James Crowell began making knives in Mt. View, AR in 1980 and is a past Ozark Folk Center, State Park, Resident Blacksmith and Knife maker. He earned the distinction of Master Bladesmith from the American Bladesmith Society in 1986 and was certified as the first, non founding father, Instructor for the American Bladesmith Society (ABS) that same year.

Jim is a long time faculty member of The Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing at Texarkana College and teaches all over the country at seminars and “Hammer-Ins”. His flawless work regarded by many as among the best hand forged knives produced has appeared in every trade publication and is in collections throughout the world. He has won many awards including the first American Bladesmith Society Bill Moran Knife of the Year, the Blade Magazine Best Forged Knife and was the winner of numerous American Bladesmith Society Cutting Competitions. Jim won the first World Championship ABS cutting competition in 2003 at the Blade Super Show in Atlanta Georgia.

Jim has demonstrated at many symposiums and Hammer-Ins including the Scagle in Michigan, The Batson Bladesmithing Symposium in Alabama, Haywood College in NC, the Spring and Fall Hammer-Ins at the Bill Moran School of Bladesmithing in Old Washington Arkansas and the New England School of Metalwork. Jim was the featured demonstrator for the North Texas Blacksmiths Association April 2010.

Jim has made two TV commercials featuring his smithing skill and was a featured guest on “Arkansas Today” TV shows hosted by Beth Ward.

Jim has lived in Mountain View Ark. Since 1978 and made his first knife in 1980. In the following years he has made knives for people all over the world. Always striving for better craftsmanship and performance, Jim is kept busy creating knives for people who insist on meticulous craftsmanship and outstanding performance.

Debbie Jolly joins her husband, DeWayne, this year showcasing her arts and crafts.

DeWayne wanted paper for his lampshades last year. Debbie tried her hand at making paper. “ I was hooked! The unknown of the finished product is very exciting. The experimentation of using different formulas to create pulp is in a way like planting a garden.”

“I think of all of the trees where the used paper came from and get a feeling of great satisfaction to keep the trees going in different forms of handmade paper.”

She offers notecards, envelopes, unbreakable paper ornaments, bookmarks, and a five panel tabletop folding screen. Scrap bookers will love her sheets of paper made from old sewing patterns, expired maps, S&H Green Stamps Books, assorted scrap paper, cornhusks, dried flowers, herbs & grasses, natural dyes such as turmeric and crushed annatto seeds. Some papers are embossed using a vintage doily. She is presently working on a hand-sewn bound journal.

“One of my passions is nature, which is why I chose to live in the Ozarks,says this flatlander who grew up in Forrest City. Nature is the color wheel of life.”

“On our many excursions outdoors, whether it be hiking or kayaking, the discovery of a new plant or flower is thrilling. I love all of the different flora and fauna around this region. A steward of the land is something I’m proud to be in this chapter of my life and I’m determined to be self sufficient as much as I possibly can be.”

Another art form is ornaments made from nature. “I’ve always loved one of a kind ornaments. While living in South Carolina I made angels from oyster and sea shells.” Now she makes angels & fairies from loofah sponges out of her garden. They are adorned with old ribbon, acorns, dried flowers and old costume jewelry. Her ‘Ozark Stars’ are made from trumpet vine pods found on the farm. Each one of a kind ‘star’ is embellished with paint, glitter, old lace, ribbon ,costume jewelry & old buttons, dried flowers, lichen and ‘nature’s velvet’ [moss].”

It’s very satisfying to find ways to repurpose my odds & ends in an artistic expression.”

While going on walks across their property Debbie spots dried cedar stumps and transforms them into ‘Cedar Glade Creatures’ after a lot of wire brush cleaning then applying paint, cording, feathers and old jewelry. Each one is given a name. “My 4 year old grandson, Lucas, has given me much imagination.

In late November Debbie gathers fresh cedar and pine, dried flowers, berries and feathers to make Christmas wreaths and garlands. Custom orders are welcomed.
Debbie and DeWayne invite tour participants to have a picnic on their farm. A bathroom is available as well as table & chairs. All dogs must be on a leash due to their free range chickens.

All kinds of wonderful things are in store for you at The Studio at Jollywood Farm. Debbie and DeWayne can share their story of meeting on Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina 27 years ago. There is plenty of parking as well as light refreshments, possibly including Debbie’s purple basil jelly which has become very popular.

For questions call Debbie at 870-214-1953 or Dewayne at 870-214-1986.Email is jollywoodfarm@gmail.com.

The pine-covered hilltop setting of their studio provides John and Judi with a beautiful and relaxing environment to work in. Their property is adjacent to the Ozark National Forest, just down the road from the bike trails. John and Judi relish the peaceful location as well as the privacy and solitude that the home studio provides.

