beautiful, functional pottery

The Holiday Sale in the studio is coming right up, and joining me will be some very talented potters and sculptors who have been (literally!) up to their elbows in clay and glazes to bring you beautiful and functional works of art for your home.

 Julie Stewart's gorgeous glazes evoke the sea,

and her serving and dining pieces are dishwasher safe and lead free.

Her stacked Raku "rock" lamps bring a rustic elegance to Portland's Craftsman homes.

 Courtney Wilson's modern, clean lined style...

and lastly, Elisabeth Cook Sullivan is a master animal sculptor, 

whose current passion is building carousels and horses.

Camp Cactus Holiday Sale

Preview night and artist's reception:

Friday Evening, December 4th  •  6-9 pm

Saturday & Sunday

December 5th & 6th  •  10am - 6pm

4458 NE Brazee, between NE 44th & 45th Avenues

in Portland's Hollywood neighborhood

It's a knockout!

 In boxing terminology, the letters TKO mean "technical knockout", but around Portland "TKO" stands for a knockout of another kind…

Tamara King is a fiber artist whose stunning color and fabric combinations knock me out every time I see them. She's been a part of Camp Cactus sales for many years, and has quite a following of fans.

A long-time quilter, she lets her fabulous color sense guide her in sewing everything from tote bags to backpacks to accessories. This year she's making tea towels and potholders in happy colors that are destined to brighten many a Portland kitchen this winter.

Since her meticulous attention to detail requires a ridiculous amount of work, her items will be in short supply, and each piece is a one-of-a-kind work of art, destined to become a cherished heirloom.

Tamara King Originals…a total knockout!
They can be found exclusively at the Camp Cactus Holiday Sale next weekend.
Click here for all the details: Camp Cactus Holiday Sale.

Holiday Sale 2014

I'm happy to announce that in less than two weeks, 

Camp Cactus Studio will again be magically transformed into a warm and cozy gallery and boutique, featuring the art and craft of 24 fantastically gifted local artists and craftspeople.

As always, we'll be donating a portion of all sales to the Oregon Food Bank.

Please join us on Friday Evening, December 5th from 6:00 to 9:00 pm for our preview evening, and a chance to meet many of the artists, sip wine, nibble delicious goodies, and shop for locally made treasures.

Hours:

Friday, December 5th  6:00 - 9:00 pm

Saturday & Sunday

December 6th & 7th  10:00 am-6:00 pm

We're located on NE Brazee, between 44th and 45th Avenues in Portland's Hollywood District.

Stop by and have a cup of hot cider 

and share some holiday cheer.

Stay tuned... in the days to come I'll be sharing sneak peeks 

of what our artists are working on to bring to the show!

December - January classes

Here's an update for our remaining classes in December and early January:

Now you can register and pay online through our secure server on PayPal and you can pay using your credit or debit Visa or Mastercard.   Or, you can email me at campcactusmail{at}yahoo{dot}com to reserve your space.  I'll email you within 24 hours with your confirmation.
Camp Cactus Studio is located at 4458 NE Brazee Avenue, between NE 44th & 45th Avenues in Portland.
Click here for a map to the studio.

 Classes for Kids and Adults:

Kid's Drawing Studio

An open studio where kids ages 5 and up can come and draw to their heart's content in a supportive, non-critical environment.

Artists are free to choose from a variety of materials such as charcoal, graphite, ink, crayon, pastels, markers and colored pencils; and draw from imagination or various visual sources such as photographs and still life. All materials provided.

Thursday afternoon, January 2nd  1-3pm          $25

Ages 5 and up  •  Class size is limited  •  Preregistration required
Sorry, this class is now closed.

Design Your Own Prayer Flags

In this class, we'll learn a bit about the Tibetan custom of hanging colorful flags containing mantras and prayers to promote peace and other messages, which are said to be carried on the wind and spread throughout the world. We'll design and assemble our own interpretations of these flags using stamps, paints, stencils and inks.  Just in time to hang up and spread goodwill in the New Year! This is a fun class for parents and kids to take together.
All materials included.

Monday afternoon, December 30th   1-4 pm      $30  

Ages 6 - adult  •  Class size is limited  •  Preregistration required

Sorry, this class is now closed.

More art!

Maura Greenblum brought some beautiful

repurposed paper wreaths, perfect for your 

Shabby Chic decorating

New to Camp Cactus this year: 

earthy, functional ceramics by Greg Sparks

And Kris Zorko is back with her gorgeous Note Totes,
paper tile mirrors and plaques.

Come and check out all these goodies and more
 this weekend only, our last sale of the year:

Camp Cactus Holiday Sale
Preview evening: Friday, December 6th from 6 - 9 pm
Saturday & Sunday, December 7th & 8th from 10 am - 6 pm
4458 NE Brazee,  between 44th & 45th Avenues
in Portland's Hollywood district
See you there!

classes to get you in the holiday spirit!

