Crafting the perfect weekend

By Sabine Wilson

For the TODAY

With the re-emergence of farmers markets along the coast, a familiar wave of normalcy and bliss isn’t far behind.

And what better way to immerse yourself outdoors in spring than to venture from booth to booth and admire the extraordinary talent at the Specialty Farmers Market & Artisan Faire at Salishan?

The faire is back, every Friday and Saturday, with even more fun and imaginative vendors, from contemporary driftwood artistry to ancient Japanese plant sculpture.

Brooks McKee is the owner and crafter of Oregon Driftware, which produces almost anything you can think of — utensils, mini kayaks, fish, large vessels, one-of-a-kind bowls, clocks and more.

“Everything is from collected driftwood that I get from the beach,” McKee said. “I get inspiration from the shape and the color of the wood and then I try to transform it into something useful like utensils. But I also try to do things uniquely that no one has done before.”

Some techniques sound incredibly time-consuming, but also meditative — like how he crafts some of his signature vessels that are lined with a bright accent.

“It starts as a crack in the wood,” McKee said. “Then I add an epoxy putty to it, add color to the putty and then mold it into the crack and sand it smooth.”

McKee also has a collection of many complex, stunning works related to the ocean.

“I like to pay homage to the ocean and enjoy crafting things like squids and fish,” he said.

For plant lovers everywhere, Atma Roshni provides a new way of displaying and caring for plants.

The owner of Lush Living Sculpture, Roshni is an experienced master gardener and sculptor who synthesizes mindful techniques with plant therapy to improve her patrons’ surroundings.

“The actual process of making the kokedama form is very special,” she said. “I talk to each plant and recognize the living being, telling it my intention. I prepare it for the big change of becoming a kokedama.”

The kokedama technique is a form of bonsai that originated in Japan, where the roots of a plant are essentially put into a ball of soil then coated in moss and wrapped in string to hold the integrity of the structure.

“I went to art school as a sculptor and kind of always saw myself as an artist with a passion for plants,” Roshni said. “I saw how plants themselves could be jolly company for folks.”

With a background working for Eldergrow, a program that offers gardening products to adults living in nursing and residential care, Roshni witnessed a tangible difference in people’s wellbeing.

“I worked specifically in memory-care facilities,” she said. “The plants brought them back to the present. Caring for the plants gave them purpose and pride. Plant memories tend to be happy ones and that’s part of the reason I believe in plant therapy.”

For those looking for classy, unique decor to memorialize familiar icons or calming images, Hawley Wood: Unique Creations, is the place to go.

At 80 years old, Bob Hawley is content with a piece of local wood in one hand and a scroll saw in the other, working out of his garage.

“I make famous people’s faces, images and also charcuterie boards,” he said.

Instantly recognizable faces like Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Bob Marley, John Lennon and Kobe Bryant are hand sawed into wood in a unique way that uses shadows to bring out the images.

“I do it all by hand,” he said. “Many people use a computer program but that wouldn’t bring me any enjoyment.”

When asked if he had any intention to slow down, Hawley was clear:

“I worked behind a desk for my whole life for Cadillac so when I retired, I needed to do something to keep busy,” he said. “I can’t be idle.”

Hawley only sells locally so be sure to catch him while you can.

“It’s gone real well. I even have a display in Yachats at Elsinore Framing & Fine Art Gallery,” he said. “I just like what I do and I try to do it well.”

Be sure not to miss the Suspended Treasures booth, where Vicki Daigle’s upcycling and repurposing methods bring new and beautiful life to objects like old jewelry, muffin tins, book ends, beads and even gourds to transform them into absolutely stunning pieces of art.

Mark De Muri, the artist and crafter of Bolt Eye Fish, also has one-of-a-kind pieces that beautifully blend hand-picked driftwood with mixed mediums like stained glass and bolts to design avant-garde pieces.

The Specialty Farmers Market & Artisan Faire at Salishan is open Friday from 11 am to 5 pm and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. For more information on the market and the vendors, go to www.artisanfaireatsalishan.com.