Both at their home studio and at the Ozark Folk Center, John and Judi produce and finish a variety of pottery. The bulk of their work is wheel-thrown functional ware decorated with liquid colored clay or “slip”. Their unique collection of slip decorated “Critter Pottery” is well know. A favorite item of that line is the “Critter Cup”. These are mugs decorated with line drawings of animals on the outside and little sculpted animals inside. Another popular style of work is decorated with ferns imprints, and colored slip.

In addition to the wheel-thrown work, Judi also enjoys hand-building with clay. She uses their newly created space to sculpt animals and do figurative work. Recently she has begun to experiment with slab-built pieces as well. Although most of the work made in their home studio is fired in electric kiln on site, some of their work is fired in the Waste Vegetable Oil Kiln or the Wood-fired Groundhog Kiln at the Ozark Folk Center State Park. All of their functional work is microwave safe, oven proof, and dishwasher safe.

Their pottery can be seen in a wide range of places. Judi has published five articles on wood-firing and slip decoration in professional pottery magazines: Ceramics Monthly, Claytimes Companion, and Pottery Making Illustrated. Their work is in the collections of Governor Beebe, Senator Hilary Clinton, and Senator Dale Bumpers. They have won awards at a variety of events. Judi and John are both members of the Arkansas Craft Guild Members and the Memphis Potter’s Guild. Fellow studio tour potters, David and Becki Dahlstedt were Judi’s mentors when she first came to the Ozark Folk Center in 1992.

“Layers of Life” describes my artistic experience and interest. I grew up in Kansas, lived in California and now enjoy retirement with my husband. We built our dream home and art studio on top of Dodd Mountain in Mountain View. I’m looking forward to your visit to our beautiful Ozark surroundings

When I’m not teaching workshops throughout Arkansas, I teach art in my home studio, adding another “layer” that expresses the inspiration I get from my students.

My artistic style has developed out of explorations in oil, acrylic, watercolor and mixed media. You can see examples of my art at the Arkansas Craft Gallery in Mountain View. When you visit my studio, you will see realism and expressionistic art in bold and energetic colors inspired by our mountain top home and landscape. I will be demonstrating some unusual painting techniques – something you may not have seen before.

For many years Carolyn and I collaborated on making duck decoys. Carolyn has continued her art interest by painting on canvas. I recently discovered glass fusion and became intrigued with the possibilities and challenges of glass as the other state of matter. Glass is hard yet brittle. It is neither fluid nor solid. Fusing glass requires precision and experimentation due to the high heat and exacting control of time at specific temperatures.

To make fused glass jewelry, various colors of glass sheets, powders, stringers, beads, and shards are layered together to create a design. The layers are fired in a kiln at temperatures up to 1,500 degrees F to melt and bond the glass together. The glass is then cooled slowly to anneal the glass. I use glass which is handmade using formulas and processes developed in my studio, some involving as many as five fuse firings to create the desired movement, richness, and depth. Decorative techniques used include bubble trapping, painting and drawing with powdered glass frit, and using metal inclusions. The glass is cut and ground to shape and polish fired one last time. Depending on the finished product, the piece is grooved or drilled using special tools. Finally, precious metal wire is used to hand make artistic findings to accentuate the glass and make a wearable piece of jewelry.

We met at Memphis College of Art in 1965, married in 1967, and determined to make a living in the field of arts and crafts. Studies continued in California, with Gerry at UC Berkeley and Sheri at Oakland College of Art. In 1972 we moved to Stone County, purchasing a forty acre parcel of land with a live creek and lots of wildlife. For 18 years we carved the birds and animals of the Ozarks and travelled the crafts and competition carving circuit. Awards won included Best-In-Shows in Ocean City, Maryland; New Orleans; Memphis; Little Rock; and San Diego, California.

When our two sons reached school age, it was time to stay home. We worked for Aromatique, Inc. in Heber Springs for 18 years as designer craftsmen. Our job was sculpting nature-themed containers for their exclusive room fragrances, candles, and bath products.

In 2012 collectors brought in over fifty carvings, numerous study drawings, and support materials for a retrospective called “Wings of Wonder” at The Witt Stephens, Jr. Central Arkansas Nature Center in Little Rock.

Our two fine sons are raised now and with families of their own, and we are working at home. Gerry carves and sculpts, Sheri paints.

I retired in 2000 to do exactly what I am doing: painting, singing, and enjoying my animals. I paint the animals and all that is around them in these beautiful mountains that I now call home.

Once a teacher – always a teacher – so I do that too. I teach several workshops during the year and have a local group that meets every week for six months during the winter and spring. The Folk Center is a perfect place to satisfy my need for teaching art…love to work with them.

Ray’s Wrought Ironwork is recognized for its serious display of function and design, solid construction, with an eye for balance and design.

