Robert & Paula Kahn

Utilizing chinquapins as the focal point of our jewelry to raise awareness of a vanishing species. All pieces include family grown, harvested Allegheny chinquapins combined with stone, wood, bamboo, coral, and other materials to create earrings, necklaces & braclets. As no two chinquapins are alike, no two pieces are alike! The inspiration for these creations is to foster an awareness of a vanishing and endangered species as the same blight that wiped out the American Chestnut at the turn of the century has decimated the Allegheny Chinquapin. Nostalgia for those who are older and remember chinquapins from their childhood (young girls wore chinquapin beads & young boys using them to play games such as "Jack in the Bush" with the winner keeping all!

Paula Melton

In her own words, “Drawing and painting have been my best method of communication since I was 3 years old”, is the best way to describe the artist. Quiet and unassuming, Paula has been honing her skills in watercolors since childhood. Simple subjects, with an eye on detail define her wide assortment of subjects. She spent many hours with her parents and their love of nature and their life in the Blue Ridge Mountains had a major impact on her artwork. These honest influences have generated a style of painting that is unlike most, realistic with a careful attention to detail that matters. So, her main focus of work includes flowers, blooms, old homesteads, old trucks and cars, a series of angels, a series on a farm stream and field, pets, old barns, old jars, landscapes, vases, bluegrass musical instruments, egg baskets and in particular, cats in their finest moments. Paula continues to live in the mountain home built by her great-grandfather and grandfather, staying her close to precious family memories, as well as close to the nature and flowers she enjoys. When you take a close look at her paintings, you will enjoy the simpler things of life as well.

Maurice Vanhook

I have been carving for 7 years. Prior to starting woodcarving I had worked for nearly 40 years and as a hobby I had trained and shown horses. Upon retirement I soon found out that training horses is a young persons sport. Somewhere in the back of my mind all thourgh these years I had always been interested in woodcarving, so in 2009 I took my first woodcarving class. Since that time I have taken several classes and enrolled online for more classes. I think it is good to take classes with other carvers and even though they are teaching with their style each carver will develop their own style of carving. My own style is evolving even as I carve today. I carve primarily northern bass wood and cottonwood bark. i also carve native cedar, butternut, buckeye, and pine knots. At Heartwood my Christmas items have been very popular and I am starting to work on new ideas for this year. I have found that woodcarving is a challenging craft and also very rewarding in that you can take a piece of wood and create a single Christmas ornament or Santa Claus that will remain in a family for many years and even generations.

Jack Taylor

Shannon Piek Mathena

Originally from California, Shannon Piek Mathena holds a BA in Art from California State University of Fresno.  With 22 years of experience teaching Art, Shannon is a working artist and currently teaches art in Tennessee.  She loves to use watercolors and gouache to create paintings of animals.  Shannon also creates pet portraits and is currently accepting commissions.

Laura Post

Combining traditonal and modern techniques to create contemporary fiber art.

Tinsley Lowe

My weavings are very basic in technique, composition and color The process and finished product is a combination of weaving, embroidery and appliqué . They are woven on a small homemade frame loom with no moving parts. I’ve made my own stick shuttles, needles and beater.

I purchase raw fleece of various sheep breeds and colors, preferring wool with long silky fibers. The wool is hand washed, carded, spun and dyed if appropriate. I’m fairly new to spinning and love the process. It’s a happy place to be. I’ve realized that I can sometimes use underspun or overspun wool to an advantage for texture and depth.