ArtsyFolk
Editor's note: The first full weekend in June is always a big time on Ocracoke when the island hosts the annual Ocrafolk Music & Storytelling Festival. Ocrafolk is three days, of music, food, dance, storytelling, parades, and fun. The Current's youngest staff members, Iris and Mariah, roamed the festival grounds, shopping and taking photos. They interviewed four artisan vendors for this story. Look for their regular column, "The Kids' Guide to Ocracoke," over the summer!
The first vendor we visited was Jen Ray. Her shop was called “Jen Ray Made This.” Jen has been participating in the Ocrafolk Festival for 2 years in a row. She sells skirts made of recycled T-shirts, crocheted octopuses, pirates and mermaids, and reversible baby hats. Jen has been making these items for 6 years.
Jen sells her things at Ocracoke and Nags Head, because she doesn’t have her own shop. The reason she makes these items is because she enjoys it and loves to sew. The item that she likes to make the most are her T-shirt skirts. Jen loves to listen to Blue Eyed Bettys and watch Jef the Mime when she is at the Ocrafolk Festival. Be sure to look for her next year at the Ocrafolk Festival.
The second vendor we interviewed was Karen Jefferson. Her shop is called “Stained Glass Designs.” She has been coming to Ocracoke for the festival for 3 years. She sells stained glass as you can tell by the name of her shop. Karen started making these items 30 years ago. Karen loves making stained glass. (Obviously.)
Her favorite item that she has made is her stained glass surfboard. (Which Mariah couldn’t find even though it was the size of a real surfboard.) She only travels to Ocracoke to sell her items. Her favorite band from The Ocrafolk Festival is Blue Eyed Bettys. Buy some beautiful stained glass next time you come to the Ocracoke Festival!
The next vendor we spoke to was Karen Casey. Her shop is called “Karen Casey’s Fused Glass.” She has come to the Ocrafolk Festival for 4 years. Karen sells fused glass pendants, earrings, bowls, tables, and clocks.
She has been making these items for 30 years with her husband. Karen likes color and fun creates which caused her to start making fused glass. She has the most fun making her tables. She loved listening to Kaira Ba when she was selling items at the Ocrafolk Festival the last two years. She travels up and down the east coast selling her items. She has her own gallery in Durham called “The Artisan Market at 305.” Visit Karen at her gallery in Durham if you are ever in the area!
Our last, but definitally not least, vendor was a local, Beth Fleishacker, who lives on the Outer Banks and used to live on Ocracoke. She has a shop called “Sea Catchers.” She has been participating in the Ocrafolk Festival since it was started. She sells mobiles made of beads and shells, coasters with photos of sea turtles, horses and lighthouses on them, and framed photographs of the Outer Banks. She started making these items 25 years ago.
Beth enjoys walking the beaches, taking photos and collecting shells. She loves taking photos of everything around her. She works out of her studio at her house, and has art shows all over the Outer Banks. She sells her art at Down Creek Gallery on Ocracoke and The Copper Mermaid in Nags Head. Beth enjoys listening to Donald Davis when she is participating in the Ocrafolk Festival. Beth has beautiful art that everyone should come see!
Come to Ocracoke next year for the Ocrafolk Festival to buy some of these amazing art pieces! Check out the art of the four vendors we spoke to if you do!
