Meet Our New Artists On Sunday, January 8, 2 to 5 pm!

January 6, 2023Guest User

Join us in celebrating “New Year, New Art!” at the gallery in January.

We’re hosting a reception on Sunday afternoon, January 8, to introduce new makers working in fiber arts, paper quilling and fine furniture. Special displays of new artists’ work continue throughout January and we can’t wait to show you the exciting new work from these creative artisans:

Bonnie Younginer is a fiber artist interpreting the beautiful natural habitat of the SC coast. She creates contemporary wall art using felting techniques with dyed fleece and spun yarns. She also weaves expressive tapestries with wool yarn. Creating alchemy with wool, Bonnie’s work captivates the senses with its warmth, color and texture.

Fairoozan Abdullah, a paper artist specializing in quilling, works with thin paper strips to craft intricate and decorative wall art and three-dimensional stand-alone creations such as vessels and sculptural pieces. Fairoozan combines her love of paper and her experience in painting to create exuberant, vibrantly colored works of art.

Robb Helmkamp crafts original and unique furniture, sculpture and accessories made of various native woods, some pieces with metal accents. Soft contours and subtle curves yield to gentle flow and movement. By juxtaposing wood and metal, light and dark tones, smooth and rough textures, Robb uses woodworking as a canvas for expression.

As an added bonus, our “New Year, New Art!” reception is on Second Sunday when King Street closes to traffic at noon. It’s always a great day downtown – and parking is free. So don’t miss this afternoon of fine craft from our talented trio of new artists. Hope to see you there!

Our Holiday Open House is Sunday, December 11, 2 to 5 pm!

December 7, 2022Guest User

You’re invited to enjoy a festive afternoon with refreshments,
door prizes and complimentary gift wrapping.

Browse the beautifully decorated gallery and wrap up your holiday list with our dazzling array of ornaments, jewelry, apparel and accessories, plus works in clay, glass, paper, wood and more.

Meet your favorite makers, welcome the gallery’s newest members and see their wood crafts, ceramic creations, mosaics, paper quilling and textile arts.

Set the scene for a merry and bright holiday with our inspired artisan-made gifts:

Stocking stuffers: Little treasures including handmade jewelry, ornaments, lotions, candles, wood pens, ceramic sculptures, origami and much more.

Cozy gifts: Scarves and gloves to chase the chill, all skillfully hand-knitted and hand-woven by the gallery’s textile artisans.

Gifts for an artful home: Beautifully crafted wood tables and mirrors, bold ceramic sculptures, handmade clocks plus multi-media, mosaic, encaustic and paper quilling artwork for the wall.

Lowcountry gifts: Handmade jewelry portraying local scenes, polymer clay “Charleston Lady” jewelry and ornaments, ceramic mugs and works in wood inspired by the Holy City and our picturesque area.

Gifts of unique style: Gorgeous hand-dyed silk scarves, colorful textile jewelry, handmade purses, chic jackets, plus stylish ties for the guys.

Shimmering gifts: Exquisite works of art in stained and fused glass that bring color and beauty into any space.

Gifts for an elegant table: Table linens, pepper mills, mugs and ceramic and wooden serving bowls and platters.

Amusing gifts: Whimsical Kruffles and Gnomies ceramic sculptures, adorable hand-knitted dolls and creatures, challenging wood puzzles, kaleidoscopes and more gifts guaranteed to bring a smile.

And don’t forget: Our Holiday Open House is also Second Sunday on King Street, when our main street closes to traffic at noon. It’s always a fun day downtown - and parking is free. So don’t miss this afternoon of festivities!

Creating Craft “Piece by Piece” November 13 to December 10

November 6, 2022Guest User

Join us for a reception on Sunday, November 13, from 2 to 5

Creating patterns or pictures by assembling small pieces is a timeless craft that includes mosaics, stained glass and intarsia. With “Piece by Piece” as our theme this month, we’re highlighting makers who put together tiny pieces of glass, wood and ceramic materials to make beautiful work.

Meet these artisans and see their creations on Sunday afternoon, November 13.

On View through December 10, Tuesday to Sunday from 11-6.

Meet the Artists

At the “Piece by Piece” reception, you’ll have a chance to learn more about the creative process from the makers themselves:

Ron Herzog makes his striking pieces using a process known as intarsia, a time-honored technique using interlocking pieces of various wood species for color, grain and texture. Ron especially enjoys portraying birds and wildlife of the Lowcountry.

Sara Powell crafts gorgeous mosaics that express her love of nature with a wide range of subjects from sea creatures to whimsical barnyard characters. And just like nature, Sara’s imaginative work invites us to recreate the experience of discovering natural wonder.

