Etsy is one of my favorite places to shop for unique gifts, fun items for the home or handmade jewelry. Fortunately many local artisans from the Fredericksburg and surrounding areas sell their work on the site.
Over the coming weeks, Fredericksburg Living will feature a handful of our local Etsy shops!
Take a moment to enjoy six artists’ work and then head over to their shops to see more of their creations.
Rachel Ruddle Pottery – Contemporary Pottery
“I took my first ceramics class as a studio art major in college, and I was hooked! I love creating three dimensional objects with my hands, and there are endless possibilities and options in clay. Ceramic objects have the unique ability to be useful in the home and every day life. The opportunity to inject a little handmade beauty into someone’s day is exciting to me! My style is inspired by organic, asymmetrical and often geometric shapes and forms found in nature. My work has a minimalist, wabi-sabi aesthetic with a feminine touch.” – Rachel Ruddle
The plates by Rachel below are beautiful and I love the organic feel that they have. Magnolia blooms are one of my favorite flowers and always remind me of when my husband proposed. A large, old magnolia stood next to where he bent down one knee and asked me to be his wife.
Justin Gray Design – Concrete & Wood Tables, Art and More
“Inspired by modern designs and unique materials, we have developed a home decor and furniture series based around clean lines, handcrafted feel and the unique craft involved with processing high end concrete. The majority of our work includes the refurbishing of wood, recycled glass and eco-friendly finishes. Each piece is engineered to maximize strength and utility while designed to minimize its weight and blend into any decor.” – Justin Gray
Justin’s tables look like the perfect table for a home with a modern edge or for any family space that is frequently used. I can picture many games being played on this coffee table.
Yours Truly Glassware – Personalized Glassware & Gifts
How sweet to have your child write out a quote and then have it engraved on a piece that is used everyday?
I love artisans’ creations that symbolize family, children or fond memories.
Downtown Press – Letterpress Cards and Prints
“I’ve always loved words and typography. After teaching the history of journalism to my high school students, I decided I needed to get hands-on in letterpress printing. I was hooked. My presses include an 8×12 C&P, a Line O’Scribe, and a small Golding Pearl. I print using wood and metal type and polymer plates designed in Adobe Illustrator. I only make 5-10 cards or prints at a time, which means you won’t see them everywhere. I cut, print, score, and fold each card one at a time before placing in a cello envelope to ship. My introverted self loves spending time in the shop, getting my hands covered in ink, and finding ways to tell stories in print.” – Susan Carter Warren
Susan’s cards and prints are such fun! I love how she has taken an old method of creating art and made it new again with funny quotes or sweet words to share with others.
Laura Craig Fine Art – Acrylic and Watercolor Original Art
“As an artist, my aim is to capture and elevate the everyday and familiar to the painterly and picturesque. My paintings, in general, are snapshots of life: quaint vignettes or narrative portraits in which I attempt to harmonize the calming with the energizing, the quiet with the vibrant, complexity with simplicity. There is often an undercurrent of nostalgia, optimism or femininity to my work. Aside from some training in drawing and watercolor in my childhood, I am entirely self-taught, but I take cues and inspiration from other artists and from my surroundings all the time, and consider painting an ongoing and ever-evolving education. I work primarily in acrylics and watercolor, and my style falls somewhere on the spectrum between realism and impressionism. I am influenced by the work of the impressionists and post-impressionists, and am drawn to art that celebrates light and color and a sense of joie de vivre. A native of Virginia, I grew up on the rural Eastern Shore but have called Fredericksburg home for the past nine years.” – Laura Craig
I fell in love with Laura’s art when I was scrolling through Instagram one day. Her work speaks to me and I love how she captures local places around town. Her art draws you in and makes you feel a part of it.
Southern Gems – Handmade Earrings
Ashleigh Eck’s simple stud earrings are lovely and I can see any age wearing a pair of these beauties. From white druzy to blue opal and every color in between, I will definitely be purchasing a pair of these sparkly studs.
Do you have a favorite local Etsy Shop? Comment below and let us know!
It might be featured on our next Local Etsy post.
