I’m a transplant from Seattle. Having traveled in a VW bus around the US, living in several cities including DC, Santa Cruz, Sacramento and Seattle, I chose Maine as my place to settle down and get more serious about my creative work.
My studio, now fondly referred to as the “Belle” is located in Wilton, Maine. Formerly known as the ‘Wells Fiddlehead cannery’ which operated for 4 generations canning dandelion greens and fiddleheads. As I build it out, I will offer classes in blacksmithing, fold forming, pottery, jewelry and more. Please sign up on the website for updates about classes and events.
Vera Johnson is a jeweler, blacksmith, and mixed media artist whose work centers on transformation through material. Working primarily in hand-forged steel, reclaimed copper, and clay, she creates jewelry and sculptural forms that explore resilience, vulnerability, and renewal.
With a foundation in clay, Vera developed an early understanding of material manipulation—how pressure, heat, and touch can shift form and meaning. That sensibility carried naturally into welding and blacksmithing, where fire and hammer became essential tools in shaping both metal and metaphor. Jewelry allows her to bring this forged strength into intimate scale—objects worn close to the body, carrying story and presence.
Her mixed media work often incorporates reclaimed and repurposed materials, assembling what was once discarded into something purposeful and alive. Sustainability is both philosophy and practice: a reflection of her belief that nothing is without potential.
Through blacksmithing, metalwork, clay, and wearable art, Vera honors the relationship between steel, fire, and the human hand—embracing both softness and boldness as essential forces in creation.
Fabric landscapes are created by hand appliqueing different fabrics to a muslin base, then mated and framed.
Wall hangings are machine pieced flowers or animals used in the picture books. Thin wooden dowels and fishing line are attached for easy hanging.
Fabric animal picture books have 6 pages in each book. They are machine pieced and most faces have some hand embroidery. They are washable. I will take custom orders for books and wall hangings.
Two Little Beans & Co. is a Maine-based clothing company that lovingly sews handcrafted baby clothes, including baby booties, bibs, and apparel.
Our goal is to create heirloom-quality baby garments that celebrate the magic of early childhood. Each Two Little Beans & Co. piece is soft and cozy without restricting movement – perfect for everyday adventures.
What is this pottery used for? How best can the shape promote its usefulness? These pots stack nicely in the cupboard. They fit and rattle around well in the dishwasher and have comfortable handles for many sized hands. They are oven, dishwasher and microwave safe and of course, lead-free.
That said, function isn’t the only determining factor. My influences through classical training or from ancient Greece, early American in old English pottery. I enjoyed a refined, uplifted form with a durable rim. My decoration is kept to a minimum with more emphasis placed on the shape and glaze.
I enjoy cooking and entertaining and always try to imagine a piece of pottery that will enhance the presentation of my meals. Whether it’s a piece to keep butter soft, to serve large salads and main courses or aid in the discrete disposal of olive pits, my pottery is thoroughly planned, start to finish. I am, in a nutshell, a practical Yankee!
All pieces are designed and hand crafted in Maine. Focusing on aesthetic and function, the rugged leather, waxed canvas, quality linens and brass hardware are the starting point. With the seasonal Maine elements in mind, I have created a line that can be packed up for a day at the beach or look great on your shoulder while trudging through a New England snow storm. The leather is sourced from a tannery in Maine which adds to each bag’s story. Marrying the leather with various fabrics creates many design options and the chance to build your own bag. The end result is a chic bag with a nautical and utilitarian flair.
Susan Bryant Caron is a Freeport, Maine jewelry artist currently taming sterling silver wire into stunning pieces of wearable art. Copper and 14K gold filled wire, semiprecious stones and fresh- water pearls have been introduced into the line adding additional elements of appeal. Susan creates each piece by hand; bending, twisting and wrapping wire to create the beads and components of this jewelry. Her wish to tread lightly on the earth has inspired her to design a line of jewelry made from recycled metals using a process that requires no soldering or adhesives.
Goose Pond – original designs in acid etched metal since 1982. Gold and rhodium-silver plated Christmas ornaments, many three-dimensional or with moving parts.
Over 6 dozen earring designs with matching necklaces and barrettes.
Custom designs a specialty, including logo and landmark pieces.
ANGELROX is American comfort. Handmade in a historic textile mill in Biddeford, Maine from the softest natural fabrics that comfort and breathe. The collection was founded by designer Roxi Suger in 1999. Her signature designs and sweet essentials are created from, and for, the beautiful spirit inside us all.
Serving diverse lifestyle needs from active to wellness, from work to special events, Angelrox is enduring style that authentically and organically produces genuine delight in the angels that experience the brand.
We are a family company offering versatile mindful clothing, crafted with joy, from biodegradable rayons made with organic cotton, bamboo + beechwood fabrics that are locally knit. Our products are engineered for comfort, to build confidence and to minimize waste. Each piece is hand crafted from beginning to end by a single person and often on a single sewing machine. Our packing is minimal and recycled and in all we do we endeavor to make a positive impact on this beautiful and amazing planet.
S.E. Hall Furniture & Design is a single maker, custom furniture shop located in Durham, Maine. I design and build custom pieces working closely with clients to achieve the perfect piece for their space. My business puts an emphasis on sustainability and a large part of this is using the scrap wood left over from larger projects to create a home decor and kitchen wares line. These pieces are for sale and can be viewed on my website or follow my social media to see where I will be popping up around New England.
Polar Bear & Company has been publishing high-quality works of cultural significance since 1998, with over 80 titles, with worldwide distribution.
We produce books that make a difference to our cultural heritage, creative economy and democracy. We strive to enhance the quality of life through literature and art.
We hope to give well-intentioned, creative people avenues for their words, wisdom, wit and other talents so they can reach individuals to create stronger communities.
Polar Bear & Company publishes non-fiction and fiction writers who bring needed insights to the world.
Democracy flourishes when creativity is allowed freedom of expression.
In 2015 the owners decided to follow the traditional model of non-profit publishing, thereby making Polar Bear & Company an imprint of the Solon Center for Research and Publishing, a non-profit 501(c)3 Maine public benefit company.
