Everywhere I turn these days I am seeing hearts. Nowhere is that more true than in the tiny house occupied by artist Carola Marashi. Her little place reminds me of a hobbit house… cozy, warm, simple. The perfect place to lose yourself in art and let the outside world fade away. I sat with Carola [...]

As the Winter Solstice approaches we long for the familiar comfort of friends and family. The days grow short, the nights long. The shadows of winter are perfect for reflection, contemplation, tending to the internal, keeping our homes aglow as the light of the sun dims, the light from within shines through. As we ready [...]

Today, October 30th, is the last day of the Lithia Artisans Market outdoor season. Ashland Creek babbles gently along the granite stream bed. Fiery red and orange colored leaves drop to the grass floor of the park. All things are readying for the cold of Winter, the time of hibernation. We meander through our American [...]

Catherine G. McElroy is one of the funnest artists along Calle Guanajuajo at the Lithia Artisans Market of Ashland. Her pieces have always made me smile, or laugh. The colors are bright, the images are detailed, full of life, and quite often hilarious. Her subject matter is typically animals or insects floating through nearly surrealistic [...]

I met Juan Garcia Alfaro almost two months ago. I turned around one day to see that there was a new jewelry artist setting up shop along Calle Guanajuato. I had never seen this artist and walked up to introduce myself. Juan held out his hand in mutual respect and we shared the universal handshake [...]

It was the weekend before the Forth of July. I was walking to get my typical morning coffee from “Mix” when an image caught my eye. I was literally stopped in my tracks. A new artist was set up in the space at the back of Mountain Supply. Alexandra Fox is a recently juried member [...]

Cathy Moore has been a part of the Lithia Artisans Market for about 10 years. I think that qualifies her as a veteran. Cathy served on the Board of Directors of Lithia Artisans Market for many years. She held the office of Secretary. Today she is just one of the artisans on the Calle, but [...]

I had the honor of sitting down and having a friendly chat with a new artist in Ashland, Mabrie Ormes. Mabrie shows the artisan side of herself at the Lithia Artisans Market on the weekends. Her fine art pieces are hanging in the Art & Soul Gallery in downtown Ashland. Mabrie has a compelling story. [...]

On June 11 & 12, the park-like grounds of the old Briscoe Elementary School will again come alive as over 75 regional artists gather to celebrate art, music, community, and sustainability. This two day event has become the premiere Summer art festival in downtown Ashland. This years theme is “Creating Paradigm Shift”. It could be [...]

Kris Daly is a quilter who shows her beautiful, bright creations at Lithia Aristans Market. She is a long time resident of the Ashland area, and a mom of two grown kids — daughter Jessica, age 26, and son Aaron, 22. Appropriately, she named her business “Kris Quilts and Crafts”. A long time member of [...]

Maria DiMagio is the manager of the Lithia Artisans Market and the owner of Greensprings Body Works — an organic body-care product company established here in Ashland, Oregon. As if that doesn’t keep her busy enough, she and her partner, Roy, are jointly working on a new business called “Higher Power Raw Foods” and will [...]

Pegi Smith lives in the mountains outside of Ashland, Oregon. She is an abstract artist who works with a rich palette of colors. Her pieces reach deep into the psyche of the viewer. As a fellow artist and art connoisseur, I can tell you that I am moved at a primal level when I am [...]

Amy Godard is a native whose family has called Ashland home for multiple generations. Amy and her life partner, Eric Navickas, are the co-owners of MAda Shell Art Gallery, on the plaza in downtown Ashland. I recently had the opportunity to show with her at our annual Holiday Market in the Briscoe ArtWing. We starting [...]

Katrina Meister is a fine artist living in Talent with her husband Michael and two youngsters — Christopher and Anabella. They are regulars at Farmers Market and long-time members of the Lithia Artisans Market. I was introduced to Katrina’s beautiful paintings at one of our early Holiday Markets at the Briscoe ArtWing. She and Michael [...]

Shelly Jillson is an Ashland resident and mother of Casey, age 19, and Forrest, age 24. She is a pressed flower artisan who will be showing her art around Ashland for the holidays — at the Lithia Artisans Christmas Faire on Thanksgiving weekend at the Historic Ashland Armory, and then at the Holiday Market at [...]

I recently had the opportunity to sit down at the Downtowne Coffee House in Talent and interview Steve McLaren. Steve is the owner of Sunhouse Studios in Medford. He is a long time member of the Lithia Artisans Market and has a very interesting take on life. His philosophy about his art is both fascinating [...]