The Annual Fruitlands Museum Holiday Artisan Market returns this winter on Saturday and Sunday, December 7 and 8. Dozens of local artisans bring their high-quality handmade crafts to Fruitlands Museum including jewelry, pottery, glass, wood, leather, fiber arts, photography, mixed media, and much more! Trustees Artisan Market Manager Harriet Friedrich spoke to a few artisans to give you a preview of what to expect before you plan your holiday shopping…

biita by Anita Costello

Anita is passionate about timeless elegance and sustainable luxury. She is inspired by minimalism and her vision is to redefine fashion by creating enduring essentials that transcend time. Each piece is handcrafted taking care to embody every stitch, thread and detail in her dedication to making a lasting impact on style and the future of the planet. Anita works with organic materials for her clothing range and uses either leather or vegan materials for her unique range of handbags.

Each piece is a chapter in her story, and she regards every supporter as a part of her vision for a more timeless and sustainable future. In Anita’s words, “Simplicity is thrilling and when done well it is profoundly expressive.”

Alan J Bourgault Artisan Woodworks

Alan Bourgault is an artisan woodworker who is a perfectionist in his craft. He builds fine handcrafted furniture and cutting boards which are both elegant, functional, and meticulously crafted using beautiful materials and traditional joinery techniques.

His journey started early while watching and assisting his father with construction projects around his home. Thirty-five years later the joy of working with wood is still alive. Alan’s furniture is inspired by Shaker design utilizing Northeastern wood like cherry, maple, and birch.

Alan’s latest addition to his woodworking craft is building beautiful, laminated frame landing nets for fly fisherman, blending his passion for woodworking and flyfishing. His landing nets are much sought after and find their way across the U.S.A. Alan is himself a skilled fly fisherman and fly tier.

c.e. golden

Jeweler Caroline Golden from the Town of Harvard blends her love of jewelry and her passion for small objects into her craft. She incorporates elements from nature and often uses vintage pieces like buttons and medals. Birds perching on a wire is a favorite subject which is well loved by families with children. A bird for each child which becomes sculptures on a small scale.

Caroline loves stories and history and any objects which seem to carry a story with them. She especially likes her customers to create their own stories with her jewelry pieces and pass them along to their friends and family.

Woods and Water Pottery

Rick Roth of Woods and Water Pottery in Templeton, MA has been a juried member of the New Hampshire League of Craftsmen since 2018. His handcrafted animal sculptures are collector’s items which are sought after throughout the United States.

The origin of his art comes from an interest in wildlife and for many years Rick and his wife Karen managed an outreach program bringing New England Forest animals into local schools. At that time his artistic outlet was unique animal wood carvings. It eventually led him to working with clay which he found to be a more malleable and suitable medium for his sculptures. Besides his unique collectable sculptures, Rick also creates one-of-a-kind pottery including birch bark and mushroom mugs, teapots, and bowls.