KHEM Studios
Woodworking
Stanford
Husband-and-wife team Erik Guzman and Kari Lorenson left Brooklyn for northern Dutchess with one goal in mind: Forge a creative path by opening a small business (while simultaneously raising a family). Their dream has taken shape in KHEM Studios (an acronym that includes their initials), a sustainable brand that fashions American hardwood into contemporary and functional pieces. Sought out for their sleek cutting/ serving boards, the duo also crafts minimalist furniture like benches, side and coffee tables, and dining chairs. “It’s the two of us wearing many hats on this journey to evolve our brand, further our collections, and make our distinct voice,” says Lorenson.
Fave Product: “It’s a tough choice between the milk stools and the hand-woven Danish corded bench.” Be on the lookout for a new release: a quilted bean bag lounger in an array of colors.
Best Seller: Cutting boards—from reversible ones with juice grooves to butcher blocks and ebonized ash round boards. “They bring both function in the kitchen and beauty to the table. The quality of the kiln-dried hardwoods and finish to the boards take the cutting board to a level of quality people appreciate.”
Fall Pick: If you’re planning on hosting this season or consider yourself a charcuterie snob, KHEM recommends a statement board like the Mega Monster (a 48-inch continuous serving surface) or the Whale Bone board in cherry, walnut, or maple.
Why Do You Love the HV?
“There are a lot of creatives and many other people who appreciate not only art and design but well-made contemporary work.”
K/LLER Collection
Jewelry
Kingston
If you ask Katie deGuzman what inspires her jewelry, she’d say “flora and fauna, beauty and textures in nature, and the lines and forms of architecture.” She combines her years of experience (a BFA at Parsons School of Design; a semester at Glasgow School of Art’s silversmithing and jewelry department; a decade working with NYC jewelers) with the theme of juxtaposition. K/LLER’s collection of necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and rings highlights “metal work with natural materials, androgyny and femininity, sophistication and bohemia, and my signature black and gold,” explains deGuzman. Perhaps your next statement piece is among the raw crystal points with brass pendant caps, porcupine quills topped with sterling silver, and leather lariats with spikes of fringe brass.
Fave Product: deGuzman loves big, but lightweight earrings, especially her Atoll hoops. “They are cast from decades-old jeweler’s bench pins that had the most beautiful texture born from years and years of hand-making jewelry.”
Best Seller: The Double Quill pendant necklace, which features both real porcupine and hand-cast brass quills; deGuzman considers it the backbone of K/LLER Collection. (Fun fact: Lucy Liu wore it in promo photos for TV’s Elementary.)
Fall Pick: Grab a layering piece like the convertible toggle chain: It’s four necklaces in one and inspired by vintage pocket watch chains.
Give Us A Restaurant Rec!
“It’s a toss-up between Chleo in Kingston and Harana Market in Accord—you haven’t lived until you’ve had Chef Chris’ halo-halo.”
Bow Glassworks
Glassblowing
East Chatham
Two decades ago, abstract painter Pierre Bowring walked into a glass studio at Virginia Commonwealth University—and was instantly hooked. He took his tried-and-true brushes and canvas and traded them for pipes, shears, and hot days by the furnace. Today, Bowring is known for blown-glass drinkware with vibrant pops of color. “I find myself making functional art with my glass. Sometimes I like to think I’m painting with glass color on simple, elegant forms,” he says. Bowring’s background in abstract design shines in his Wild glasses line, in which sturdy cups gleam in hues of pink, orange, green, and blue, with swirling cane ribbons.
Fave Product: Heavy-bottomed Speak EZ glasses; they’re fused with an array of colors and textured for a solid grip.
Best Seller: Tutti frutti glasses—styles include high ball, straight or wavy stems), plus pitchers and decanters. Each piece is one of a kind, due to how colors heat up when blown.
Fall Pick: Splash cups are perfect for “sitting on the back porch and enjoying some wine.”
What Inspires You?
“Abstract paintings and the way colors talk to each other.”
LAIL Design
Ceramics
Catskill
After living in Brooklyn for three years, Brad Lail had a vision of being a “potter in the woods.” He set out for Woodstock in 2015 and built a hand-thrown stoneware shop—complete with a gas kiln and the rural but progressive culture he sought. Almost a decade later, Lail crafts minimal speckled kitchenware for home cooks, as well as restaurant and coffee shop clients. His collection includes ramen bowls, citrus juicers, berry bowls, and olive oil cruets—all in calming colors of the rainbow. “People in the Hudson Valley appreciate food—growing it, eating it, celebrating it—and that’s really what my work is about. This appreciation makes selling handmade work possible. It’s more expensive to buy the kind of pottery I make, but people here realize its value,” says Lail.
