Folklife: The Crafts Report

After a three-hour volunteer shift, I spent the afternoon dancing in the Roadhouse and checking out the crafts booths. There are several new crafts vendors -- or at least, several who are back after a hiatus of some years -- with some very cool stuff. Here's leatherworker Linda Avery of Blachly, Oregon, with her mandolin bag. No, this is not a mandolin, it's a bag.

Jewelry displays abound, but one with a distinctive new look is Earthwork Jewels, featuring the stone-and-silver work of Bellingham artist Beate Degen.

I'm not much for pottery, but Liz Russell's work, R Honey Pots, was eye-catching, particularly her teapots. Two of her teapots are in the famous Kamm Collection.

You'll find crafts in several locations at Folklife:

• The Crafts Marketplaces, on the walkway just east of the fountain, in Founders Court (outside the Exhibition Hall), and in Alki Court (below the Northwest Court). These are primarily regionally crafted items.


• The UnCommon Markets on the Bagley Roadway, the Fisher Terrace, and near the Mural Amphitheatre. These are primarily imported items, with lots of cotton, rayon, and silk dance clothing.