Shopping

Shopping for the Spirit

A Wickford shop offers an inspired home for local artisans

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Wickford Village has long been known for its quaint, charming atmosphere. Just step onto Brown Street during any given season and you’ll instantly be swept away by its warmth and charm. As I strolled into the Village Faire overlooking the peaceful Wickford Harbor, I immediately sensed the vast depth of positive energy flowing throughout the store.

This unique storefront opened in the summer of 2012 and is home to a community cooperative of over 25 local artists and artisans offering pottery, antiques, jewelry, apparel and footwear, cards and prints, fine art and much more.

Though the entire store consists of less than 800 square feet, the space is openly vibrant and uncluttered. The first selections that caught my attention were the radiant sun catchers, handcrafted barrettes and picture frames made by Robin Johanson of Sea Star Glassworks. She makes each piece from sea glass she finds on lo cal beaches and they work beautifully with the shimmering bracelets and earrings designed by Jessica Shaffer of Blue Sea Jewels.

As I gazed at the keen presentations of sparkling jewelry and fresh home good finds that were displayed amongst the dusty teal washed walls and planked flooring, I was drawn to an amazing collection of hand-carved, hand-painted birds in a nature shadow box forum. The artist, Carol Schmedinghoff, a florist by trade, has created these one-of-a-kind displays that literally took my breath away. Diana Christie, one of the creative founders of Village Faire exudes the fire and passion that has been the strong foundation of this shop, “We consider the Village Faire a ‘face and a place’ for small creatives. Our strong focus on the arts and our community allow us to offer affordable prices and an incredible assortment of inventory because we share the space, expenses and shop coverage.”

This business incubator model has allowed artisans, many who have studios in The Mill at Shady Lea, to feed their muse and create their pieces without the pressure of being a single-owner retail shop. Christie and co-op member Lynn Krim, owner of the Shady Lea Mill, took their vision of having a store front venue in gorgeous Wickford to its current fruition where shoppers enjoy engaging with Village Faire members as they set up shop outside on the expansive store front deck and share their creative gifts and talents with the folks visiting Wickford Village. Expect to hear soulful music and experience hands-on demonstrations as well as have your kids partake in “make-it and take-it” children’s activities held during special times of the year.

The wares for sale are easy to browse because of how artfully organized each section of the shop is. I found some functional yet very cool pieces of pottery from Shady Lea Pottery Studios that will work in traditional or trendy home décor. Nearby I am wowed by one of the most intriguing art forms I’ve ever seen, Buddha Boards. These magical boards are based on the Zen concept of living in the moment. You simply paint on the surface with water and your creation comes to life. Cathy Marcotte from Space to Be, located in The Mill at Shady Lea, offers these, spiritual books and uplifting music CDs here as well.

Time stands still in one quiet corner of the store where I loved tinkering through Suzanne Christie’s 50 year’s worth of antique and vintage finds that are also very popular among the many male shoppers who have accompanied their playful wives. One draw that had the attention of many was a large basket of shiny stones adhered with an insightful message. If you like rocks, symbols and have an open mind, you will enjoy this interesting discovery shared by Litsong Lu from Taiwan – a perfect way to get some insight into the new year ahead.

As we welcome a brand new year, The Village Faire is a great place to spend some time shopping with good friends, or simply a place you can get lost in all by yourself. The relaxed, comfortable space will help you find some inspiration to liven up your post-holiday décor as well as decorate your spirit with.

The Village Faire, Wickford Village , local artisans, So Rhode Island,

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