Chuckanut Bay Gallery & Sculpture Garden

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 13, so we thought a few gift ideas might be helpful to assist you in selecting "just a little something" for her:

  Carol suggests an elegant silk scarf or shawl from Princy's Wearable Art. These gorgeous one-of-a-kind pieces can be worn many different ways and add just the perfect amount of warmth for spring and summer evenings.

  Diane loves these fanciful glass mushrooms from Glass Garden NW. They brighten up a shady area and "grow" in all seasons!

  Jill says the perfect gift for any mom/aunt/grandmother would be these Bird Measuring Spoons from Beehive Kitchenware Co. Four standard measuring spoons are hand cast in lead-free pewter and come perched on a copper display rack. They come in a gift box and the Gallery Girls are happy to wrap it for you!

  RaeAnn's favorite gift idea for Mother's Day this year is one of the fence post toppers by Don Salisbury. They give a little color and character to any fence, and the new batch of birds will put a song in your heart!

  Barb recommends one of the beautiful pieces from the Aqua Beach Collection that just arrived from Mussels & More Pottery. Just in time for summer seafood entertaining!

  Don thinks the stained glass artwork by Contemporary Glassworks would be a gift any special lady would love. There are pieces available for windows, table tops, as well as the garden.

Stop by and take a look at these ideas, as well as many other wonderful items that would be perfect for whomever you would like to honor on Mother's Day! 

THANK YOU to all of you that were able to stop by our Spring Garden Party on Sunday, May 5!

It was great to see you and we're so glad the sun finally decided to come out as well. If you weren't able to make it, we hope you'll stop by soon to see our lovely new (and classic) spring items!

Don, Carol, and the "Gallery Girls" invite you

to our annual Spring Garden Party

on Saturday, May 5, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Preview new and unique selections to Chuckanut Bay Gallery and Sculpture Garden, with emphasis on recycled and re-purposed materials:

• "Jewelry for the home" -- Come see an assortment of whimsical clocks (top left photo, below), beautiful mirrors (top second-from-left photo, below), precious re-purposed sculptures (bottom left, below), and unique copper wall sculptures by Anne Goddard of Copper Elements in Nebraska (bottom middle photo, below).
• Functional art for the kitchen -- These gorgeous pieces make a statement as well as perform their designated tasks. We have handcrafted wooden-ware, blown glass drizzlers (top right photo, below), pitchers, glasses, and more!
• Colorful glass garden sculptures -- In addition to lots of outdoor artwork, we just received a shipment of colorful blown glass birdbaths by Rob Adamson of Island Art Glass on Whidbey Island (second row left photo, below). The birds are so happy! 
• Don Salisbury exclusives -- As you read this, Don is completing the glazing and firing process for his first kiln firing in 2012, and it is stacked full of birds of every type, totems (bottom right photo, below), fence post toppers, and lanterns. 
• Trunk Show -- An exciting element of this years Garden Party will be an exclusive Trunk Show featuring the elegant (& convertible) jewelry designs by Bellingham's own Sonia Crowley of "My Strand Jewelry" (top middle photo, below).

We will also have fun door prizes and delicious munchies!

We look forward to seeing you!

In honor of Earth Day this month, we are featuring several of our beautiful items and vendors that embrace sustainable practices such as utilizing recycled materials and re-purposing found objects into elegant pieces of art. We hope you'll stop by the gallery soon and make your next gift or decor item an earth-friendly one!

Solmate Socks

These multi-patterned and colorful mismatched socks for children, adults, and babies are crafted with care in the USA from recycled cotton. This reduces the amount of virgin cotton that needs to be grown and also reduces landfill waste. Whether for work, play, or snuggling up on the couch, these cheerful socks are sure to put a smile on your face! 

Mullanium Song Bird

Objects that were cast aside as useless are often used in art to demonstrate the fragile balance between nature and industry. These unique feathered friends from Mullanium combine natural materials with found and recycled objects, creating a time-worn yet renewed feeling in these sweet, one-of-a-kind pieces.

Fire & Light

Fire & Light Originals formed out of a partnership between the Arcata Community Recycling Center in Humboldt County, California, and a group of local investors who wanted to develop an innovative plan for using crushed, recycled glass. This distinctive line of colored glass dinnerware is created by melting crushed glass in furnaces, adding pigment, and pressing the molten glass into luminous bowls, plates, glasses, and serve-ware.

