Frank Tuuri

Frank is a dichroic glass artist - pronounced die-crow-ick. The glass was first developed for scientific applications such as lasers and space mirrors.

Vaporized metal oxides are deposited on very thin glass in a specialized vacuum chamber. The types of metal oxide used and number of layers determines the final color. There is no pigment used in dichroic glass. The raw metal oxides are clear. The colors are produced by light being bent, just like in a rainbow or dragonfly wing. Unlike dyes or pigments which absorb 50% of the light, most of the light is reflected directly back to your eyes. This accounts for the unusual brilliance of the glass.

The process involves using many layers of glass and many steps to arrive at a finished piece. The glass is fired in a kiln four or five times to achieve the right effects. Each firing reaches 1400 degrees and can take up to 15 hours as the glass must heat and cool very slowly.

The Gallery carries a full range of Frank's dichroic jewelry from earrings to pendants to multi piece necklaces all in brilliant colors.

Frank also created whimsical sun catchers using traditional materials and techniques. He uses only the best genuine stained glass for all his pieces, and the metal wrap is specially made for durability and to prevent darkening as they age.

His cat and angel sun catchers are very popular, bringing smiles to customer's faces.

Desmond Suarez

Being a second generation fine furniture maker means you "grow up in the business". Starting at a very early age observing and working in his father's studio, Desmond began his own fine furniture and accessories business, Sabbath Day Woods in 1978. Taking a page from the Shakers, Desmond believes in a true day of rest - time for family and quiet reflection.

Hand picking each piece of hardwood is one of the many reasons Desmond's craftsmanship is one of exceptional quality and beauty. Choosing only wood from carefully managed and maintained forests from the Appalachian area assures only the best in exquisitely grained wood.

Desmond ponders for many days, even months. when he views a wood plank of remarkable grain, deciding what type of furniture would best be served by sanding, cutting and hand rubbing. "It is essential that each piece of wood that has been growing for many, many years be respected and put to its very best use...that multiple generations of family can use, enjoy and be inspired by the top of a table, a desk, a chest."

Desmond's dedication and discipline to his craft ensures that each customer receives only his finest - and that many generations of family members will continue to honor and cherish his labor of love.

His lovely and useful cutting boards can be found at our gallery in different sizes - from picnic to household.

Amolia Willowsong

Beadweaving dates back many centuries in Europe, Asia and then the US. The skills have been passed down through indigeous cultures with their traditional styles, to new forms of free form hand weaving techniques. New and old bead stitches are converging all over the world, bringing new and exciting weaving possibilities.

Japan and the Czech Republic produce most of the world's seed beads. Glass workers form and fire the beads with metallic oxides and salts for their varied and beautiful colors and finishes. Gold, copper, iron and cobalt are fired to produce glass beads with a metallic coating.

Willowsong's jewelry is soft, lightweight and conforms gracefully to the body - art pieces that easily adapt to one's clothing whether casual or elegant. Each piece is impeccably crafted while remaining organic...feeling as sensual as it looks.

A new design begins with a gemstone. It can be a natural crystalline amethyst cluster, aqua blue Peruvian opal, faceted green tourmaline or perhaps a bright orange sunstone. Selecting a palette of colorful seed beads to enhance the stone, Willowsong begins to work attaching beads to the gemstone's bezel, weaving one bead at a time into a free form tapestry. She also includes other small gemstones and tiny pearls for texture and contrast. Th most succinct description of her work is from a writer in a local arts publication - "This dazzling beadwork creates the appearance of a shimmering creek flowing around rocks in a stream bed."

Willowsong is a member of the Southern Highland Craft Guild and lives and teaches locally. We are the only store that carries her unique jewelry.

Native Ground Books

Local author writes and publishes these wonderful books filled with historical recipes, lore and songs form the Appalachian area.

We carry the cookbooks, railroad and front porch songbooks and the natural world book. Customers love them as gifts and to remember the local history of our area.

Patrick Colunga

Patrick 's pottery is hand-thrown, glazed and fired in his local studio.

A native of San Francisco, he has been throwing pottery as long as he can remember. He moved to Western North Carolina years ago to be surrounded by the artisans and art of this vibrant, mountain community.

All of Patrick's pottery is designed for everyday use. It is food, microwave and dishwasher safe and can be enjoyed for many years to come.

His pottery comes in soft earth tones with a natural texture to the mugs, bowls, plates and pitchers. The neutral hues lend themselves to suiting any kitchen or dining room color scheme.

Leslie Bradsher

Leslie's pottery is inspired by her family's farm founded in 1839 near Pisgah National Forest.

We carry a variety of her pottery - pitchers, plates, mugs, jars and colanders - all in rich colors of burgundy, purple and green tones. Her functional pieces easily blend with any type of dinnerware.



Her pottery is lead-free and food safe. It can be used in the microwave and dishwasher. When used for baking, place dish in cold oven and bring up temperate.

Patti Waltz

Local artist Patti Waltz creates wonderful pencil illustrations of her cats for her note cards.

Each note card is unique with a story about the cat on the back plus a notable quote that goes well with the anecdote.

Buy a few for yourself or a collection of the note cards for the cat lovers on your gift list!

Joy Cafaro

Joy began playing with fabric as a little girl and began quilting over 25 years ago. She has devoted her life to gardening, being a busy mom a of four daughters and to quilting.


The mountains of western North Carolina with their continually shifting beauty through the days and seasons serve as a great inspiration for her work.


We carry her fabric postcards which are 100% fiber and suitable for framing, her potholders, and wool stuffed pin cushions.

Phil Capper

High on a remote mountain top in North Carolina woodworker Phil designs and creates his unique selection of wooden cutting boards. After vacationing in the mountains from his native Florida, Phil retired here with his wife and dog to enjoy the woods, trees and lifestyle of the Appalachian Mountains.

Phil makes all his country furnishings in the Shaker and Mission style tradition. His boards are a blend of different woods to create a stunning palette of grain and color. We carry his bar boards, cutting boards and serving trays -a welcome gift for the newlyweds or as a house warming.

Lowell Mosley

Lowell was born and bred in central Tennessee pursuing an interest in art from an early age. He was among the first graduating class at O'More College of Design in Tennessee.

Lowell is a self taught sculptor which began as a hobby. Sculpting a variety of creatures - ducks, eagles and bears from the felled wood found along lakes in his area, Lowell eventually began a career doing just this after receiving much encouragement from his family.

The originality of each piece of wood dictates the shapes Lowell's wood geese, egrets, owls, hawks and rabbits will take. His creative sculptures have won numerous awards and have been presented as awards to others.





Lowell's wood pieces elicit much admiration in the Gallery. We carry a variety of sizes and animals including bison, swans, pelicans, whales and more.

Susan Heckler

Susan studied art in Baltimore and taught as an art teacher for many years creating woodblock prints, sculpture an painting whenever she could.

She is inspired by nature focusing on animals or landscapes. Susan uses her wood blocking technique to create actual carved pictures in wood and then paints them.

Her carvings are colorful and striking framed in black. Fields of flowers, a mountain scene to a log cabin under the trees all evict the same peaceful quality. We carry many of her unusual wood carved painting in all sizes.