His rural Arkansas upbringing and his early career as a civil engineer have influenced Ray in his work. His designs are thought out with architectural purpose, while combining the beauty that simplicity exudes. Through the 80’s, Ray pursued his passion for design by owning and operating a leather shop where he handmade leather bags, belts, purses, saddles and other custom made leather products. In conjunction with this operation, Ray also designed and cast brass belt buckles for his handmade belts.

For many years, Ray has worked in custom wrought iron products. With this media his specialty work consists of custom gates, screens and distinctive entryways that grace homes and businesses. He also offers a collection of home and garden accessories. This year his studio is filled with butterflies, moons and stars and other collections to enhance your garden and patio

Come visit his studio for ideas on various designs for your home or ask about custom projects.

Born and raised in Michigan, my husband and I retired to Mountain View a few years ago. My new studio is a replica of the old “Herpel Post Office”. As a self-taught painter, I have been creating and selling my work throughout the United States. I work in several mediums including oil, water, acrylic and acrylic wash. Since moving to Mountain View, I have started painting on wood. Wood seems to be a natural for nature paintings. I like doing scenery, but painting animals and fish on wood makes very interesting scenes. It’s fun to incorporate nature’s flaws (knots, etc.) into a painting. This makes them truly one of a kind.

We feel that we have been fortunate to find such a unique spot in Stone County to build our home with the bluffs, creek and wild life to feed the imagination and we have truly been blessed. I look forward to sharing my studio and creations with each of you.

DeWayne and his wife Debbie moved from coastal South Carolina to the Ozark hills of northern Stone County Arkansas in the Fall of 2005. A woodworker by trade, with many years in home construction, cabinet making, interior trim, and millwork, DeWayne had to put his passion for woodworking on hold. The 40 acre farm nestled in the Ozark National Forest required much of his attention, not to mention the many distractions of living in such a beautiful area. He can now devote more of his time to working with wood. Drawing from childhood memories of the lowcountry plantation joggling board, he has created a joggling bench. The bench is a ten foot yellow pine board supported at each end by rocking uprights, creating a gentle bouncing motion. From Debbie’s childhood he builds a toddler’s step stool that converts into a chair. The original was found rotting in an old shed at her family home. From nature DeWayne has created a table lamp using cedar stumps and sandstone. The lampshades are mdae using handmade paper and local cedar or white oak. His work is by no means limited to the products mentioned here, he is also open to custom orders.

They’ll have a restroom available, and are providing some refreshments, too. The road is great and the recent rains have really worked to settle the dust.

{“She’s going to be famous when she’s dead…”
Studio Visitor 2012

Born on the South side of Chicago, Jo began her studies of art at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. During the early 70’s she traveled extensively while continuing her studies in New York City, Chicago and San Jose, California

In 1975, she settled in New Mexico where she met and apprenticed Navajo Silversmith Cinda Paulson. She learned the Navajo tradition of fabrication, using silver sheet and wire to create intricate, finely detailed jewelry using simple hand tools and a lot of imagination and skill.

She moved to Arkansas in 1982 and built her off the grid, board and batten green oak home. Seemingly ahead of her time, the house is passive solar and electricity was from solar panels while the windmill pumped the water that was gravity fed to the house and garden.

Some things have changed through the years but her passion for silversmithing survives. She feels that her work has a life of its own, each piece is unique, each work a study in metal and nature.

Come by and see how she uses this age-old process to create treasures that you and your family will cherish as heirlooms for generations. Many of her customers are collectors and like to add to their collection or start one for friends and family. Her classic work appeals to every age and includes rings, pins, earrings, bolos, and bracelets. Settings with gemstones encompassed by her trademark leaves and tendrils define her work.

You can visit her website at www.jprosenquist.com

Russ Wilhite

“Russ” was born in St. Louis, MO in 1922 and then moved to Memphis where he showed promise at an early age as an artist. A local organization, dedicated to promoting the arts gave him a scholarship to attend the Memphis Academy of Arts in the late 1930′s. His work and travels have taken him to such widely diverse places as New York, Rome and Tokyo, Japan. Newspapers, television stations, advertising agencies, animation studios and private collectors have bought his work.

Russ has narrowed his activities in the art field down to making his own gallery wrap frames, streching the canvas and finally painting the canvas surface with acrylic paint. His favorite subjects at present are centered on Banjo, Gituar and Fiddle figures who may be human, animal or even insect. This allows room for humor and bright colors and most of all affords him the opportunity to doe his work in a sataisfying and enjoyable manner.

Beverly Wilhite

I was born in Memphis, Tennesee where my love for art led me to take many private lessons and work shops. I also studied with other artists in Paris, France.

I have worked for 23 years as a visual artist and interior decorator, which influences my love of vibrant color, stylized design in painting. I am currently working in acryics, but will use any medium to make my work more interesting to others. I particularly love to paint large flowers and pretty ladies from the 20′s and 30′s.