Once a Barrel

This Lynden (WA) company makes a beautiful collection of home accessories that are hand-crafted from premium reclaimed oak wine barrels. The barrels were originally made by skilled coopers for use in the wine making process -- many items retain the striking natural red stain from the wine that they once held.

Further

The forward-thinking founders of this company drive bio-diesel fueled cars, so pick up depleted waste grease from some of Los Angeles' finest restaurants to convert it into bio-fuel in a make-shift lab inside their garage. Because of all the accumulated glycerin -- a by-product of the bio-fuel distillation process -- they then decided to take it one step FURTHER. The fresh and sweetly aromatic soap and lotion created from this excess glycerin are now in the bathrooms of the very restaurants from which it originated...creating a perfect, sustainable circle!

This Into That

Inspired by the title of an essay, "Books as Furniture," this company took the idea literally and figured out how to turn books into lumber and create truly unique pieces of furniture and sculpture. Utilizing old books from donations, recycling, and library discards, these pieces bring together books and found objects into clever (and beautiful!) conversation starters.

Nashelle Jewelry

Made in Bend (OR), this small company uses all recycled precious metals and natural gemstones in their elegant, nature-inspired jewelry line. None of their designs are mass produced or outsourced - and they intend to keep it that way!

Here are a few elegant and unique gift ideas to consider for whomever you want to feel special on Valentines Day (Tuesday, February 14):

• Keep your Valentine warm and cozy with our soft faux fur scarves and hats in unique patterns of black/gray or brown/khaki. Just wearing these designs by Pandemonium, a Seattle millinery, will make a person feel loved (top left photo).
• We just received some beautiful new jewelry designs from Silver Seasons -- choose from "Grape Vines" with fresh-water pearls, "Bleeding Heart" (top row, second photo from left), "Live Oak," plus many other wonderful botanical designs.
• For the outdoorsy Valentine, we have gorgeous, handcrafted hiking sticks, local hiking books, and the BEST Chuckanut trail map! (top row, third photo from left)
• Remind your loved one that they hold your heart by giving them a wonderful glass heart from Fire and Light (top right photo). These luminous keepsakes are made in the USA from recycled glass.
• Warm feet = warm heart! These cozy, colorful socks are by Find Me A Mismatch (second row, left). Sharing the same hues & patterns, each sock interchanges colors for a chromatically congruous take on the classic case of mismatched socks. (And really...life is too short to worry about mismatched socks!)
• For your favorite "birder," we just brought in a series of fascinating bird books written by Stan Tekiela (second row, right). (A little birdie told us about them...)
• Raku Spirit Rattles are always a favorite gift...rattle some rain out of your life...rattle your worries away...or, if you must, use it to keep your papers from blowing astray (bottom left photo).
• Hand-painted red wine glasses (bottom right photo) by Nancy Fiala of Bellevue, WA make an elegant and creative gift (no two exactly alike) when paired with your favorite bottle of wine.

We just received our shipment of the latest children's book by the talented author and illustrator PAUL SCHMID, Petunia Goes Wild, released on January 24, 2012!

If you haven't seen Paul's heart-warming books, definitely swing by the gallery and give them a look. They would be a perfect gift for the young (or young at heart) for birthdays, Valentines Day...or just a little cheering up on a rainy day!

OK, we may be biased since he is related to Don & Carol Salisbury in a blended-family sort of way...so don't just take our word for it, here's just a sample of what others are saying about Paul's books:

"A simple beguiling story greatly enhanced by pictures by an artist with a superb eye for line and composition."

                 - Maurice Sendak

"Enthusiastic and single minded, Petunia makes delightful company; kids will recognize themselves and clamor for rereads."

                 - Publisher Weekly

Petunia Goes Wild (Released 1/24/2012)

Petunia has had just about enough of being human. All those baths, good manners, clean clothes, even combed hair! So our clever Petunia hatches a shocking and audacious plan to get away from all the "haftas" and instead live wild and free. It is only when Petunia is about to leave it all that she realizes there can be joys and pleasures to being a human child.

 Hugs from Pearl

This is Pearl. Pearl loves to hug. Hugs are nice...except when they come from a porcupine. Pearl tries and tries to solve her problem and finally fixes it in her very own way. (New York Public Library top 100 Books list for 2011.)

A Pet for Petunia

Meeet Petunia. More than anything, Petunia wants a pet. "I'll feed my pet every day," she promises her parents. "I'll take her for walks. I'll read stories to her and draw her pictures." Petunia knows she can take care of a pet, but what happens when the pet she desires most is a skunk?