Abstract Stained Glass by John Schumacher

John Schumacher creates award-winning stained glass pieces that contain hundreds of individual cuts of glass, including many recycled pieces. Naturally, his work is displayed in gallery’s windows, where they sparkle with vivid color and an inspiring range of design styles.

Kenny Teague meticulously cuts, assembles, turns and sculpts woods of contrasting color and texture to create his complex and intricate artwork. Nature’s splendor comes to life in Kenny’s superb bowls, decorative items and jewelry.

While these members are in the spotlight this month, the work of all the gallery’s members is also on display and available for purchase, including jewelry, wood puzzles, encaustic paintings, mixed media collages, apparel and accessories plus functional and decorative objects in wood, ceramic and glass. Plan to stop by – we look forward to seeing you!

Join us in “Celebrating American Craft” October 9 through November 8

October 12, 2022Guest User

Fine craft is all about excellence in working with a specific material,
and we think that’s something to celebrate.

Our theme this month is “Celebrating American Craft” and we’re showcasing talented local artisans working in clay, wood, glass and metal.

The opening reception is Sunday, October 9, from 2 to 5 pm.

Selected work by the featured artists is on display
Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm through November 8.

Wall Fish by Ceramic Artist Marty Biernbaum — *It’s always exciting to have an opening where you can meet our member-artisans, learn more about their process and discover what inspires them.*
*Look forward to seeing these makers and their work on October 9:*

**Marty Biernbaum:** Wheel thrown functional and playful stoneware pottery featuring hand-built designs and Marty’s own specially formulated glazes.

**Dan Diehl:** Intricate wood jigsaw puzzles that challenge and delight children and adults alike, and also make eye-catching decor objects for the home or office.

**Valerie Lamott:** Using traditional metalsmithing techniques, Valerie’s nature-inspired jewelry expresses her appreciation of the outdoors.
Her new Charleston, South Carolina collection debuts at this show!

**Carrie Helmkamp:** Whimsical and quirky ceramic sculptures, known as Kruffles, Gnomies, and Gnoblins make up Carrie’s imaginative, colorful collection of monster pottery and figures.

**Dedie Story:** Bold designs combine brightly colored glass and Dedie’s unique layering techniques with the ancient art of fusing to create beautiful functional and decorative items.

**Kasey Briggs:** Intricately patterned woven glass seed bead necklaces and bracelets, plus distinctive jewelry creations crafted with lightweight polymer clay.

Our gallery has been celebrating fine craft since 1989 and we’re keeping that party going!

“Celebrating American Craft” is brimming with vibrant colors, creative details and hand-wrought textures. The human handprint in a piece of fine craft is a treat for the soul and senses in today’s world of mass produced wares.

During this October celebration, work of all our members is also on display and available for purchase, including woodwork, stained glass, ceramics, jewelry, encaustic paintings, mixed media collages, apparel and accessories.

New Season – New Style! Hand-crafted “Art To Wear” on view September 11th thru October 8th.

September 6, 2022Guest User

Fall is just around the corner, and it’s a perfect time to see a collection of unique wearables with a cozy hint of autumn. Be sure our “Art To Wear” show and sale is on your calendar!

The opening reception is Sunday, September 11th, from 2 to 5 pm.

The exhibit continues Tuesday to Sunday from 11 am to 6 pm through October 8th.

Fall Layering at Charleston Crafts Gallery

Our fall feature showcases original, hand-crafted apparel, accessories and jewelry created by the gallery’s six fiber artists. Beautiful artisan-made women’s jackets, vests, purses, scarves and textile jewelry are among the artful items on display.

And we didn’t forget the guys! There are also hand-crafted ties, bow-ties and lapel pins.

“Art To Wear” is inspiration to refresh your wardrobe for the coming season with one-of-a-kind designs by these fiber artists:

**Susan Livingston**: Hand-dyed and embellished scarves and purses

**Raquel Quiroz**: Hand-knitted hats, gloves and purses

**LuAnn Rosenzweig**: Hand-made jackets, vests, purses, scarves and ties

**Gini Steele**: Ribbon necklaces, hand knit scarves and shawls

**Isabelle Tourneau**: Lightweight textile jewelry crafted with batiks and vintage silks

**Nancy Warren**: Hand-woven scarves, silk scarves, hand-marbled apparel, textile jewelry

At Charleston Crafts Gallery, you’ll find a world of ideas for your closet. More than simply clothing, these are works of art to wear. Add a dash of creativity to your style!

A world of possibilities to add to your wardrobe!

During our “Art to Wear” exhibit, work of the gallery’s additional makers is also available, including ceramics, woodwork, stained and fused glass, sweetgrass baskets, jewelry, encaustic paintings and more. Come and admire all the work of our talented local artisans. We look forward to seeing you soon!

