Holiday Shopping Made Easy with 40 Artists Under One Roof

By MONICA CALZOLARI
ONEONTA

The Artisans’ Guild is staffed and run by its 40 members, all local artists. During its Open House on December 8, 2023, 16 of the artists were on hand to greet customers and provided delicious treats to sample.

You are sure to meet at least one local artist every time you shop at The Artisans’ Guild. Meeting 16 artists in one night was a rare treat. Many have international roots and ties to New York City.

As members of this not-for-profit cooperative, the artists staff the store four hours a month. During the holidays, they work eight hours.

The Artisan’s Guild was founded in 1999 to give local artists a place to sell their work.

Bonnie Laugen, who makes jewelry, has been a member since May. She took the place of Deborah Blake, another local jewelry maker, who started the guild with Ellie Stromberg—a potter and current president of the cooperative—24 years ago.

Laugen has lived in Oneonta for 42 years and has been making and selling jewelry for the past 15 years. She said, “It all started because my daughter wanted to go to France and I challenged her to earn half of the money for her trip and I would pay the other half. She started making and selling jewelry. Today she is a French teacher and I am the one still making jewelry.”

Alya and Vladimir Svecharnik own alkadabra.com and are a husband and wife team who have been members for two years. Both are photographers. They print on canvases, metal and also make archival prints. Alya said, “We spent 12 years being a part of the Christmas market in New York City.”

She remembers standing outside in the cold selling their works of art. She said, “We brought New York City with us to Oneonta in a way.”

Some of their photos feature Rockefeller Center and the Brooklyn Bridge.

The couple moved to Oneonta during the pandemic in 2020. Alya used to teach art in New York City and spent 30 years there. She is originally from St. Petersburg in the Soviet Union. Vladimir is from Moscow and spent 20 years in NYC.

“We have been coming to Oneonta on holidays as a retreat from city life,” Vladimir said.

The couple bought a summer get-away here in 2004.

Vladimir added, “Nature has always been part of my life. I made a New Year’s wish to live here for a full year. Two months later, COVID hit, and my wish came true.”

Kim L’Heureux is one of the five potters at The Artisans’ Guild. She said, “I feel lucky to have the Artisans’ cooperative in Oneonta. I used to do shows and this is much more convenient. When people ask me, ‘where can I find your pottery,’ I tell them 148 Main Street. They can come in at their leisure and look around.”

During the Open House, Daniel and Kyrstin Wood bought pottery for seven people on their Christmas list. Daniel said, “Our kitchen is filled with pottery from The Artisans’ Guild.”

Born in Cooperstown and raised in Oneonta, Daniel Wood moved back home from New York City in 2020 to help his stepfather, Len Carson, run DC Marketing, the billboard company in Oneonta.

Wood said, “I have been coming to this store for years. It is a great place to come for hand-made gifts and also support local artists.”

Ingrid Guiter, a potter, came to the U.S. 30 years ago from Argentina. She said, “I was an apprentice to a potter in Brooklyn for several years. I learned glazing on my own.”

Guiter’s pottery is unique for two reasons. She meticulously carves deep grooves into her pieces by hand when the clay is still wet and she powers her highly-insulated kiln with solar panels. Sustainability is important to her.

Liz Miles is a fabric artist, upholsterer and quilter. She said, “I have been an artist all my life.”

Originally from Suffolk, England, she moved to Stamford after falling in love and marrying an American. She has been a member for four years.

Judy Baker said, “I was a customer of The Artisans’ Guild long before I became a member five years ago. I really enjoy doing my arts. I started doing art in high school 50 years ago.”

Baker is self-taught. She uses alcohol ink and makes vibrant colored tiles with flowers, refrigerator magnets, and scented soaps.

Lillian Miccio came to New York City 43 years ago from Uruguay for a job opportunity her father had. Now that her three boys and one girl gave her six grandsons, she moved from Stamford to Oneonta to be closer to her family.

Miccio said, “I paint on silk, on glass, on canvas and do reverse painting jewelry.”

Perhaps best known for her one-of-a-kind silk scarves with elaborate designs, she explained, “I steam the silk in dye for four hours each. That is why the silk is so soft.”

Claudia Koeppel said, “I love fashion. I wanted to be a fashion designer.”

Now she recycles clothing that is brand new or not worn and block prints designs onto the cloth.

Cathy Coan is a seamstress who was one of the original Artisans’ Guild members since 1999. She said, “We are so lucky to have a space on Main Street. I left the guild for a while and opened my own shop, but it was too much work.”

Coan makes a variety of products, including reusable bags, aprons and ponchos. She is fond of cats and makes cat beds and catnip toys. She also makes herbal packs for neck and muscle pain and lavender packs for relaxation. She even creates pillows with original art her sister designs in Virginia.

Coan said, “I started sewing before sewing class in the seventh grade. My mother was a seamstress and made all of her own curtains, bedspreads and clothing.”

Shopper Spencer Koenig, who was working in Albany, just moved back home to Oneonta. He said, “I come here every year around the holidays and even for birthdays. I just bought Christmas presents for my sister, my girlfriend, my mother and someone else to be determined.”

Koenig said, “I was just at T.J.MAXX looking for gifts with my mom. I would rather come to The Artisans’ Guild, buy unique gifts and spread some of Oneonta’s art around. My grandmother was a potter. She made one of my favorite lamps. It takes a lot of strength to be a potter.”

Jennifer Kemper started making pottery at age 15. She is now 70 years old. She has been a member of The Artisans’ Guild for 22-23 years. She said, “I make my own glazes. My pieces are dishwasher and microwave safe because they are high-fired stoneware. They do not absorb water.”

Kemper explained, “It takes me one month to complete one piece of pottery.” She said, “There are many steps in the process. Plus, you need to make enough to fill up the entire kiln, because it costs a lot to run it.”

Beth Matter, who makes stuffed teddy bears and body products, was busy all night during Open House wrapping up and ringing up purchases.

Allison Jones owns Applegarth Pottery and Applegarth Farm and is also Maryland town clerk. Her pottery is made with lead-free glazes that are food safe. She was busy serving customers all night, too.

Guild member Chris Monahan hand picks leather from tanneries in Gloversville and creates leather belts, purses, and baby moccasins. She lives on a farm in Otego with her husband, two dogs, a cat and chickens.

Frank Hults is a woodworker who makes cutting boards, butcher blocks, serving trays, cheese boards, coasters and wine caddies. He discovered that his fellow artist shares his love of wood.

Vladimir photographed petrified wood in New Mexico that was 200 million years old.

Roxanne Marcellino is a knitter who makes gloves. She and her husband are both members of the guild. She makes greeting cards from some of her husband’s designs. One read, “Cooperstown, New York” and has baseball characters on it.

“The aim of The Artisans’ Guild is to provide high-quality gifts and everyday items at affordable prices, while adding a little beauty to the lives of all who shop here and helping the local economy,” said Stromberg.

Koenig agrees, “Everything here is really affordable.”

If you are a local artist, The Artisans’ Guild would like to hear from you. The Guild has openings for four new members in 2024.

For information about becoming a member, or to read about all 40 members and see samples of their art, visit www.theartisansguildoneonta.com.

The Artisan’s Guild is open seven days a week until Christmas for holiday shoppers looking for the perfect gift. Sunday hours are noon to 4 p.m.