Blue Alchemy opens in Sisters

Alchemy is defined as "the process of turning a common substance into something of greater value." Art is like that - a musician turns sound and words into something moving and powerful; a sculptor shapes formless clay into something visually compelling; a jeweler turns stone and bits of metal into something precious.

Loraine Albertson's boutique, Blue Alchemy, located in Town Square, celebrates that handcrafted process with a range of artisan-produced clothing, jewelry and accessories for the home.

"I like the idea of what artists do: They take these basic materials ... and they transform it..." says Albertson.

At Blue Alchemy you'll find ceramics, wood, metal, fabric - all transformed into items that are beautiful and functional, from clothing to yard sculpture to artisan hand-poured, cotton-wick candles. Nothing in the store is factory made or mass-produced.

All the offerings of Blue Alchemy have a story, as do the local and regional artisans that produce them. The result is a shopping experience that is authentic, intimate and real.

"It just feels different," says Albertson.

The location in Town Square has its own story. Albertson was involved with the original business that became Common Threads, back when Bill Reed first built Town Square in 1985.

"It was a really exciting summer," Albertson recalls. "He built this thing that was really kind of bold for this tiny town - but that was Bill."

Albertson had worked in management at Nordstrom and was trying her hand in small-town retail as her husband Kirk established himself as an elementary school teacher. Soon though, Loraine was swept back into the bigger world of retail, as she came on board with a regional high-end apparel chain. She was on the road a lot, opening stores, and acting as a buyer.

For a time when her children were young, Loraine worked in Sisters and Bend as a merchandiser, creating attractive displays and enhancing the "look" of stores. Then she ventured back into the corporate world with Macy's.

"I had huge, huge playgrounds," she said of her time with the department store.

But Albertson was facing tremendous personal challenges in a long and ongoing battle with cancer, and it forced her to really assess her priorities.

"It was a real honing in on what's important, what you want to do," she said.

She noted that the support of the Sisters community through her illness "was amazing."

Determined to live with intention, she decided she wanted her own "playground," a small space where she could exercise her talent and expertise in retail and celebrate her love for the work of artists.

Having spent years ordering product that was mass-produced in China, she really wanted to have a local and regional focus.

She says that 50 to 60 percent of the artisans who supply Blue Alchemy are local, with the balance haling from other parts of Oregon.

The boutique is not a consignment shop.

"I commit," she says. "I buy outright from the artist. I want to know that what's in here is because I really believe in it and think I can sell it."

And sell it she has. The shop opened quietly the day after Thanksgiving and word of mouth quickly brought the shoppers. Blue Alchemy is tapping a broad trend in retail. People are less inclined to simply buy "stuff" - they are looking for more

meaning.

"If they are going to buy something, they want to have a feeling about it, rather than just another commodity," Albertson says.

With hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind artisan goods, Blue Alchemy serves that desire.

Blue Alchemy is located at 161 E. Cascade Ave. #2. For more information call 541-350-5882.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

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