Build a Snow Village
Remember those little paper or cardboard houses from long ago? Here’s your chance to build your own miniature village to display on a shelf or mantle. A fun way to jump start your holiday decorating! This is also a great project for parents and children to build together.  Adults accompanying a child are free. All materials provided.

Date Change! Wednesday, December 19th 1-4 pm      $30
Ages 7 - adult • Class size is limited • Preregistration required
to register, call (503) 347-2319 or send us an email:
campcactusmail@yahoo.com

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New!  Craft night for grownups
Come on by the studio and have some fun crafting ornaments for your holiday decorating.
We'll have hot cider, wine and goodies to nibble, christmas tunes and fun conversation.
All materials provided, just bring your holiday cheer!
Date change! Wednesday, December 19th  7-9:30 pm                    $25

Adult • Class size is limited • Preregistration required by Monday, Dec. 17
To register, call (503) 347-2319

*      *      *      *      *      *      *

Flowers for your table: Holiday Centerpieces

Just in time for holiday entertaining! Design a beautiful centerpiece for your holiday table. We’ll show you the basics of construction, teach you how to extend the life of cut flowers, and provide a selection of long-lasting flowers and greens as well as unique vessels for your creations.

Friday, December 21st  7-9 pm                     $50
Adult • Class size is limited • Preregistration required by Monday, Dec. 17
To register, call (503) 347-2319

accessories galore!

We're happy to have the opportunity to showcase some cool accessories this season.
First up is Tamara King, whose gorgeous and hip color and print combinations make me want to run directly to the nearest fabric store and start hoarding colorful cottons...then I remind myself that I don't have to -  I can just buy from Tamara and she can supply me with my fix!

 Such happy colors!

 I want one of each of these little pouches!

 The linings are as cool as the outsides, don't you think?

Camp Cactus Holiday Sale hours:

Opening Night:

Friday, November 30  •  6:00 - 9:00pm

Saturday & Sunday, December 1 & 2:

10:00 am - 6:00 pm

The studio is located on NE Brazee Ave. between NE 44th an 45th avenue

click here to see a map

it's time to celebrate!

I can hardly believe it, but it's already been twenty years since we started this.
It all began when my family moved to Portland from San Francisco in 1991.  That first autumn, I noticed there were lots of "holiday bazaars" held in private homes all over my neighborhood. I had never seen anything like it before, and though the taste level ranged from 1950s-era crocheted toilet paper covers to much more sophisticated fine art and craft pieces you might find in a gallery setting, these homey craft shows were really the precursors to today's pop-up shops. It sure sparked my entrepreneurial spirit, and in October of 1992 I decided to give it a try at our house.

I wrangled a few creative friends, cleared out the first floor of the house and we set up a temporary shop, complete with hot cider and cookies to make our shoppers happy. I wish I had photos of that first sale, but after spending an hour on my knees looking through old photos, I gave up, poured myself a glass of wine and decided to recount the tale without pictures.

I did find my records from the first sale, though...we sold hand painted ornaments, the first Santa dolls I ever made, painted wooden bowls, birdhouses and lots of goofy crafts that were popular back then.

This year, we have a host of amazing local artists making everything from blown glass to wearable art.
I draw the line, however, at crocheted toilet paper covers.
Stay tuned!

two more hours!

The Camp Cactus Holiday sale is winding down! 

We'll be open today until six pm, but we still have some wonderful treasures, 

all handcrafted by local artists.

Like these groovy signed letterpress posters by Sarah Fagan:

 and recycled leather flower cuffs by Susan Hurst: 

 Cozy crochet hats and handwarmers by Rachael Ramos and fused glass by Kelly Boverman

 elegant neck-warming scarves by Ann Wilson:

 Adorable upcycled skirts and organic cotton onesies by Joan Heart:

 and last, but not least:

We still have a few boxes of Fern's Famous Fudge!

Camp Cactus Studio

4458 NE Brazee

in Portland's Hollywood neighborhood

gretchen's back

Yay!

 Gretchen Boylan is back with us again, with gorgeous new work.

She combines antique papers, silk ribbons, beads, old jewelry and sterling silver

to create miniature works of art.

They're tiny environments that seem to be

 of another time and place altogether.

Check them out this weekend, but come early, because they disappear quickly!

holiday sale ends sunday

At the Holiday Sale preview on Friday night, lots of people turned up 

for wine and gourmet goodies prepared by Matt and Margaret,  perused the art,

and schmoozed with local celebreties, like Lord Lomax of NE Portland. 

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And on an entirely different note, registration is still open for the following classes:

Holiday Wreaths

Friday, December 10th • 7-9 pm

register by Tuesday, December 7th

Build a Snow Village 

Saturday, December 11th • 1-4 pm

Figure Drawing 

Wednesday, December 15th • 7-9 pm

Flowers for your table: Holiday Centerpieces

Friday, December 17th • 7-9 pm

register by Tuesday, December 14th

Click here for the class descriptions,

 where you'll find a "Pay now" button to register online

 or call the studio:

503-347-2319

snowy surprise

Wishing everyone warm holidays and a bright and creative new year!