August at the Gallery – The Heat is On!

August 12, 2022Guest User

August temps may be sizzling, but that doesn’t stop our artisans from playing with heat and flame. Some of the coolest work happens when our makers use the hottest methods with glass, wax and clay. Check out these one-of-a-kind artisan-crafted items or – even better – take break from the summer heat and come see them in the air-conditioned comfort of our gallery.

Jewelry artist Tammy Rudd works magic with glass and intense heat. To create her luminous flameworked beads, she uses an oxygen-propane torch that heats up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. With molten glass and deft hands, Tammy crafts beads that glow with color and mesmerizing detail. Each of her beads is a tiny work of art that creates fascinating focal points in her necklaces and earrings.

Marty Biernbaum, Ocean Encaustic Painting

Marty Biernbaum’s abstract encaustic paintings bring to mind calming landscapes of sky and sea. She begins her paintings by heating beeswax in an electric frying pan and combining it with resin and pigments before applying it to a natural wood support. She uses a propane torch to melt and stabilize as many as 15 layers of wax to complete each painting. This intense heat process helps develop her colors and smooth the surface. Encaustic paintings don’t need to be framed, so the ethereal and expressive beauty of Marty’s work radiates from the surfaces of her art.

You’ll find the work of six talented ceramic artists in the gallery and all rely on the tremendous heat of their kilns to convert clay into strong, resilient forms. Typically two trips through the kiln are required (one for bisque firing, another for glaze firing) at temperatures well above 2000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Just one example of the gallery’s talent is Fred Prudhomme who makes functional pottery in stoneware by both wheel throwing pots and hand-building vessels. Fred’s highly individualized pieces include mugs, bowls, plates and lidded vessels. With crisp lines, warm colors and distinctive glazing, his work feels good in your hands and looks wonderful in your home.

The newest of the our ceramic artists is Melanie Davidson. Melanie creates her work by layering different clay bodies of varying colors, then using various techniques to manipulate the joined clay bodies to produce patterns, as well as free random effects. Her agateware pieces are clear gazed to showcase this technique and the natural clay body. Many pieces, such as her hurricane, sediment and tree ring bowls, are inspired by nature. All are both functional and beautiful.

No doubt about it, this art is hot! So step into the cool world of Charleston Crafts to discover all our hand-crafted items. We look forward to seeing you soon! The gallery is currently open Tuesday-Sunday 11am-6pm.

Inspiration Comes Naturally to Our Artisans

July 15, 2022Guest User

The natural world is a powerful muse and source of inspiration for our artisans. Below we introduce just a few of our members whose creative lives are influenced by the beauty of the Lowcountry. Come and admire their work in wood, clay, precious stones and metals – and see how the details of nature come alive in every piece.

Ron Herzog is a woodworker who creates his striking pieces using a process known as intarsia, a time-honored technique using interlocking pieces of various wood species for color, grain and texture. Ron especially enjoys portraying creatures of the Lowcountry, such as the birds and wildlife often spotted in our local woods, marshes and waterways.

Anne John is a ceramic artist who adds exquisite natural elements to her decorative and functional art pieces. Her wheel-thrown porcelain and stoneware work is embellished with finely detailed features, such hand sculpted birds, organic shapes and vibrant glazes. At the gallery, Anne’s gourd boxes with their graceful spiraling details are a customer favorite.

Another of the gallery’s ceramic artists, John Stoudenmire, is known for his astonishing way of capturing natural elements such as such as leaves, vines and textured bark on his stoneware and porcelain pieces. John lavishly details his work with hand-crafted and raised details, incised and pressed texturing and meticulous glaze painting. Everything John crafts is functional and food and oven safe.

Valerie Lamott creates nature-inspired handcrafted jewelry using traditional metalsmithing and lapidary techniques to express her appreciation for the outdoors. Valerie hand casts sterling silver flowers and twigs from actual botanicals, making each one as unique as nature intended. Many of her pieces share the beauty of state parks and other places she loves to explore.

You’ll find many more handmade objects inspired by our natural world when you visit. We look forward to welcoming you to the gallery soon!

Lowcountry Themes Run Deep at Charleston Crafts Gallery

June 25, 2022Guest User

Time-honored crafts thrive in Charleston, thanks to local artisans who celebrate Lowcountry traditions. Think of skillfully woven sweetgrass baskets, deep blue indigo-dyed fabrics and objects that reflect the Holy City’s character. These are the crafts that keep us connected to Lowcountry culture while beautifying and enriching our lives. Visit the gallery to find these crafts, meet the artists and enjoy their creative expression.

