LUCERNE — At the end of March, Harbor Village Artists in Lucerne received the “Best New Business” award at the Stars of Lake County event.
A neighborhood metamorphosis took place when the versatile group of artists made their shops and studios on the Lakefront. As with many famous city sections, artists often transform the palette of the landscape.
“It begins because we”re starving artists and need an inexpensive place to practice our craft,” Barbara LaVasseur said. “That”s how areas like SoHo begin.”
LaVasseur said the project that is now Harbor Village Artists was the brainchild of supervisor Denise Rushing.
Each artist is a business owner. Each cottage looks like a room in a museum. Unlike museum gift shops, the original pieces are for sale at unbelievably affordable prices.
LaVasseur sells hand-painted magnets for as little as $2 apiece. The larger items are also incredible buys. She fell in love with her style of tile painting while abroad. She makes her glazes from scratch. There are six artists who share the Lakeside Art cottage.
In the small room, a patio-sized table and chairs depict Rodman Slough, near form-fitted original design hats and curiously-crafted clothing.
In the cottage next door, at Konocti Art Gallery and Studio, Richard Seisser crafts a frame for a painting he recently completed. “All of us do our own framing,” Seisser said.
From the inside of the studio, Highway 20 seems miles away rather than less than a block.
“People traveling on 20 bring in a lot of business, the park is here and it”s a good stopping point,” Seisser said.
Take about three baby-steps across from Konocti Art Gallery and Studio and find some truly unconventional crafts at the Gourd Gallery.
Marilyn Crayton said that she gets to grow her own canvas.
Crayton retired to Lake County from the Bay Area in 1998. She served as a guest speaker at a garden club meeting where she first was introduced to gourds in 2000.
“I had never had any formal art classes other than a handful of one-day classes at gourd festivals,” Crayton said.
In 2005 she started a local gourd club that meets monthly. She grows gourds on her ranch in Witter Springs.
“Virtually anything that can be done on wood or leather can be applied to a gourd. Wood burning, dye, carving, staining, painting, sewing, etc.,” Crayton said.
There are bird houses shaped like pears, bees and houses. Crayton even turned tiny gourds into cat toys. She points out all the artful possibilities and various styles of the individual artists.
Wanda Quitiquit is next door to the Gourd Gallery. Quitiquit has the only cottage that is solo-run.
In May the Alpine Festival will return to Lucerne. The artists at Harbor Village are looking forward to meeting the community and those visiting to share the view of Lake County through their eyes.
