THE COTTAGE CRAFTSMAN is a unique gallery and market that celebrates traditional and contemporary fine art, craft, specialty foods, wine and music with a focus on those artists and craftsman who live, work and play in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Artisans who use — and re-use — natural materials, often gathered locally, to create handmade products reflecting the appalachian heritage of the region.
A local broom maker still grows his own broom corn from heritage seeds, while giving the corn silks to another artisan to use as hair on her handcrafted corn shuck dolls. A quiltmaker uses historic patterns applying both modern and traditional techniques, and our basket weaver creates reproductions of historic basket patterns.
Our local artisans craft hand-painted gourds; and turn mountain hardwoods and clays into bowls, platters and vessels.
Our jewelry designers work with a variety of materials, including silver, gemstones, precious metal clay, and mixed media to create original styles of wearable art.
Debbie Mills
The Cottage Craftsman
44 Frye Street
Bryson City, North Carolina 28713
828-488-6207
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Come visit us at the SATURDAY, MAY !7 FRIDAY, MAY 23 SATURDAY, MAY 31
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 ALLYSON GERNANDT - Bryson City, NC Jewelry
Her career making custom jewelry began when her father-in-law gave her a 2-hour silversmithing lesson and took her to a Gem Show. Melting solder to “stick” metal pieces together was magical! She learned enough “tricks” in a 5-day beginner silversmithing course at John C. Campbell Folk School, to persevere on her own. She designs feminine jewelry using wonderful combinations of shape & color, with an emphasis on unique gemstones, such as Andean Opal, Larimar, Snakeskin Jasper, Picasso Marble, Moldavite and Agates. She believes that earwires are as important as the earring, so creates her signature “Wavy” and “Spiral” earwires.Website
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Allyson’s life and work are about energy. She recognizes that each stone has a unique energy that will “find its owner” and combine with that person’s energy in a unique way. She asks the Gemstones to please tell her “what they want to be”. Some stones want more embellishment than others…some want to have a freeform-flowing look: others want to be simple and symmetrical… Pendant, Earrings or Ring… She complies.