After marrying Russ nearly four years ago, we are making our home in beautiful Mountain View. We chose to renovate an orginal old homestead that was on our property for our studio. We would like to invite you to come see our work place, view art and enjoy some refresments.

Doris Fountain was born and raised 8 miles south of Mountain View. Her Husband Roger is a very talented fiddle player. They live in Pineville, a small town nestled between the White River and Norfork lake. They also share their home and studio with several very fat and playful cats!

She worked in business for over 16 years as a manager for Conagra Corp., until the plant closed operations in Mountain View. With her children raised, this gave her the opportunity  to change her career, and follow her love of Folk Art. She first learned to weave baskets and taught classes at the Ozark Folk Center and her home studio.

She now does a variety of Folk Art creations. One of which is her primitive santa. Her santas are each a one of a kind creation. The faces are hand molded and hand painted. She uses paper clay for the face. They are made on a wooden dowel base, and the clothes are created from primitive quilts, chenille , wool, tapestry and velvets. They  are decorated in many different way. Some are very primitive with lots of moss, old sticks, and baskets of berries, others with bags of toys and a Christmas tree. She also does the more “Old World Santa” with tapestry or velvets with fur trim.

Pumpkins are a major focus year round in her studio. You will see a “sea of orange and green” when you enter her studio. She creates them from chenille and  quilt fabric, and hand dyes the material, mixing the dye to get just the right colors for her pumpkins. They are decorated with unique sticks for stems and beautiful fall leaves, moss and berries.

Her studio is located next door to her home in Pineville, and most days you will find her in the studio working on some new creation or playing with her cats.

You can contact me anytime through email at fountain (at) gmail.com

Leon Creasey

As the son of a sharecropper, I did farm work until I left home at a young age. I worked in the oil fields in Texas for two years, returning home to Woodruff County and worked in the sawmill, logging until 1963 when I operated heavy equipment of several contractors.

In 1975 I bought my own equipment and became self employed as Creasey Construction for 25 years. In 1982 I was elected sheriff and collector of Woodruff County and served four terms as Sheriff at the same time running the Construction Company. In 1991 I did not run for another term as Sheriff, due to health problems and sold the construction business to my son in 1995 and retired.

I bought a Lathe and started a hobby that has lasted ever since. I love to make bowls and weed pots to give to my friends. I like to make my bowls from unusual wood.

To make my bowls, I use an assortment of turning tools as a Band Saw, Joiner and sanding equipment. My best bowls have been made from last years heating woodpiles. If I need a tool for a special need and can’t find it, I make my own.

Dwight Havens

Dwight retired in 2000 and moved to Mountain view where he met Leon Creasey whom he considers a master bowl maker. “I was really inspired by him. I enjoy working with wood, especially making bowls, but also tables, stools, etc. I have a small studio with tools that include a lathe, a band saw, a miter saw, sanders, drills, etc. My bowls are made from wood pieces called blanks that are rough cut into a circle and placed on the lathe. Cutting is done with a number of tools such as gouges and scrapers. Then I just use my imagination!”

Sherman began learning the craft of wood turning as an apprentice at the Ozark Folk Center in 1999 and now has a larger, air-conditioned shop in the lower parking lot next to the visitor’s center or general store. After researching old-fashioned toys he chose peg tops which he began making the next year using hickory, maple, oak, dogwood and ash. The wood stock is turned as a spindle and tops come off one end of the spindle, one at a time.

This turned out to be a successful and rewarding business. Sherman now makes three kinds of tops including peg tops, finger spinners and a deluxe side-pull top that runs like a gyroscope. He makes the peg tops in five sizes using 87 species of tree wood. He also fashions wooden buttons for the cords. Metal tips for the tops are re-fabricated out of collared duplex nails and archery field tips. To this line-up, he’s added tool handles, wooden bowls, and whatever else is asked for. He’s also upgraded the tools he uses to include Easy Wood tools and the Easy Chuck system.

Sherman’s demonstration includes not only how he makes the tops, but a three-part lesson about throwing a peg top which is of special interest to the kids. Sherman first had to learn to throw tops in order to sell them, and in 2002 he acquired the skill to throw a quadruple – four tops in one throw!! Sherman will give you a two page set of instructions on how to wind, hold and throw the peg top you purchase to take with you as a reminder.

After making over 8700 tops, and probably throwing most of them, Sherman has it down pat and welcomes you to his studio to see the whole world of tops.

I learned candlemaking from a friend in Dallas, Texas in the late 60′s. We did it for fun in the early evening and would then make music, share wine and stay up late waiting for the candles to “cure”. Pulling them from the mold was like Christmas … never knew what we would find.