Fave Product: Throwing pitchers and teapots. Lail’s teapots make two to four cups and feature raw clay, poured glaze, and ergonomic handles.
Best Seller: The 8-inch pasta bowl. “It’s super versatile—it’s a plate and a bowl.” Nine different glazes include rhubarb, canyon, and lichen.
Fall Pick: Mugs. Go for the matte-glazed 12- or 16-ounce mugs or find a drink-specific (latte, cappuccino, flat white, espresso) piece if you’re a devout coffee lover.
Fun Fact?
“I’m a washboard player and a dancer. I love going to shows at Chaseholm Farm in Pine Plains—they do such a great job with their outdoor venue, stage, and programming.”
Cambium Lost Arts
Basketry
Round Top
After making the move from Hawaii to the Hudson Valley during the pandemic, Amy Krone was on the hunt for a creative outlet more tactile than her graphic design job. One day she came across the book, Baskets and Basketmakers in Southern Appalachia, while browsing the shelves at Our Bookshop in Saugerties—and the rest was history. “I took that book with me into the woods and went line by line as I learned how to harvest a white oak tree and break it down into a basket,” she explains. Appalachian white oak basketry—a “dying art” with only a few makers left in the world, she says—is laborious, with Krone spending hours harvesting, separating hardwood, cutting weavers, and crafting the basket. The end result is gorgeous and intricate, as seen in her crescent-shaped baskets and woven handbags.
Fave Product: White oak baskets. “They are a pure expression of my values. I utilize sustainable and ethically harvested materials to help revive an astounding human innovation, creating something unique and beautiful along the way.”
Best Seller: Reed basketry kits, which can turn anyone into an artist. “It’s such a delightful way to cozy up and make something fun; a great way to dip your toes in the water of basket making.”
Fall Pick: Embrace autumnal vibes by taking a workshop with Krone (check the website for offerings) and learn how to create a basket or harvest white oak in your own backyard.
Give Us A Makers’ Market Rec!
“Basilica Farm & Flea in Hudson. It’s such a well-curated show of truly independent makers—a very rare breed of craft festival these days.”
Rocky Hill Forge
Blacksmith
Ghent
Most 13-year-olds turn to video games, sports, or homework after school. But German-born Spijk Selby picked up blacksmithing—he sharpened knives and fused metals in real life, as opposed to in a fantasy world a video game maker might create. “Before I was a blacksmith, I was cooking at home with my family. I found that there were aspects of commercially available products that were lacking. I wanted to build a company that made sustainability as important as functionality or beauty,” says Selby. After bouncing around his native country and the United States, he ultimately ended up in Ghent with a roaring coal forge and a hand hammer. Four years later, Rocky Hill Forge continues to specialize in traditional metalworking methods—meaning minimal use of power tools—to make sleek and super-sharp carbon steel knives and steel bowls for home cooks.
Fave Product: High-carbon-steel chef’s knives. “They are lightweight, balanced, and versatile.” (Non-stick hand-raised copper pans with a hand-wiped tin lining are also a fan favorite.)
Best Seller: Knives are Rocky Hill’s crème de la crème, ranging from chef and cleaver to paring and petty. (Pro tip: Don’t miss the knife care kit with handle balm and tsubaki oil.)
Fall Pick: Stainless-steel finger bowls for storing herbs and spices. Each is unique, with varying colors that come from being pounded into shape over a heat source.
Why is the HV A Great Place For Your Trade?
“The community has a real interest in supporting local makers and people who are trying to bring back traditional crafts.”
Courtney Salerno
Fiber Arts
Blooming Grove
@madeby_cjk or find her on Etsy
An elementary school teacher by day, Courtney Salerno began weaving for fun—before discovering a real knack for it. Her portfolio spans textured wall hangings (ranging in neutral tones to colors of the rainbow) to chic shawls and pillows. You can find her pieces online or at Shokan’s Studio Hinterland, a new modern lifestyle brand that features collections from women makers and artists. Salerno also hosts loom workshops throughout the HV—maybe you’ll discover a hidden talent for it too.
Fave Product: “My wall hangings—each one is totally unique. They can be a statement piece or add a pop of color to a gallery wall.” Many are hung from driftwood and feature various types of yarn and color patterns.
Best Seller: Mug rugs, best described as a personal coaster blanket for your morning coffee or afternoon tea.
Fall Pick: Any of the mid-sized wall hangings that have autumnal color schemes. (Salerno also makes a Christmas tree weaving that’s a popular holiday score.)
