazed when I went to his website. Wire, wood, and granite are among his mediums. Pick a subject, it looks like he can probably replicate it.
	Stephen Fitz-Gerald Fine Art A Renaissance man in the classic sense, he makes works from life-size figurative sculptures in steel and stainless steel, fine art nude photography, as well as design and fabrication of functional decorative arts from furniture, to fountains, gates, gazebos, trellises and winery doors.
	Paul Lewing Custom Tile Unique hand painted tile murals for kitchens, bathrooms, fireplaces, signs, and all other tile applications. Paul will depict any image in any style or color, and offers both stock pieces and custom work. He has also published a book on China paint and overglaze.
	Seth Rolland As seen at Best of the Northwest in 2003, Seth Rolland designs contemporary furniture. This glass-topped hall table with a mix of wood fanning towards the floor is just one example of his ingenious designs.
	Long Life Candles Very impressive hand dipped and interlaced pure beeswax candles by Deena and Talbot. They have other fun styles such as Endless Knots, Vagras, six and eight braids, Sweet Heart Twists (very nice for weddings), and even Lightning Bolts and very fun self standing Rockets.
	Axis of Hope A prayer wheel is an ancient Buddhist prayer tool. Made of metal, leather, or wood and ranging in size from a soup can to a 500-gallon drum--each prayer wheel is inscribed and packed with written prayers. Each time it spins, a prayer floats to the heavens. Shown at left is Chris Moench's "Tree of Life" wheel, a table top piece about 18" tall.
Other Arts
	Fathom Stone I met Jon in Ketchikan Alaska in 2008, and bought some small Inuksuks that he had carved from Glacier Jade and serpentine. I give him one of my cards, which he recognizes from Best of the Northwest when he was a participating artist a couple of years ago. What a very small world …
	Soapworks Studio Handcrafted artisanal soaps created by Heidi Risse in the time-honored cold-process tradition -- cooked on a stove-top and stirred by hand. Her soaps are vegetable-based, utilizing food-grade olive, coconut and palm oils, plus organic shea butter and hemp seed oil. The clouds of rich, luxurious lather are soothing and healthy for your skin.
	KOBO Jim Baoshu caught my attention at the Pike Place Market as a calligrapher and carver of Chinese chops, the stone seals that Chinese officials used as a signature on court documents, and which artists still use to sign their paintings and calligraphic scrolls. He will translate your name into Chinese and carve a chop for you.
Art Organizations
Northwest Art Alliance The Textile and Fiber Arts List The NWAA produces opportunities to increase public awareness and appreciation for handmade art. The Best of the Northwest shows are amonththe best arts and crafts shows in the Northwest. Lao Hats has participated in the Seattle shows since 2002 and is a proud member of the Alliance. The Textile and Fiber Arts List TAFA is a business community of entrepreneurs rooted in textile and fiber art products and traditions. A majority of the members have social and environmental agendas at the core of their business. TAFA unites old and new traditions, their historical and modern importance, giving a shared platfrom to both contemprary and traditional textile techniques from all cultures. Peters Valley Craft Center Located in the Delaware Water Gap Peters Valley offers two to five day workshops in blacksmithing, ceramics, fibers, fine metals, photography, wood and special topics including printmaking, books & paper, drawing, and glass. The school also offers the Sally D. Francisco Store and Gallery featuring American made fine crafts, the annual craft fair, a children’s creativity camp and artists’ residencies. Brookfield Craft Center Located 10 miles north of Danbury, Connecticut, its campus houses teaching studios, an exhibition gallery, and a retail sales shop. It was founded in 1954 to stimulate interest in handmade objects of good design, to distribute information related to handcraft,s and to be a sales outlet for practicing craftsmen. Classes at the Center range from ceramics, weaving, metalsmithing, woodworking and stained glass, to boat building, business skills, home restoration, photography, design theory and decorative art techniques. Lao Hats has participated in their holiday show since 2003. John Michael Kohler Arts Center JMKAC presents contemporary American art with emphasis on craft-related forms, folk traditions, new genres and the work of self-taught artists. JMKAC was established in 1967 as a nonprofit organization to encourage and support innovative explorations in the arts and to foster an exchange between artists and consumers regarding the power of the arts to inspire and transform our world. Lao Hats has participated in their “One & Only” holiday show since 2005.