Artists and crafters flock to Sisters

Creekside Park was the site of the sixth annual Sisters Arts and Crafts Festival, Saturday and Sunday, July 22-23. Approximately 80 exhibitors from as far away as New York displayed their handmade arts and crafts.

A silent auction held at the event to benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation raised approximately $900 for the charity.

Event promoter and Sisters resident, Richard Esterman, said that the festival normally draws between 3,000 and 5,000 area residents and tourists. However, some exhibitors commented that this year crowds seemed smaller, likely due to the weekend's extremely hot weather.

Esterman is also the promoter of the Sisters Art in the Park event that is held during Rodeo weekend.

Esterman, a self-taught photographer and long-time exhibitor, started organizing arts and crafts shows six years ago. As an exhibitor, Esterman became dissatisfied with how other promoters organize their events.

"Most promoters have never been an exhibitor and have no experience," he said. "They are just guessing. When you have experience on both sides of the fence, you know what the needs are. I took everything I hated from other promoters and fixed it."

The noteworthy feature of Esterman's arts and crafts shows is a silent auction that benefits a local charity. Esterman discounts the price exhibitors pay for their booths if, in turn, they donate an item to the event's silent auction. Esterman gives 100 percent of what is raised at the auction to the designated charity.

For the past six years, Make-A-Wish Foundation has been the recipient of the funds raised at the Sisters Arts and Crafts Festival. The funds are earmarked to grant local (Bend, Redmond and Sisters area) wishes. Due to confidentiality requirements, Make-A-Wish Foundation does not release information about the wishes that have been granted from the monies raised at Esterman's shows.

Esterman estimates that more than $10,000 has been donated over the past six years to Make a Wish Foundation from his two Sisters' shows: Sisters Art in the Park and Sisters Arts and Crafts Festival. He comments, "Usually anywhere from $5 to $900 is raised per show."

Tony Madrigal, a one man Rock and Roll act from the Portland area, provided entertainment throughout this weekend's festival. During his eight hour act, "Memories in Motion," Madrigal sings and plays the music of Ricky Nelson, Roy Orbison, Buddy Holly, Elvis Presley and the other Rock and Roll greats.

Esterman likes to create a festive atmosphere for his shows. He does not line his booths in rows but, instead, prefers a more free-form layout that encourages patrons to wander around making discoveries at every turn.

Artisans from Oregon, Washington, California, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Montana and New York exhibited pottery, glass, woodwork, leather goods, paintings, metal works and sculpture, yard art, photography, clothing, books, jewelry, soaps and candles at this year's festival.

Oregon artists Dolly Brown of Albany, Caroline Veen of Oakridge and Debra Martin of La Pine exhibited their work. Brown crafts strikingly vivid fused glass creations. Her original designs include plates, vases, coasters, candle holders, pendants and dragon flies.

Veen makes glycerin soaps in candy store flavors of peppermint and eucalyptus and floral scents of white magnolia and English rose. Martin's medium is metal art. She crafts metal wall hangings.

"I specialize in photographs and turning pictures into metal art," Martin said. "I do a lot of pets."

A husband and wife team from Pahrump, Nevada, who call their business Rosebud Design, exhibited their Native American-themed leather pillows and purses and jewelry made of silver and semi-precious stones.

Traveling the farthest was Hudson River Inlay from New Windsor, New York. The Hudson River craftsmen create intricate marquetry furniture and wall pieces. Various types and colors of wood are combined in mosaic patterns to cover furniture surfaces and provide borders around beveled mirrors and scenes for wall hangings.