THE ART OF BASKETS, GOURDS, & SOAP

Mark Smith – Broom Master

Mark is a newcomer to the small cadre of broom makers in the US. He learned the craft of broom tying at the North House Folk School in Grand Marais where he acquired the basic knowledge for assembling utilitarian whisk brooms, novelty brooms, hearth brooms and traditional kitchen sweepers. He then put many years of woodworking and a bit of an artistic eye to creating unique handles and sticks upon which to base the construct.

The broom makers craft is an old one which is not too common these days, but the joy or assembling a novel creation after sitting down with some string, a stick and a bit of broomcorn is enough to keep him going through even the coldest Minnesota winters. It’s just more fun to sweep up a mess or clean up a corner if the tools you are using have character and charm.

The brooms are made of harvested or downed branches or saplings and storm felled split logs (pine, birch, oak and ash). The processed broomcorn used is a traditional material identical to that produced in bulk in the Midwest USA in the later 19th century as raw material for the thriving cottage industry of broom making long before anyone had a Hoover or a Dyson for routine household cleaning. Colored nylon twine is used in tying the broomcorn and attaching it to the handle or just cinching the processed broomcorn when making smaller whisks or hearth brooms. Occasionally the broomcorn is hand dyed to add more vivid color than the natural tones or the raw wood and fiber.

In addition to the functional art that is found in the whisks, the cobweb catchers, hearth sweepers or Shaker style kitchen sweepers, Mark had also made some pieces especially for display. As an example, a well-crafted traditional wedding broom for a new couple on their special day is truly a fulfilling project well worth the extra effort. However, all of Mark’s creations qualify as “suitable for framing” and would be just as comfortable hanging on a wall for display as hard at work chasing dust and debris.

Creekside Creations

Kelcie Groth and Leslie Bouchonville starting make soap over 10 years ago. Creekside Creations is a very small business which produces only soap of the highest quality. A typical batch of soap is about 23 bars. Special attention is given to the details with each bar being wrapped in a specialty fabric for gift giving and to keep the scent fresh.

Jo Guttormson

Jo has been weaving beautiful, handcrafted baskets for 15 years. She is a member of several basket guilds and attends many national workshops and conventions where she hones her craft. She currently teaches classes at the Longville Arts Center, the Hackensack Senior Center and at various locations in the Twin Cities.

Christine Kennedy
(All Things Herbal)

From the dried herbs and spices that distinguish All Things Herbal soaps, David and Christine Kennedy make soap from scratch using their original recipes and the finest ingredients for fragrant, decadent handmade soaps that look as good as they smell. Embracing herbal goodness in Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, they offer a range of products for your face and body using plant oils and their handcrafted infusions. Their passion is creating earth friendly natural products that keep your skin looking and feeling amazing.

Barb Troje – Prairie Harvest

Barb works with pure beeswax from her hives. The first step is a cleaning process to remove all impurities. At this point candles are ready to be either hand dipped or molded. She designs the majority of the molds. Barb uses and applies several surface techniques to create her candles, using both the natural color and dye. Products such as salve, soap and lip balm are made using beeswax, honey and other natural oils. Gift boxes are included.

Cindy Grindahl

Cindy describes her artistic creations as an extension of her sustainable living way of life. Her backyard gardens provide the makings for her jams, salsas and fresh garden produce. A variety of mediums are used for home-made gift ideas like dried gourd art, recycled feed bags, birch-bark mobiles, Christmas stars and quilted items.

Tracy Roeder
Bare Naked Soap Company

Bare Naked Soap Company specializes in handcrafted goat milk soaps and body care products. Using the cold process method, Tracy’s goat milk soaps are handcrafted in small batches using the highest quality base oils, essential and fragrance oils, natural colorants and fresh goat milk. Like the soaps, Tracy’s body care products are handcrafted in small batches without toxic chemicals or synthetic ingredients found in most store bought creams and lotions.