By 1972 I knew I wanted to escape the corporate structure of my Dallas job and “blow up my tv, throw away my paper, go to the country, build me a home” (Thanks Mr.Prine). My ex and I arrived in Mountain View in 1973, the auspicious year the Ozark Folk Center was opening, and had come prepared to make our living by making candles. As luck would have it, they were in need of a candle shop on the Folk Center Grounds. My ex, Melvin and I, did the research and then designed and helped build the candle shop there. We worked there the first year of operation, dipping hand dipped tapers and perfecting the process of producing our molded candles. At the end of that first year in the tourist park, I did our first craft show. From then, and for the next 15 years, we made our living at craft shows in the immediate environs … War Eagle in NW, Arkansas, the Governor’s Show in Little Rock, various other shows in Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas.

I went to Memphis, TN for four years from ’88 to ’91 to pursue education at Rhodes College. I returned to Stone County in 1992 and began my candle production in the northern corner of Stone County, just south of Calico Rock. I bought an old cinder block building along w/22 acres and converted the front 1/3 into my candle making studio and the back 2/3 into living space.

My candles are made completely by hand. I offer two styles, either the “chunk” candle or the “layered” . Chunk candles are filled with squares of wax (which I pour and cut) and then have an overpour They have a stained glass look. The layered candles are produced on a “jig” to get the slanted layered effect, waiting about 40 minutes between each layer. The wax is a highly refined parrafin wax which burns long and clean. I use more fragrance than large companies so my candle fragrance will last for the life of the candle.

Come on by and visit. I also feed a large community of hummingbirds all summer. I’m hoping they will still be around mid-Sept, but weather plays a large part in their decision to head south.

Bernie was born and raised on a farm near a small town in Iowa. After school he proceeded to get a job (or different jobs) until he ended up in the printing industry and pre-press trade.

“While spending thirty some years in Kalamazoo, Michigan, the “back to the land movement” inspired a spark of interest in old time ways. I attended Tillers International, an organization which teaches sustainable lifestyle with studying the practice of preserving historical methods of blacksmithing, metal working and agricultural tools. A love for “rusty stuff”, knife making, flint knapping, and miscellaneous projects has kept my mind and hands busy.

You’ll find knives made with iron and stone, knife sheathes, possibly bags, gourd canteens, and Indian reproductions. Along with these you will find accessories such as antler candle holders, lamps, and knife display stands, or something else that hits my fancy.

Come and visit. We are located next to the Rocky Bayou Creek. There’s always something of interest for all to enjoy. P.S. Bring your camera!

We make our living woodworking. This isn’t a hobby or added income. We work full time woodworking. We start with either logs or rough cut lumber, dry the lumber to proper moisture content, then plane and edge the lumber. From this point we select the board for whatever project we are making.

Our designs are all our own using the best joinery for the style and look we are trying to achieve. We work closely with our customers to ensure they get the product they are wanting. Many of our designs follow the function of the piece of furniture. We make our products to be used. Our furniture will last at least a lifetime.

Everything we build is individually constructed allowing us to vary anything from the wood used to the size of the piece. Whether it be a kitchen table or a cutting board, we take pride in the fact that they are made to last while being pleasing to the eye. Check out our website for more information and pictures at www.bluemountainwoodwork.com.

Work, techniques and material: We make wood products including furniture, cabines, cutting boards and bowls. Almost all our products are made from locally grown white oak, hickory, walnut, cherry and cedar. We maintain our own kiln for drying our wood. We use several finishes including an all natural FDA- approved finish for food surfaces.

Process, technique and materials that make our work unique: We use various types of joinery in our furniture. Dovetailed corners, mortise and tenon, sliding dovetails, half lap joint, depending on the application. We use lumber cut at local sawmills in Stone and Searcy Counties. Any joint that is glued together is left in glueing clamps for a full 24 hours for added strength. All wood is individually selected depending on use.

Education/Training: Paul Sr. received a Bachelor of Sciencer degree in Industrial Technology from Pittburg State University in 1970. Woodworking had been a hobby till he worked at the Ozark Folk Center, mostly in the furniture shop, using hand tools making chairs, etc. In 1987 he opened the current shop making various craft items. This evolved into cabinets and furniture. Paul Jr. grew up around the wood shop. Also he worked construction for several years, followed by several years sanding swords for Hollow Earth Swords.

Development of work and design origin: We started by making small craft itmes which quickly led to furniture and cabinets. We make functional items. Our design is derived from the “form follows function” concept. The artistic portion of our work comes from within our own minds. Our joinery processes come from the strongest foints for the particular application. We use dovetails, mortise & tenon, half laps, butt joints, and biscuit joinery to ensure a quality product.

Welcome to my world of Painting, Rug Hooking, Animals, Music, Reading, Cooking and Gardening; all the things my day to day life centers around.

After living in the San Francisco Bay Area for 23 years, raising 2 sons, I moved to Mountain View in 1993. Born and raised in Mexico, Missouri, I longed to be back with nature. I built a home a few years ago that overlooks Mountain View and my studio and greenhouse are both part of the house. Buffy, my Pomeranian, and Mizkitty share this wonderful life with me.

