Lakeport >> From Upper Lake to Middletown, talented artists reside in every corner of the community, creating work that runs the gamut — paintings and postcards, jewelry and clothing. They can do it all. And thanks to LakeWorks, those looking to get their hands on some local art don’t have to drive across the county for it. With roughly 35 local artists selling their work in the Lakeport locale, LakeWorks offers a wide range of quality items, perfect for the upcoming gift-giving season.
While most of the work originates here in Lake County, LakeWorks is part of a larger network called North Bay Made. The counties of Solano, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Sonoma and Lake all loosely support each other by allowing artists to send their work to the various shops around the North Bay. It’s a collective branding group that’s free to join for those makers and retailers selling quality-made products, in an effort to grow the regional economy. In LakeWorks there may be small sections with signs declaring, “Sonoma Made” and “Napa Made” in addition to “Lake Made” of course.
Located beside Watershed Books and run by the bookstore’s proprietor Cheri Holden, Lake Works opened about two years ago. Holden, who had teamed up with other artists to get the project off the ground, went in with little expectation. The concept — rent out space in the shop to local artists and crafters — was a fairly new one to Lake County, and they had no idea how it would turn out.
But fortunately LakeWorks has been met with enthusiasm. The store keeps busy, and artists are making a little money off their goods, likely in thanks to residents’ commitment to shopping local. The work sold in the store also changes frequently, which means repeat customers never get bored. “People both in the bookshop and at LakeWorks are very proud of their communities and they like to frequent them,” said Holden.
Sabrina Secord, a crafter selling her work at LakeWorks, agreed. “We only have shopping at Kmart and Kmart is repetitious,” she said. “If you want to get somebody something that’s very unique that they will love, something from here would be ideal.”
The store has a bit of everything, from jewelry, pottery and quilts to lavender products and dog biscuits, and they have an entire bookshelf dedicated to local authors. Any artist is welcome to bring their items into LakeWorks for consideration, but the shop does look for work that is of high quality, well-worked and unique. A three month commitment is required, and crafters are paid every quarter.
Secord is semi-retired, and she began selling patchwork blankets, baby blankets and triple bead jewelry at LakeWorks a year ago as a way to keep busy and have some fun. She’s been doing so well that she has no plans to leave any time soon.
And as a Lake County artist, Secord is a big proponent of supporting local endeavors. She’s seen many an establishment open their doors, only to close down a short time later because the customers just aren’t there. “I encourage people to shop local,” she said. “Try to give the businesses their business so they can continue to be open.”
With the holidays upon us, LakeWorks is a destination for those items that can only be found in Lake County. “People love that,” Holden said. “Especially if they have family in different towns, they love to show off our gifted arts and crafters. It’s very popular for gifts.”
Those selling their art at LakeWorks deserve much of the credit for the shop’s success. “We’re really really proud of LakeWorks and the people that are contributing,” Holden said.
LakeWorks is located at 307 N. Main St. Contact them at 263-5787.
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
