[title subtitle=”words Dwain Hebda
images courtesy featured makers”][/title]
Arkansas is a land filled with artisans, those who spin, weave, work with glass or metal or clay, who create in the kitchen, in the workshop, the forge. These items bear the mark of the artist’s passion and skill; one-of-a-kind keepsakes that beautify our homes and enrich our lives.
There’s nothing quite like putting something handmade into your home. Knowing someone leveraged experience and God-given talent to create something beautiful out of components that are greater than the sum of their parts is a joy that commercially-manufactured, mass-produced items simply can’t touch. Do South® set out to find a few such makers in our area. Check them out at their places of business or at a maker’s fair near you.
KOPPER KETTLE CANDIES
6300 Alma Highway
Van Buren, Arkansas
479.474.6077
kopperkettlecandies.com
Pulling from recipes dating back to the 1920s and operating out of a 1950s Van Buren storefront, with a second location in Fort Smith, Kopper Kettle is as authentically Arkansas as you can get. The Greer family, now in its fourth generation of candy making operations, run the place and crank out the sweet treats that have delighted thousands of natives and tourists alike from around the state and all over the world.
The confections are made right on site, ensuring the freshest possible product. While you can’t go wrong with anything in here, Kopper Kettle die-hards will likely direct you to the signature Ozarkies, a concoction of dark vanilla and milk chocolate, pecans and a vanilla cream center. Traditional favorites like chocolate covered cherries, divinity and nut bark are also popular and come in several flavor varieties. Seasonally, you’ll find decadent chocolate covered strawberries and delicious caramel apples. Kopper Kettle also ships worldwide in case you find yourself hankering from afar.
AARIAH SOL GLASS
Fort Smith, Arkansas
479.462.4595
Find them on Facebook
Like many couples, Aaron and Mariah Newman can be found every Saturday at the local farmer’s market. But the Fort Smith natives aren’t there for produce or jams and jellies, they’re manning their own booth chock full of their handblown glass creations.
The couple got into the art form more or less on a whim and enjoyed it enough to open Aariah Sol Glass about two and a half years ago. Aaron got into glassblowing first, having seen a buddy do it and becoming instantly fascinated, and he in turn showed Mariah the finer points. Together they create a wide range of decorative items from beads, marbles and wine stoppers to pendants, jewelry and monument pieces.
When not at the farmer’s market, the couple runs the business out of their home, tucked around their full-time jobs. But even this hectic schedule doesn’t preclude them from promoting causes they are passionate about, such as advocating for mental health awareness, substance abuse disorders and prison reform. In fact, a long-term goal for their business is to start a nonprofit glass art therapy center in the community.
RETHREADZ
711 Main Street
Van Buren, Arkansas
479.474.0020
Find them on Facebook
What do you get when you combine vintage t-shirts, upscale denim, flowing bohemian blouses and add a dash of creativity? You get ReThreadz’s custom clothing creations that are unlike anything you’ve ever seen.
Operating out of an interior design storefront on main street Van Buren, sisters and artisans Shannon Gross and Tracy Burba create “up-cycled and repurposed” couture out of just about anything. Within their creative lair, they assemble pieces of this with bits of that, combining clothing in a way that produces something entirely fresh and new, yet wearable every day. Their line of jeans, jackets, tunics, dresses, novelty tees and fan wear is one part recycling, one part mad scientist and altogether fabulous.
While you’re there, accessorize your new threads with the attendant jewelry and other finishing touches Shannon and Tracy stock in-store, located smack dab in the middle of Van Buren’s historic district. And before you go, don’t forget to tip Mater, the store’s mascot hound, with an ear scratch or two.
GARY’S CUSTOM-MADE KNIVES
5801 Hwy 64 East
Pottsville, Arkansas
479.967.5049
garyscustommadeknives.com
Arkansas has a long, proud knife-making tradition; in fact, one of the (disputed) origins of the famed Bowie knife was by James Black of Washington in Hempstead County.
Black claimed to have made a knife for James Bowie, which prompted the local press to dub him the inventor of what was even then a knife that captured the public’s imagination. Incidentally, you can view Black’s actual article, Bowie No. 1, at the Historic Arkansas Museum in Little Rock.
The true provenance of the Bowie knife may be in question, but what’s not up for debate is Gary Goree’s hand in another legendary knife, this one immortalized in film. Gary got his start in the early 1970s working for the late Jimmy Lile, a renowned Arkansas knife smith. During his seventeen years there, he aad the opportunity to learn beside the master, an experience culminating with producing the famous mission knife sported by Sylvester Stallone in the Rambo movies.
Gary still cranks out his share of twelve-inch monsters, as well as many other knives of more practical dimensions. From his Pottsville shop, he crafts blades that give years of service to the sportsman in the field at a price that is more than reasonable.
A variety of blade and handle configurations are available and all his quality fixed-blade knives come with lifetime sharpening and a custom leather sheath.
CHATEAU AUX ARC WINERY
8045 Champagne Drive-Highway 186
Altus, Arkansas
479.468.4400chateauauxarc.com
About forty-five minutes east of Fort Smith sits Altus, the heart of Arkansas wine country. And smack in the middle of the rolling vineyards of this lovely spot sits Dragonfly Ranch, home to Chateau Aux Arc Winery.
Chateau Aux Arc (pronounced “Ozark”) offers a compelling backstory. Its founder, Audrey House, fell in love with the idea of wine and winemaking while attending the University of Oklahoma in Norman. She returned to Altus and promptly bought her first twenty acres, pitched a tent and planned what would become the winery and elegant tasting room to come.
That dream would slowly come to fruition and along the way, House became a vocal advocate for the industry. Her work to promote the Cynthiana grape – first discovered in Arkansas – resulted in the fruit being named the state grape. And oh yeah, there’s the award-winning wine she makes, too.
Truth be told, there are plenty of charming wineries up here – nearby Mount Bethel provides another tremendous experience – and quality wineries can be found outside of Altus altogether. But the first-timer would do well to make Chateau Aux Arc their introduction to this special spot in The Natural State.
SUBIACO ABBEY
405 N. Subiaco Avenue
Subiaco, Arkansas
479.934.1001
countrymonks.org
The Benedictine monks of Subiaco Abbey produce a variety of items to support themselves, guided as they are by the Rule of St. Benedict, which calls followers to a balanced life of work and prayer.
Just to see the church and other buildings, perched on a Logan County hilltop just outside Paris, Arkansas, is worth the trip. The abbey and its attendant monks provide a manicured, serene setting for the many handiworks that are produced here.
The most famous of the monks’ creations is the acclaimed Abbey Brittle peanut brittle, which is shipped to candy lovers across the globe. Also on display are many beautiful carvings and other woodworked items that come out of the wood shop. Monk Sauce, a habanero hot sauce that brings a little hellfire into any dish, is another signature; made from peppers the monks grow right on site. In recent years, younger monks have expanded the product line to include candles and soap. Check these out in the Coury House Gift Shop overlooking the lush valley below.
And before you go, wet your whistle with the abbey’s signature beverage. The monks recently began practicing the centuries-old monastic tradition of brewing beer, launching Country Monks Brewing in 2018.
