Appalachian ARTISANS
West Virginia, dubbed The Mountain State, delivers beautiful scenery at every turn.
The best of West Virginia at Tamarack Story by Dee Whited Each bend in the road—and there were lots of them— brought even more stunning scenery streaming past my car window. West Virginia’s famed country roads lined with rolling hills, green pastures, verdant forests, quaint farmsteads, and bountiful rhododendron were carrying me “home.” John Denver was right—Almost Heaven, West Virginia. Fortunately for me and my travel weary body, signs indicating that “Tamarack: The Best of West Virginia” was a few miles away—so I exited Interstate 64. The striking, peaked red roof, ample parking (even for big rigs), and attractively landscaped grounds assured me I’d made the right decision to stop. The plan was to spend 15 minutes to stretch my legs, grab something to eat, then continue traveling east. With the help of brochures and the friendly staff, I discovered the lure of the property. Tamarack with its unique retail artisan products and extraordinary menu started out as a vision to promote the Mountain State’s image. Opened in 1996, the half-million annual visitors prove that the vision succeeded. Visitors enjoy a warmly decorated retail store, working studios for resident
artisans, a fine art gallery, a theater, A Taste of West Virginia food court, and the Tamarack Conference Center. The facility is built in a circle with the star quilt pattern as its architectural design and I examined every degree of the circle. Trends and traditions, as well as unusual specialty products were among the long list of artisan- made Tamarack items. Metal, apparel, jewelry, souvenirs, wood, glass, furniture, pottery, outdoor decor, fine art, fine craft, musical instrument, music, books, and homemade specialty food items and candies are all on the Tamarack shopping list. One portion of the large circle promotes fine art and fine craft, as well as paintings, photography, mixed media work, and other imaginative pieces. Six art shows a year focus on themes that bring out the best in West Virginia’s artists. As an amateur artist, my favorite section was watching the studio artisans. Glass, wood, pottery, and fine art are featured. From April until November, other artisans also work in the retail area to showcase their talents and products. It was impossible not to be inspired to work more diligently on my own art. By this time, I was starving and followed the enticing aroma into the food court/restaurant. Again, the theme
APPALACHIAN ARTISANS
COAST TO COAST SUMMER MAGAZINE 2017
28
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