2010 artisans

Kenny Frazier

Kenny, of Touchet, Wash., is a rawhide braider whose work serves as practical tool for area ranchers. In addition to working in the trade, Kenny has also served as an instructor at the National Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Elko, Nev.

Doris Harvest

Doris Harvest was born in Northwest Germany. Her earliest memories were those of watching her accomplished mother spin and weave clothing with fiber and fabric.

Mother Laila, of Norwegian descent, was also a diversified seamstress. The joy and enthusiasm her mother expressed when she was creating were inspirational to you young, growing daughter, who began learning from her mother at a very tender age.
From the time she was a teenager, Doris wanted to live in the “primitive” world. She had fallen in love with fiber work. She had a belief: “The path to the future is back to nature.” She has always tried to keep that pledge to herself as she traveled to many foreign countries over the years. She may have learned to use the car pedals to drive when she came to the Americas, but she much prefers the pedals of her spinning wheel to those of her car.
Doris was traveling through Idaho on her way to Montana in 1999, when she spotted a sheep camp along the byway. She saw thousands of sheep and all that wool within easy access. She had never seen so many sheep in one place.
Doris stopped her journey. Ever since, she has been blessed with many kinds of animal fibers from all over Idaho, and became “one of those fiber freaks,” as she pursues her dream and the promise she made to herself.
Today, Doris is still discovering the diversity of creation with fiber. This includes spinning, weaving, knitting, felting, hat making and much more. More...

Dean Henry

Teams of Belgium and Percheron draft horses graze the rolling fields of Dilly Dally Ranch northeast of Colville, Wash. Sometimes the horses are kicking up dust, if they’re pulling a hay wagon behind them, or sometimes it’s an icy spray they’re creating if they’re pulling the old-time sleigh across the snowy fields in the winter.

Either way, the draft horses on the Dilly Dally Ranch are content and appreciated for their great strength and gentleness, despite their enormous size.
This is also where Dean Henry, 46, is most at home, working in the fields with the horses or building wagons and wheels in his shop.
Actually, if time could run backwards, Henry would have been born a 150 years ago, where horses and wagons were the norm for farming and transportation.
As it is, the Colville native is content to use his antique equipment to recreate the functioning tools of wagons, wooden wheels and handmade harnesses for those kindred spirits, or to be driving a wagon in tow with his two favorite horses.

Paul Jones

Paul Jones has been an artist all his life, winning his first competition at the age of 12. He grew up surrounded by craftsmen, with his grandfather and uncles whittling on the porch.
Paul has been chainsaw carving for 35 years, and he is one of the founding members of the Tri-Cities Woodcarvers Club.

Paul has always enjoyed sharing his art, and one of the greatest pleasures in his life is seeing one of his students hone their skills to excellence.
In March 2008, Paul and his partner, Butch Elrod, were hired to transform a couple of dying trees in Howard Amon Park in Richland, Wash., into works of art. The March 2008 project included sculpting a 'history pole' out of a maple tree.

Dennis Kagele

Dennis collected silver plate flatware for several years and resold it on eBay. Leftover pieces or small lots were sold to another artist who made wind chimes.

Dennis always hated sending some of the more ornate pieces away as he thought they could be used for something that would better display their beauty; thus the idea of personal jewelry was born.
Through the years, Dennis became more selective and chose the more ornate and collectible pieces for his work. The majority of the flatware he uses now dates to the early 20th century.
Each piece is unique in its style and workmanship. There are no two pieces exactly alike. He now uses the better pieces to create bracelets, earrings and watch bands.
Dennis sincerely hopes that people will enjoy his jewelry as much as he enjoyed creating it! More...