At present a good deal of my time is spent in transitioning from the owner of “Joy’s Main Street Café & Gallery” to a full-time artist. Now, although my work is often displayed at the gallery, my home, the greenhouse, and my studio are my life.

Painting and gardening consume most of my private time, very little left over for Rug Hooking anymore.  That urge will come on me again some day…that’s just the way life is. I’m still fascinated with flowers, fruits and vases as my subject matter, but am beginning to get back to landscapes and buildings (my early love in painting). My fingers are full of color at the end of every painting session as I use them as much as I do brushes.

I hope you will visit my serene country home and studio. I guarantee you will leave feeling refreshed, relaxed and peaceful.

Feel free to contact me via email any time.

In 1985 Leon retired as postmaster at Leslie, moved to Mountain View and took a basket making workshop from Mr. Wayman Evans at the Ozark Folk Center, all in the same year! He was approved for a grant from the Arkansas Art Council and the Committee of 100 (a fund raising organization for the Folk Center) to apprentice with Mr. Evans. With a lot of hard work he was making beautiful baskets in about three years. He now crafts baskets in many sizes and shapes. Leon invites you to come to his studio so that he can show you how he works the wood and makes the baskets.

Leon shares his home with many visitors as well as a large family and many friends. Spending time with family and friends is an important part of Leon’s life.

At Cowan’s Stone County Art studio, you will see mosaic tables, benches, and stepping-stones as well as glittering smashed glass creations, mixed-media wall hangings, mobiles, fountains, and sculptures. All of her work is hand-made, one-of-a-kind, deeply textured and sensuous. Some touches the spiritual; some is funny. Most of the pieces will work well both outside and inside your home. The highly unusual work, which ranges from primitive to post-modern, often incorporates a wide variety of found objects. Cowan’s Stone County Art has won a number of awards and honors. The Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock featured her sculptures for several months in 2013.

Lee discovered her artistic self late in life, during a clay class at the Arkansas Art Center. Wanting next to make larger objects that could withstand the outdoor elements, she began experimenting with a variety of cement products. Later she started collecting scads of things such as snake skins, tiles, jewelry, rocks, toys, discarded tables, and glass to re-assembles things into new creations. She enjoys making “something out of nothing” and combining miscellaneous materials in unusual ways.

She and her husband left their professional careers in Little Rock in 1998 to move deep into the Ozark Mountains. Once here, she pursued her art, writing, and music as her husband was becoming an award-winning winemaker. Their radical transformation is chronicled in her book Except for All the Snakes, I Just Love It Out Here (The News from Stone County Arkansas), which will be available on the tour.

Lee’s studio (4 miles past Joe Bruhin’s) is on the second floor and, unfortunately, may not work for those with serious mobility issues. One of the prettiest outhouses in Stone County, pictured below with stained glass windows and a white tiled floor, is available for your use. Bring a blanket and picnic in the small family vineyard.

The work runs from $17 to $1800. Cash and checks accepted.

Twice nominated as an Arkansas Living Treasure, Owen Rein has been making his living using the old time woodworking tools and techniques for almost 35 years.

Over the years he has created a line of chairs and bar stools to fit most every need. The signature pieces of this line are his large rocking chairs. Owen has spent twenty years perfecting the comfort of this design. These award-winning rocking chairs have found homes in the permanent collection of the Decorative Arts Museum in Little Rock, the White House, the Historic Arkansas Museum and many private collections.

Mr. Rein also makes White Oak Baskets using a set of traditional designs passed down to him by the late Wayman Evans. Recently, the Renwick Galley of the Smithsonian Art Museum in Washington DC has acquired two of Mr. Rein’s baskets.

To help keep this knowledge alive, Owen has published several articles about his woodworking, teaches classes, and gives lectures.

Owen built his rustic homestead on a secluded 40 acres in eastern Stone County.

I have a passion for painting and a love for the Arkansas countryside. My faith in Jesus Christ is my source of strength and peace. I credit my Creator with all that’s wonderful and beautiful in the universe and give Him the glory in all things. I am impressed by the abundance of natural beauty one can find here in the Ozarks and much of my art is an effort to express that beauty from my perspective. I love this state, the people and its wealth of visual pleasures.

My artistic career began as art director for the city of north Little Rock. I spent ten years developing the arts throughout the city. During those early years, I co-founded Arkansas League of Artists and served in the position of President for the first 5 years. In the mid-70s I initiated the Annual Burns Park Arts and Craft Fair featuring more than 300 artists and attracting some 50-thousand visitors.

In 2007 I was honored to be chosen as the featured artist for Riverfest, a festival held each year in Little Rock. As featured artist I created a painting reflecting the images of Riverfest.