Any Cultural Hotspots You Love?
Woodstock Artists Association & Museum and ArtPort in Kingston.
Treadwell
Skincare
Hudson
In late 2023, sisters Emily and Claire Loughran found a calling to formulate clean, botanical self-care products. They decided to bid farewell to Brooklyn and move back upstate to be “surrounded by our family support system and everything we stand for.” Family is at the core of the biz: Treadwell was named after Kingston’s Everett & Treadwell Building, a property that has been in the Loughran family for three generations. In addition, “Tread” and “well” embody their ethos of “moving forward and evolving holistically.” In their Hudson studio, the sisters tinker with natural oils—from jojoba and castor to eucalyptus and vetiver—to make hydrating and refreshing serums, cleansers, and moisturizers. “We’re here to have a larger conversation about trusting what goes on your body. Things don’t need to be complex to be good.”
Fave Product: The skincare set which is complete with an all-natural cleansing oil and face serum.
Best Seller: Body oil and face serum containing nutrient-dense ingredients (like sweet almond oil and vitamin E) to boost and refresh the skin.
Fall Pick: “Our fragrance, Nostalgia. It’s a blend of woodsy and piney notes that captures the feeling of being deep in the woods on a crisp fall day. It’s grounding and calming without being too overpowering.”
When You’re Not Working, Where Can We Find You?
“Outside taking a hike, swimming in a creek, and exploring all the new happenings in the HV.”
Mark(et) Your Calendars
We’ve compiled all of the HV’s makers and crafts markets to keep you busy year-round.
September
8/31–9/2: Woodstock–New Paltz Art & Crafts Fair, New Paltz
8/31–9/1: Stormville Flea Market, Stormville
9/1: Red Owl Flea, Kingston
Sundays in September and October: Harvest Festival, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
9/6–8: Country Folk Show & Artisan Market at Hudson Valley Community College, Troy
9/7–8: Modern Makers Market by Hops on the Hudson, Cold Spring
9/14–15: Fall Harvest Craft Fair at Shaker Heritage Society, Albany
9/28–29: Garrison Craft, Garrison Arts Center
October
Tuesdays through Sundays, October–December: Shaker Holiday Market, Albany
10/5: Stockade Faire, Kingston
10/5–6: Handcrafted Octoberfest, Rhinebeck
10/5–6: Modern Makers Market by Hops on the Hudson, Cold Spring
10/6: Red Owl Flea, Kingston
10/11–13: Field + Supply Fall MRKT, Kingston
10/12–13: Stormville Flea Market, Stormville
10/19–20: Sheep & Wool Festival, Rhinebeck
10/19–20: Artists and Makers Fair at WAAM, Woodstock
10/26–27: Walktoberfest, Poughkeepsie
November
Weekends November–December: Holiday Market at Twin Star Orchards, New Paltz
11/2: Stormville Flea Market, Stormville
11/9–10: Modern Makers Market by Hops on the Hudson, Cold Spring
11/23–24: Hudson Valley Hullabaloo, Kingston
11/29–12/1: HV Art Market at Locust Grove, Poughkeepsie
11/29–12/1: Makers Market at Lyndhurst Mansion, Tarrytown
11/29–12/1: Holiday Market, Bethel Woods Center for the Arts
11/30–12/1: Holiday Craft Fair, Poughkeepsie
11/30-12/1: Field + Supply Holiday Pop-Up, Kingston
*Keep an eye out for these planned events, dates TBD.
December
Craft Feast at Stissing House, Pine Plains
Winter Makers Market at Finding Home Farms, Middletown
The Farmhouse Project Holiday Makers Market, Kingston
May
The Farmhouse Project Makers Market, Callicoon
Hudson Valley Maker Faire at Garner Arts, Garnerville
Spring Artists & Makers Market at ArtPort, Kingston
Mayfest, Poughkeepsie
Field + Supply Spring MRKT, Kingston
Woodstock–New Paltz Art & Crafts Fair, New Paltz
June
Modern Makers Market by Hops on the Hudson, Cold Spring
Fine Day Fair, South Salem
Red Owl Flea, Kingston
July
Basilica Farm & Flea, Hudson
Modern Makers Market by Hops on the Hudson,Cold Spring
Red Owl Flea, Kingston
Oh-Boy Market & Fare, Andes
Makers Market at Hinterland Studio, Shokan
Stormville Flea Market, Stormville
August
Modern Makers Market by Hops on the Hudson, Cold Spring
Red Owl Flea, Kingston
Related: Pink Clementine Is a Curated Consignment Space in Kerhonkson