Paul Schmid lives in Seattle with his wife, Linda, and their daughter, Anna. In the fall of 2010, he was invited to spend a month in Connecticut with Maurice Sendak (award-winning Where the Wild Things Are author and illustrator), with three other emerging picture book artists as part of the Sendak Fellowship. You can find out more about Paul on his website.

winter hours:

• For January and February, our winter hours will be 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., seven days a week.
• We will be closed on New Years Day, Sunday, January 1, 2012.
• "Football Widows" Special:  With six bowl games on Monday, January 2, stop by the gallery for a "bowl break" and we will provide you with a free latte!

   

Best wishes for a peaceful and prosperous New Year!

 We look forward to seeing many of you as you "wrap-up" the last of your holiday purchases.  We've had a very busy holiday season, yet we have continued to restock and still have many wonderful and elegant items to delight your family and friends.  Our helpful and knowledgeable staff are here to assist you in finding the perfect gift...and wrapping it up for you!

Hot out of the kiln...

Don has finished his last firing of 2011, so come see the latest selection at Chuckanut Bay Gallery!

As many of you know, his kiln is located on the lower portion of our Victorian house on the south side of Bellingham (which gets all those incredible seasonal high winds).  Thankfully, we had gorgeous Northwest winter weather this past week - cold but no winds - resulting in a FABULOUS firing.

Not only did his sculptural birdhouses, post toppers, and totems turn out beautifully; it was also one of his best firings in years for his functional dinnerware line.  (That wheat/moon glaze, we all know so well!) 

We hope you can stop by and enjoy the work before it's sold out!

To assist you with your holiday shopping, the "Gallery Girls" have put together a short list - with all deference to Julie Andrews and Oprah - of some of our favorite things at Chuckanut Bay Gallery:

_______________________________________________ 

 Barbara

"I love the unique Nashelle Jewelry, made with recycled precious metals in Bend, Oregon.  The dangle earrings are very "in style" and versatile -- they can be worn with something dressy or make a jeans outfit classy. 

The elegant, primitive candlesticks by Sekoya are favorites of mine because they are pieces of art, yet also utilitarian.  Made with cast iron and bone beads or brass rings, they look stunning on a festive dinner table."

_______________________________________________ 

 Diane

"Give something green this year!  Fire & Light tableware utilizes hand-poured colored post-consumer glass (crushed recycled glass).  I have an entire set of this dinnerware and senjoy it every day -- Fire & Light makes my everyday meals feel special!

Beki Killorin's limited edition hand-colored etchings are so beautiful.  I am drawn to A Raven's Tale - it seems like one of nature's special creatures is speaking to me...almost a spiritual connection."

_______________________________________________ 

 Carol

"I've been wearing (and enjoying) my Watchcraft Timepieces watch daily for over 10 years - it has such an enduring style.  These limited edition watches (signed & numbered by watchmaker Milieris) are made from recycled metals, embellished with sterling silver, copper, and brass, and distressed to give them a vintage look.  (And of course made in the USA!)

I look forward to decorating our house each year because I get to bring out my collection of holiday wood puzzles.  Woodlock Puzzles are carved and stained by hand by a small family business in Idaho, so production is limited.  It's sure to become a family heirloom!"

_______________________________________________ 

 Jill

"First:  a confession...I now own six Maruca purses.  Both the purses and the fabric that they are made from are made in Boulder, Colorado.  They change their fabrics twice a year and besides being beautiful, they are also very functional.  (There!  I have officially justified my purse addiction.)

As an avid 'Bird Girl,' I love Wishnest Jewelry made by Alise Sheehan in Sonoma, California.  My favorite is a necklace with a bird, branch, and turquoise stone.  Her pieces are charming and understated (just like me!)."

_______________________________________________ 

 Michele

"As a bit of an Arts & Crafts fanatic, my list items come from my favorite corner at Chuckanut Bay Gallery.  I just bought this beautiful Yoshiko Yamamoto block print of Mt. Rainier and had it framed in a Dard Hunter frame (as shown below).

I also love the gorgeous Arts & Crafts style clocks that blend craftsmanship and beauty with function.  I especially like the Schlabaugh & Sons clocks that feature a Motawi tile (see how I snuck that third "favorite thing" in there?).  These clocks are made by a family-owned business in Kalona, Iowa."

