Craftsmen draw crowds to Pink Palace sale

James and Evelyn Eason of Jackson, Tenn., had a dilemma Saturday as they stood in front of the tent occupied by White Pine, Tenn., metal artists Robert and Dolores Wells.

Evelyn liked the double-flower wind-machine that blew briskly in the light breeze. James liked the copper fish that couldn’t seem to catch the wind.

These regulars at the Pink Palace Crafts Fair in Audubon Park, which ends today, tiffany jewelry on sale know what they’re going to buy.

While the Easons shy away from the term collectors, they are patrons of potter Bruce Odell and they also buy oil paintings or whatever else strikes them.

“We like things that are handmade and unique,” James Eason said.

Veteran crafts fair artisans say there’s no telling what will sell at a show.

“I bring everything,” said Leslie Turner of Tutwiler, Miss.

Her booth was swathed in rich black fabrics that gave depth to the colorful jewelry made from fused dichroic glass.

“If you leave anything at home you’ll end up selling out of the one thing you left at home,” Turner said.

This fair brings a lot of Christmas gift buyers so stoneware sculptor Helene discount tiffany of Booneville, Miss., has a healthy inventory of small things, like bowls for $12 and bud vases for $19.

She also has larger pieces priced for as much as $2,400 to attract serious art buyers.

“I’ll be lucky to get it sold,” she said. “But sometimes I’m lucky.”

Also, it helps to be local, said painter Judy Vandergrift.

She brought paintings from $20 to $1,000.

“I sell my art all over the city so I kind of know what people want,” she said.

Vandergrift had watercolors and more traditional pieces for the East Memphis audience.

But at the River Arts Fest, held later this month Downtown, buyers will lean toward the more abstract, she said.

Clay sculptor Lester Jones of Bartlett says sometimes being local isn’t an advantage.

“They say we know where we can find you,” Jones said.

With the economy, he tried to bring less-expensive pieces as well, like hand-sculpted clay tiles for $10.

Regardless, there’s no telling what people will want.

“The things you think are going to sell don’t and the things you don’t tiffany jewelry sale to sell do,” he said. “It’s a guess really.”

– Linda A. Moore: 529-2702

Pink Palace Crafts Fair ends today

Where: Audubon Park near Southern and Perkins

Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Admission: $7 adults, $5 seniors, $3 children

Parking: Free

Purpose: Proceeds benefit the Pink Palace Family of Museums

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