My art is part of public and private collections around the world. One of my favorite portraits is one I did of the late Jackson T. Stephens which is featured on my website, jimtindall.com. For the past several years I have worked as an expressive art specialist with Birch Tree Communities, Inc. teaching art with therapeutic benefits that aid in patient recovery. Each spring more than 100 of my students exhibit to sell some250 paintings at the Governor’s Mansion in Little Rock to the more than 500 visitors in attendance.

I am comfortable painting in most mediums, but prefer acrylics. Although I enjoy sketching portrait caricatures and have drawn 1000s of them over the past 35 years.

I also enjoy the local streams fly fishing for trout and casting my killer lure for smallmouth bass.

You are invited to stop in and take a look at my art, and if you ask, I will do a free caricature portrait sketch of you just for stopping by.

Welcome to my home and studio. I established Fox Mountain Pottery in 1986 and have been earning my livelihood with wood fired pottery ever since. When I’m working, I have only one focus, BEAUTY!!! I don’t think there is a formula for that, but for me being a potter it seems to require a natural setting, a spiritual practice, a sincerity and yearning, a working with spontaneity and a kiln fueled with wood.

Presently I use two wood kilns for expression and to bring my efforts to fruition. A few years ago I built a new kiln in order to deliver my vision. This kiln is called an Anagama, which translates to cave or hole kiln, it is half buried underground and measures forty foot long. It requires ten days of constant attending and 10 – 12 cords of split pine to complete one firing. The works from this kiln have a natural glaze, no applied glaze is applied. The color and texture is caused by the climate, age and type of wood being used, atmospheric conditions inside the kiln, placement of the works, wood ash from the burning fuel melting into the clay, fire flashing the work and coals being maintained on the pots themselves. The blending of these variables results in endless variety of effects. Wood Firing is an evolving practice, one must be fully present and aware to keep the work fresh and spirited. There is great risk involved in wood firing but the rewards can be great as well. You can say that my pots are offerings or prayers and the kiln the temple to manifest them. My goal and ideal is to make objects that have a transcending quality that possibly can inspire another human being, bring a little joy or add a positive presence to one’s home.

My older kiln called a Noborigama, which means multi chambered also gives natural glaze works, but I also apply glaze and brush work to selected pieces. This kiln is fired for four days. When I first started wood firing my firings were completed in 30 hours. Then I fired the kiln 3 – 4 times a year. More recently I have only one firing per year due to the labor intensive process and effort required. In the future I hope to have 2-3 firings a year.

My work has been recognized through awards, museum exhibitions, collections, publications and film. Spring of 2007 I was honored to have my first one-person exhibition at the museum level at the Arkansas Arts Center. I’m grateful for the ever-growing recognition I receive, but what is most gratifying is when my efforts to manifest beauty touches the heart of another human being.

I look forward to meeting everyone in this natural setting where I live and work and wish you all a wonderful experience in taking in the Off the Beaten Path Studio Tour.

For more information on Joe please visit JoeBruhin.com

Carolyn has been painting for forty years, using various paints, techniques and materials.  This all began when Carolyn and her husband James purchased land in the Ozark area of Arkansas back in the early 1970’s. The family had not only fallen in love with the overwhelming beauty of the region, but in particular it’s very special people.  After deciding this is where they wanted to raise their three children, they made the move from Oklahoma in March of 1975. Unfortunately, they hadn’t realized the very limited opportunity to find work.  They found they had to create their own way to survive.  At first they lived totally off the land and then Jim took up his carving hobby and Carolyn painted. After working part time, carving at a wood carving shop and at the Ozark Folk Center, Jim sold their land and purchased the “old Dulcimer Shop building”, on the Ozark Folk Center Road. They combined their talents and eventually were making their living from creating competition grade duck decoys and selling gifted Ozark craft people’s work and art.

Wildlife, flowers and local scenery are the primary subjects for Carolyn’s paintings now. She prefers painting on canvas, which her husband stretches, and uses water soluble oils exclusively. Jim also takes most of the photographs that Carolyn refers to when painting. Living along the White River not only provides inspiration but a place where wildlife, flowers and breathtaking scenery abounds.

Potters David and Becki Dahlstedt came to Mountain View via separate paths which converged in 1984 at the Ozark Folk Center where David had been the potter for 6 years. Together they continued to demonstrate pottery at the Folk Center for 12 years before establishing a studio adjacent to their home located near the downtown area of Mountain View. This was accomplished with assistance from an Individual Artist Fellowship from the Arkansas Arts Council which David received in 1990. Combining their talents, skills, and interests, the Dahlstedts have established a full time pottery business, producing an extensive line of functional pottery, as well as one-of-a-kind pieces which provide a constant challenge.