_______________________________________________ 

Holiday Reminders:

• Holiday Hours:  We will be open 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., 7 days a week, to assist you with your holiday purchases.
• Complimentary Gift Wrapping:  We will wrap your gifts for any occasion all year long.
• Shipping:  We will arrange to ship your purchase anywhere.
• Custom Framing:  We will assist you in exploring creative framing options to enhance your artwork or special memento.
• Gift Registry:  Complete a personalized wish list to assist your family and friends with their gift purchases.
• Gift Certificates:  Always a great gift idea!

Avoid the hustle and bustle of the big stores and let Chuckanut Bay Gallery help you prepare for the holidays...from unique gifts for just about everyone on your list to beautiful handmade serve-ware perfect for entertaining.

The day after Thanksgiving is for leftovers and relaxing, but Saturday, November 26 is the second annual Small Business Saturday^®, when people across the country come out and shop to support their favorite local businesses.  Just click on the "Shop Small" logo for more information.

Top 10 Reasons to Shop at Chuckanut Bay Gallery this Holiday Season:

1. Chuckanut Drive is much more scenic than congested mall traffic,
2. Beautiful gift wrapping is ALWAYS complimentary,
3. Only place you can purchase hand made pottery by Don Salisbury,
4. "Hand made in U.S." vs. "Made in China,"
5. Creative, custom framing to enchance your artwork or special memento,
6. Full-service shipping to anywhere in the world without a handling charge,
7. Mention this blog and receive a free latte,
8. Unique gift items by North American artisans such as Sekoya Originals, Terri Logan, James Hardman, and Yoshiko Yamamoto (just to name a few!),
9. Excellent, personalized service from our knowlegeable (and charming) "Gallery Girls,"
10. An opportunity to "Shop Small" and support local merchants!

Expanded Holiday Hours:

Beginning November 25, 2011, we will be open 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., 7 days a week, to assist you with your holiday purchases.

We appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you soon at the Gallery!

Thank you to all that stopped by our Holiday Inspirations Open House on Saturday, November 12! 

Whether it was the unique handcrafted items, the special 20% discount on an item, or home-baked goodies that brought you in, we are glad you made it!  It was great to see the Gallery bustling with so many friends and loyal customers, and to meet some new folks as well.  Here are just a few snapshots from the day:     

We look forward to seeing you again soon!

We hope you will join us to celebrate the beginning of our 25th year in business!

From our humble beginnings of renovating an old highway gas station, inviting 20 or so artist friends to show their work on consignment, and opening our doors in November 1987, Chuckanut Bay Gallery & Sculpture Garden has grown into a destination shopping experience featuring:

• Over 400 artists/craftspeople from all over the U.S. and Canada.
• 2,500 square feet of display space and a lush outdoor sculpture garden.
• Personalized service from our tremendous staff -- affectionately called the "Gallery Girls" -- that have a combined 38 years with Chuckanut Bay Gallery.

To "kick-off" our 25th year, we will be hosting a Holiday Inspiration Open House on Saturday, November 12, 2011 from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.  As a special THANK YOU to our loyal customers, we will be offering a 20% discount on one (1) regularly priced item during the Open House.  We appreciate your support over the years, and hope that you will stop by and enjoy some refreshments and early inspiration for the holidays.  You don't need to print anything out to get your item discount...just stop by the gallery on November 12 and find your inspiration!

We look forward to seeing you!

Cheers,

Thank you for supporting American Craft -- made with fingerprints, a story, and in the U.S. 

It has been a fabulous October here in the Northwest this year; which makes it a GREAT time to take a drive along scenic Chuckanut Drive (Highway 11), one of the most beautiful stretches of roadway in Washington State.

With the cooler temperatures lately, the fall colors are truly vibrant, especially against the electric blue sky that we enjoyed earlier this week. The gorgeous autumn weather inspired us to take a drive the other day, so we have attached a few snapshots.  For those of you outside of the area, see http://chuckanutdrive.com/ for more information/directions.

While you are out enjoying the Drive for yourself, be sure to stop by the Gallery...we are 1-1/2 miles south of Historic Fairhaven District or 4 miles north of Larrabee State Park.  Mention that you read our blog and we'll treat you to a complimentary espresso drink!

Although summers in the Northwest don't always mean sunshine, we can always depend on delectable seafood this time of year.  We had a group of friends over for a seafood extravaganza the other night, and the "fruits of the sea" were gorgeous in the "Mussels & More Pottery" dishes! 