Alethia Manigault, sweetgrass basket close-up

Aleathia Manigault is a master of sweet grass basket making, an art that came to South Carolina in the 17th century with the arrival of enslaved West Africans. The skill has been preserved by the Lowcountry Gullah community and passed down through generations. True to tradition, Aleathia uses local sweetgrass, bulrushes and pine needles, weaving them together into circular designs and binding them with palmetto fronds. Her award-winning baskets, each signed and dated by the artist, are prized by collectors.

Susan Livingston, a mixed-media fiber artist, works with natural dyes to create silk scarves, textile handbags, table linens and fiber collages. Browsing her work in the gallery, it’s easy to see that indigo is one of her favorite hues. Indigo was vital to South Carolina’s economy from the mid- to late-1700s, when it was grown to produce blue dye, primarily for English textile mills. Second only to rice as an export, indigo was also a labor intensive crop involving the toil of thousands. The beautiful blue hues in Susan’s fiber artistry honor the cultural memory of indigo’s place in Lowcountry history.

Selma Andrews brings Charleston’s character, and characters, to her jewelry and decorative objects. Her colorful “Charleston Lady” necklaces and ornaments are whimsical expressions of the city’s past and present characters. Selma works in lightweight polymer clay to craft each Charleston Lady bead for her necklaces, adding a floral or abstract pattern on the reverse side to create two necklaces in one. Each piece artfully captures the essence of an intriguing lady and, if they could talk, the lively stories and historic gossip would surely flow!

You’ll find many more handmade objects that reflect our local cultural heritage when you visit the gallery. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Gallery Artisans at Piccolo Spoleto Craft Show In Wragg Square, May 27-29 and June 3-5

May 21, 2022Guest User

Charleston’s annual celebration of fine craft is almost here! It’s time to put the 43rdAnnual Craft Show on your calendar and look forward to strolling under the majestic oaks at historic Wragg Square, where more than 40 artisans will display pottery, woodwork, jewelry, textiles, apparel and more. As you browse the show, you’ll meet these members of Charleston Crafts Gallery. We invite you to stop and say hello and admire their work.

Dan Diehl, maker of intricate wood jigsaw puzzles. Dan’s original designs, ranging from whimsical to challenging, delight both children and adults and also make eye-catching decor objects.

Marc Tannenbaum, a gallery woodworker, crafts peppermills, pens, clocks, keepsake boxes, bottle stoppers and other items. Marc combines exotic woods in special patterns and often adds semiprecious stones, such as turquoise or geodes.

Anne John, a ceramic artist whose decorative and functional art pieces are distinguished by finely detailed decorative elements, such as hand-sculpted birds and organic shapes inspired by the natural world.

Mayako Blackburn, a creator of bold and contemporary ceramics that are inspired by nature, especially the beauty of the ocean.

Tammy Rudd, a jewelry maker whose luminous flameworked glass beads create designs that glows with light and color.

Sharon Wilson, creator of one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces that display meticulous craftsmanship in metalwork accented with pearls and sparkling gemstones.

Caroline Sandlin, whose distinctive designs combine handcrafted components with natural and vintage elements to create contemporary pieces of wearable art.

Susan Livingston, a mixed-media fiber artist who works with natural dyes such as indigo and often embellishes her work with hand-stitching, applique and found objects. Susan’s booth displays fiber collages and her colorful, naturally dyed silk scarves, textile handbag and vintage napkins.

The Craft Show is open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am to 6 pm and Sundays 11 am to 5pm during the last weekend of May and first weekend of June. Admission is free. See you there!

Always Something New!!!

June 14, 2020Guest User

FREE SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS THRU 7/31/20

There is always something new in the
Charleston Crafts Online Shop .

In addition to new items, the Online Shop now offers GIFT CARDS…THE PERFECT GIFT FOR EVERYONE!

Support Covid-19 Response Fund...Find the Perfect Gift...Support Local Artists!!!

April 14, 2020Guest User

Throughout April, Charleston Crafts will be donating 10% of all sales
to the
Tri-Counting COVID-19 Response Fund
The Tri-County Covid-19 Response fund was set up to address the
emerging needs presented by the impact from Covid-19…Coronavirus.

Each member of Charleston Crafts Co-Op is a small business owner as well as an artist. In the online store you will find designs in a wide variety of mediums, prices and ‘personalities’. Pictured below are a few of the many items available for immediate shipment from ShopCharlestonCrafts.com.

Here and Now-March

March 28, 2020ColorGuest User

Are you seeing a great deal of not quite navy-not quite royal in design this year? Pantone, The International Color Institute, has declared ‘Classic Blue’ as the color of the year for 2020 and members of the Charleston Crafts Co-Op are utilizing this blue in many of the products available for purchase in the gallery.