Buy Local, Understand Global: Oregon’s Traditional Craft Revival
The tranquility of Oregon’s lush Willamette Valley, the heart-stopping vistas of the Columbia River Gorge, and the bustling heart of downtown Portland – these are not just places for Oregon’s residents to live, work, or visit. These spots are the crucibles where Oregon’s traditional craft revival is taking shape, the very soul of this historical exercise.
Visitors flock to Multnomah Falls and Crater Lake, marveling at their natural splendor. But, locals know a sight just as awe-inspiring: watching local artisans as they turn raw materials into vibrantly alive works of art and tradition.
Reigniting the Old Ways – Breweries, Bookbinderies, and Blade-Smiths
The revival is genuine, and it’s not just happening in Portland. Across the Beaver State – from downtown Eugene’s art district to the quiet corners of Ashland and Pendleton – the echoes of traditional craft-work are resonating in every corner.
If you’ve sat in Deschutes Brewery laughing over a pint of Black Butte Porter with friends, then you’ve tasted the fruits of skillful craftsmanship borne from respect for tradition and love for local ingredients. The same holds for sipping on Pinot Noirs from vineyards tucked in the undulating landscapes between McMinnville and Dundee. Every fermented grape, every foamy brew, is a testament to the revival that’s underway.
It’s not just about drink – in Rogue River, you might cross paths with Michael and Gabriel Bell, renowned local Japanese-style blade-smiths. Or, find your way into Eugene’s Smith Family Bookstore to revel in the touch and allure of locally-bound books, the kind you can’t find in some soulless internet warehouse.
An Artisan’s Perspective – Cedar, Salmon, and Cricket Songs
Then there are the woodworkers – shaping, sanding, and finishing by hand – who have not forgotten the forests’ gifts. The scent of fresh-cut cedar and oregon pine is indeed heady, but the real magic is in the creation of pieces carrying not just utility, but also history.
In coastal towns like Newport and Astoria, the symphony of waves crashing against the shore is the backdrop to glassblowers, turning the gray sand into a riot of color gleaming against the Oregon sunshine.
Sustenance is not just about survival here, but also an indispensable part of the craft culture. The artisanal jerky from Gary West Meats in Jacksonville or the magical smoked salmon coming out of Tillamook smokehouses are not just to sate your hunger, but also to invite you to be part of a grand tradition.
Don’t even get me started on cricket songs. You might know them as background noise on warm summer evenings, but in some corners of Corvallis, these songs have shaped local ceramic art. A couple famed as the ‘Cricket Song Potters’ fires their clay pieces in traditional kilns while listening to the rhythm of cricket songs. Talk about making earth sing!
Quirks Aplenty – Weathering the Storm and Weaving History
Only in Oregon can one get sunburn and hypothermia in the same day. The weather personality is no less diverse than the astonishing talent of its art crowd. The artists and artisans, soaked half the year in drizzle, use this weather to nourish their creative juices.
Quilts – marketed today as kitschy home decor – were once lifelines, tangible records of Oregon’s history. Sisters, a small town nestled in the Central Oregon high desert region, hosts an annual outdoor quilting show, the largest of its kind. Over 1,400 quilts drape across buildings, harnessing aesthetic majesty and historical depths in their patterned threads.
Exploring Oregon’s Craft Revival: A Journey into Tradition
Take a whole day and drive down Interstate 5, make a right at the Historic Columbia River Highway, or even a stroll through Art Alley in downtown Medford, and you’ll cross paths with this revival happening in plain sight. It’s the heartbeat of Oregon, a testament to the Beaver State’s unwavering respect for history and tradition.
Oregon’s craft revival is about more than embracing nostalgia; it’s about walking forward into the future without losing sight of where we’ve come from. It’s about handcrafted beers, knives whetted to perfection, cedar furniture smelling of the forest, and quilts weaving tales of yore. So, get out there, experience it. Find these artisans, strike up a conversation, and see how their stories might fit into yours.
It’s a step back in time where we find our way forward, carrying the torch of the old while lighting up the new. The journey is steeped deep in history, rooted in tradition, but with eyes wide open to the future – all the while keeping Oregon’s history vibrantly, creatively, and authentically alive. And isn’t that just the Oregon way?