Mussels and More Pottery pieces are handmade out of both porcelain and high-fired stoneware clay.  The shells are oven-safe, so that foods can be baked and presented right "in the shell!"  The intricate detail work on both the top and bottom of each shell makes it a powerful art piece to be viewed and enjoyed from either side.  They are also microwave- and dishwasher-safe.  Although unglazed, the outside of the shells can be scrubbed with cleaners without any worry of scratching or discoloring.

The mussels we cooked at our get-together tasted as wonderful as they looked, thanks to our favorite, dog-eared San Juan Classics Cookbook by Janice Veal and Dawn Ashbach!  Here's the recipe we used from page 98:

Jeanna's Mussels in White Wine and Herbs

• 3 pounds mussels
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Lemon wedges
• Parsley sprigs
• Clarified butter

1. Scrub mussels and debeard; set aside in a colander.
2. In a large pot, bring water and wine to a boil; add mussels and remaining ingredients.  Steam about 7 minutes or until mussels are open.
3. Place mussels in serving bowls; pour liquid over mussels.  Garnish with lemon and parsley; serve with clarified butter.

4-6 servings

Chuckanut Bay Gallery carries the beautiful Mussels and More Pottery pieces as well as the San Juan Classics Cookbook series.  Stop by... rain or shine!

This beautiful hand poured glassware is a unique way of celebrating food and the art of recyling. The colors are flowing with light and described as warm colors and cool colors, yet all blend together so nicely. The pasta bowl and goblets are versatile and serve a variety of foods and beverages well. I use my pasta bowl for salad and fresh salmon most evenings. There is so much variety in the designs in this line that one can easily pick out a piece as a special gift as well as beginning a collection. It is very noteworthy that Fire and Light is mostly made from recycled glass which makes it's beauty even more special. For the cook or the arranger of nature's produce, serving with Fire and Light is always a celebration. There are platters and vases that make wonderful wedding gifts. We have a great selection at the Gallery and enjoy hearing how many people are enjoying their Fire and Light.

Love is in the air, although for the male Rufous Hummingbird, it only lasts a fleeting second. Hummers are one of the few bird species where the female does all the work. We have some great birding books at the gallery right now. According to "Hummingbirds and Butterflies" by Bill Thompson III and Connie Toops, Mrs. (or should we say Ms.) Rufous builds the nest, incubates the eggs, feeds the babies, and raises them all on her own. She is a busy single parent, while Mr. Rufous is the epitome of a "Deadbeat Dad".

We have super functional feeders in right now, ranging in price from $19 to $49. See them in action as you stroll through our Sculpture Garden. Don't be surprised if you are dive-bombed by Mr. Rufous; besides being a slacker parent, he is also very territorial. He guards his feeder, and swoops down on anyone who gets too close; protecting his precious nectar. Remember; the nectar recipe is 4 parts water to 1 part sugar. Bring it to a boil and allow it to cool before filling your feeder. Keeping nectar fresh and feeder full will keep hummers happy, as well as giving us hours of entertainment and much joy!

Looking for a unique and thoughtful graduation or Fathers Day gift?  Chuckanut Bay Gallery has a wide assortment of beautiful, handcrafted items that are affordable and feature inspirational messages for the graduate or father figure in your life.  An added bonus is Chuckanut Bay Gallery’s complimentary gift wrapping!

Here are a few pieces that make great gifts and feature inspirational messages:

Pewter Paperweights

These classy keepsakes come in several styles and sizes with thoughtful sayings and words to live by, such as:

• "Be the change you wish to see in the world"
  
• "What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?"
  

• "If you can imagine it, you can achieve it; if you can dream it, you can become it."

New to Chuckanut Bay Gallery this month are many items that are currently being created by our artists in the  "Arts and Crafts" tradition.  The Arts & Crafts Movement in the 1920's & 30"s celebrated fine craftsmanship and stressed an appreciation of simplicity and sound  construction as well as celebrating nature's beauty  in the work that was created.  Whether the object   was beautiful or special wasn't as important as the act of creating it.  Beauty was enjoyed in functional object of everyday life.

At Chuckanut Bay Gallery we have always featured hand crafted work by artisans in the US and Canada.  And  are proud to begin featuring current artists that are reviving this Arts & Crafts tradition of the past. 

Greene and Greene inspired clocks by Schlabaugh & Sons

Art Tiles by Motawi

Letter press prints and notecards by Arts & Crafts Press