David makes both functional and decorative pots. Most of his pots are rooted in function as that is the tradition he finds most satisfying. An elaborate teapot can make an artistic statement and still be used to steep and pour tea. David’s work has been included in many regional shows and is sold in galleries throughout the state. Becki makes pots as well but spends most of her time glazing the couple’s work using multiple glaze application techniques to achieve their trademark blended earth tones.

David is the potter-in-residence at the Arkansas Craft School and teaches spring and fall classes at the school’s studio located in downtown Mountain View next to the Arkansas Craft Gallery, where the Dahlstedts sell their pottery. Becki is the coordinating volunteer manager of the Gallery and a member of the Board of Directors of the Arkansas Craft Guild.

The Dahlstedts share their home and studio with 2 dogs and 4 cats (population subject to change!!).

www.facebook.com/pages/Dahlstedt-Pottery/403433059552

Shawn Hoefer and Jeanette Larson have been working together for more than eight years as Common Threads Fiber Arts and More. It’s a synergistic studio with Jeanette weaving, crocheting and spinning, and Shawn spinning and crafting fiber arts tools and more out of wood. As of late, he’s also taken to making brooms.

Jeanette weaves on one of the TriLooms Shawn made

How it came together is quite the story. Jeanette’s grandmother taught her to crochet when she was eight. Her aunt taught her to weave when she was twelve. These crafts she set aside for many years as she explored other fields including dairy management, horse training and racing, costume design, dance, performing and vending at Renaissance Festivals, and journalism.

Shawn had taken a different track by studying fine arts including watercolors, pastels, acrylics, calligraphy and some woodworking before deciding the life of a starving artist was not for him and switching to computers. He attended several years of college learning computer languages. When he found out that he’d have to stay in school forever to keep up, he switched again and combined what he knew at that point to become a graphic designer and webmaster.

As a graphic designer Shawn met Jeanette when they worked at the same newspaper – she as managing editor and he as production manager. They discovered that they both had a passion for living simply and buying a farm together seemed only natural – as did raising goats. Goats led to guardian llamas. Guardian llamas, though, produced fiber…

Shawn likes to say that he learned to spin accidentally, while covering the Wool Festival at Taos for the newspaper. The spinning lesson stuck and he left the show with several drop spindles and about a pound of fiber. Jeanette thought it was cute and offered to crochet up the yarns that he spun but she didn’t want to spin… at least not until she found out that she could crochet faster then he could spin and she had to learn to spin, too. When Jeanette started spinning yarn, she realized that her yarns would also be fun to weave.

After three years of spinning and weaving and crocheting and dyeing, Jeanette found a new loom she wanted to try and convinced Shawn to build her one. and one for her friend and maybe a carved weaving hook which looked like a crochet hook and if he could carve crochet hooks he could try knitting needles and maybe turn a drop spindle and it grew from there.

Today, Shawn stays in his woodworking studio where he turns drop-spindles, nostepindes and crochet hooks and carves knitting needles and builds TriLooms. Jeanette’s studio is just through the door where she’s often found weaving and spinning.

Eclectic? Perhaps. Fun? Certainly. Boring? Never! Visit us at www.laffing-horse.com

Cynthia began weaving on a rigid heddle loom 31 years ago to find an artistic balance to her  corporate job. That rigid heddle loom led her to leave corporate America and drew her to Big Bend where she packed her loom into the back country and wove in silence, the soaring hawks her muse.

Returning to Texas after some years of travel she continued to weave for pleasure while pursuing her passion for holistic healing arts. After 17 years as a massage therapist and 4 as a Yoga teacher she and her husband moved to Fox where she now has a part time massage practice, continues to teach Yoga, and is pursuing her passion for the fiber arts full time.

As a self taught fiber artist Cynthia has always engaged herself with fiber/weaving guilds wherever she went. Presently a member of the local Ozark Fiber Guild and the N.W. Arkansas Weavers Guild, she attends as many workshops as possible because the possibilities on the loom are endless. Beyond wearable items, Cynthia weaves household textiles such as tea towels and curtains.

Ed and Pam Alexander purchased the 60 acres that comprise Wildcat Mountain in 1995. They established their studio in an A-frame cabin overlooking the White River. As their love for the area grew, so did their devotion to their art.

Pam reflects her love of growing things by creating garden sculpture of mosaics, stained glass, iron, and other items. These creations appeal to the gardener with an eye for unique items to enhance their outdoor area. Mosaic stepping stones, wrought iron trellises, and stained glass sculptures add light and color, and increase the enjoyment of every garden.

Ed has long been a devotee of the outdoors. He observes the intimate beauty of Arkansas on hiking, canoeing, and backpacking trips. He captures those remote places on film, and shares them with others in remarkable nature photos. From the delicacy of wild rose to the grandeur of a White River sunset, all are frozen in time.

The Alexanders hope that visitors to Wildcat Mountain will enjoy the beauty of their surroundings as much as they do, and will find that beauty reflected in their art.