International Flavor at Banner Elk Master Craft Show July 18 and 19

Story by Bernadette Cahill

One of the area’s most interesting arts and crafts show is coming up Saturday and Sunday, July 18 and 19, in Banner Elk. It’s the Avery County Master Art and Craft show and it starts at 10:00 a.m. both days. All the art available is juried and of extremely high quality.

What makes this year’s event so special is its international flavor. Fifteen participants who have taken part in the show in previous years are reuniting for this year’s festival, and they are bringing along friends. Several of the group have traveled the world while others have worked and studied in places as far apart as Rome, Italy, Africa and Antarctica, said Susan Freeman of the Avery County Chamber of Commerce.

With their experience of other worlds, they’ll be presenting unique crafts—such as art work created on African dung paper.

Participants “are doctors, attorneys and race car drivers with a passion for [art],” said Freeman.

“Artists participating will have watercolors; sculptures in stone, clay, bronze and copper; exquisite pottery and jewelry; some magnificent hand-crafted furniture featuring wood, inlaid stone, or stained glass; hand-woven clothing; hand-crafted leather; clay figurines and much more for sale. The prices range from trinkets for under $20 to some items ranging into the thousands,” Freeman said.

One participant will be Carol Schaffer, a dentist practicing in Linville at the Sloop Medical Plaza beside the hospital for 23 years. At this event, the 18th annual Avery County Art Festival, she’s presenting her art. 

“Dentists often to do some other form of creative work,” she said. “Three years ago I began using recycled materials to create functional wall collages to hang jewelry. My jewelry boards (jewelry boxes on the wall) evolved into a variety of different uses such as a place to hang keys, purses, glasses, hats, scarves, using a variety of different media.”

Schaffer always participates in the Avery County Master Art and Craft shows and the Wooly Worm Festival and often has a booth at ArtWalk in Boone.

Schaffer serves as vice president of the High Country Caregiver Foundation, which helps locals who have to care for debilitated family members. Besides her work and art, she is currently planning their annual auction.

There will be about 80 local and internationally trained artists represented at the show. Several who will participate in the event have work in private collections, the White House, the Smithsonian and homes in the High Country, said Freeman.

For more information, call 828-898-5605.

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