JW Churchyard

Wagner, Sara & Thomas

Woven Together Leather

Leather

Good leather products are useful and last for years! The smell, the feel and beauty never gets old.

Leather crafting began when I was 12 years old. Gifts of woven leather braids in belts and bands developed into carvings and monogramming wallets and pocketbooks. Once I developed the talent to carve flowers, animals and landscapes, our variety of leather items became limitless. Jim Linnell, international expert leather craftsmen, praised the quality of my carvings.

Our family owned business progressed into a wide variety of items from custom made cases, knife sheaths, wallets, sleigh bells and moccasins to leather seats for ATV’s, motorcycles and lawnmowers. Our belts, leashes and collars are made with high quality leather for durability.

Every leather item we make has been made with care and special attention to detail.

“A cord of three strands is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12) became the scripture for our business as we strive to honor the Lord who weaves us together, in His love, to become stronger.

[email protected]

Carson, Joseph

Wood

All pieces began as deadfall, firewood or bonfire remains. Each one emerges from the will of the wood and the whim of the turner. Grains and colors are natural. Highly figured and colored woods are spalted, in the early stages of decay. Knots, cracks, and wormholes are highlighted and stabilized with epoxy or CA glue. All are finished with a food-safe mix of beeswax and mineral oil.

Foster, Jackson

J. Foster Historic Signs

Wood

Jackson Foster is a maker and painter of trade & tavern signs in the tradition of 18th and 19th-century artisans. His research of historic people and places is the rationale for the majority of his signs. His background in history, design, lettering, and woodworking provides the basis for creating authentic interpretations of early American signboards. He uses reclaimed wood–some boards date to the 1700s–and period-style hardware including
blacksmith-forged hanging irons, nails, and hinges—all making for unique signs in which no two are alike. He continues to refine his craft through research of early American artisans, typographic styles, painting practices, and joinery techniques. Each sign purchase comes with a framed, historic description providing research and background information.

jfosterhistoricsigns.com

Cantilo, Icka

Square of the Bone

Jewelry

I cut each design completely by hand using a traditional jeweler’s saw, then they are fabricated, formed, textured, and patinated. I also use the technique of Champlevé with vitreous glass enamel with sterling silver, rose gold, 14k yellow gold, and nickel free copper sourced from foundries specializing in recycled precious metals. I heavily reference biology and natural sciences such as entomology with textures, patterns and motifs. Because of my quirky sense of humor my work rides the line of peculiarity while also being dainty and precious. I create my jewelry to be highly expressive for a wide range of aesthetics.

SquareoftheBone.com

Savely, Clay

Tree of Life Potters

Clay

This unique form of ceramics is created from hand-built stoneware clay slabs designed with tedious impressions of Appalachian plants set delicately into patterns and mandalas that are highlighted by iron-oxides and various glazes. Honoring the vast botanical realms of the Appalachian bio-region, each platter, plate, vase, mug, bowl, and jewelry piece is handcrafted and as unique as the plants that were impressed into them. This technique has been passed down from a university level trained father to son, and is inspired by visionary art, indigenous mysticism and the powerful magic found in the lush forests of the Blue Ridge mountains.

The true vision of my art is to reconnect humanity to love and the eloquent healing powers of nature through connection, inspiration, and deeper understanding, thus creating a mutual respect and intention to heal the wounds of our heavily impacted planet.

TreeofLifePotters.com

Wolf, Susan

Gourds by Suzanna, LLC.

Mixed Media

My love for gourd art stems from my horticultural interests coupled with my desire to produce a functional as well as decorative product. To briefly describe my work, I pencil a design onto a gourd surface which is used as a template to carve or wood burn the design. To carve, I use woodworking tools, called gouges. By varying the size of the gouge and the position and length of the cut I achieve different designs. On occasion I relief carve with a power carver. After carving I embellish with dyes, acrylics, metallic rubs or patinas. I also use pine needles, sliced walnuts, brass knobs.

I am originally from Lancaster, PA. After receiving my Ph.D. in Biology from Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, I moved to VA in 1988 to conduct research at the UVA, Charlottesville, VA and subsequently at a VA Tech Research Station in Winchester, VA. In 2004 I left research to start Gourds by Suzanna LLC . I am currently self-employed and work out of my home in Toms Brook, Virginia.

DeWitt, Robert & Dominique

Wood

Our work is inspired by traditional American treenware with a contemporary design sense. Over the years, we expanded our work to include a variety of kitchenware and now custom furniture for the whole house. We use local, regional, and salvaged hardwoods, always keeping in mind sustainable forestry practices. Many of our pieces are made from trees harvested from our property.

DeWittWoodworking.net

Durnell, Andrea

Mixed Media

Durnell, 2022 Waterford Artisan of the Year, is a mixed media artist working in natural fiber, wood, repurposed antique or vintage fabrics, leather, and clay. She’s a storyteller and adventurer at heart. “If I could have Jules Verne over for dinner, I would.” She is also a collector and admirer of textiles, tools, and objects from the past and uses the carvings and collections to create the chapters of her life in imagery evocative of 17-19th century lithographs, literature, and satire. The provenance of materials often makes its way into the brief stories of each character as a way to punctuate their tales, to preserve old materials, and honor the methods for making them. Durnell uses only hand tools and prides herself on creating one-of-a-kind characters using wood she finds on her adventures, injecting a bit of humor, and promoting the old idea of “making do.” The characters look like they have lived a lot and have a story to tell. She feels her job, once they are at a show, is to connect them with the next leg of their journey.

Durnell will be doing a moderate amount of wood carving to show the method of choosing wood for her characters and the use of hand tools. She will be demonstrating clothing design and draping methods as well as the making of the tiny leather shoes. As always, the stories of the characters with the provenance of their vintage materials, are an integral part of her work. The collectors come to hear the tales!

AndreaDurnell.com