26th annual winter bazaar comes to OSU

As the Ackers wandered through Oregon State University’s Holiday Marketplace, they realized their shopping bags contained mainly gifts for themselves.

Although they might not have crossed any names off their Christmas lists, the Albany family enjoyed combing through handmade scarves, jewelry, jams, sachets and toys at OSU’s 26th annual winter bazaar.

“We just came to look and found all kinds of fun little things,” said Christine Acker.

“We’re sort of getting some ornaments for our Christmas tree,” added her son, 9-year-old Scott.

Scott selected an angel with a trumpet, while his sister, Olivia, 6, chose a reindeer.

On Friday, the Memorial Union Ballroom was filled with the sights, sounds and smells of the season. Beth Rietveld, Women’s Center coordinator, played holiday songs on the piano as students, faculty and community members browsed regional artists’ wares.

The Ackers’ ornaments were created by Ken and Peggy Miller. The Scio couple’s business, Oregon HandCrafts, creates ornaments from cherry wood using a scroll saw.

The Millers have participated in OSU’s holiday marketplace since the mid-1980s.

“It’s close to home, the sales are always good and it’s a pleasant place to be,” Peggy Miller said.

In addition to their ornaments, Olivia and Scott selected small wooden spoons from Corvallis artisan Terron Dodd.

Christine Acker bought herself one of Tigard artist Victor Guschov’s Chinese watercolor reproductions.

“It just caught my eye. It looked really pretty,” Acker said.

Across the ballroom, OSU senior Gina Higley stopped at the April Showers Soaps booth, run by Corvallis residents April and Chaum Spehar, to get a jump-start on her Christmas shopping.

She bought six handmade soaps in scents such as peppermint and geranium grapefruit.

“It’s a great gift to have on hand and give to anyone,” said Higley, who’s majoring in health management and policy and agricultural business management.

For Diane Tressler, a junior speech communication major, winter markets are a tradition.

“Me, my grandma and my mom used to do holiday bazaars all the time. Now that I’m on my own, I thought I’d come here,” she said.

The Milwaukie native came looking for stocking stuffers for her parents.

She also bought a handmade journal for a friend who enjoys writing poetry, made by Cascade Locks artist Karen Saro Troeger of Touch the Sky Books and Papers.

Tressler came to the bazaar with Sarah Noyes, a junior majoring in psychology. This was Noyes’ third year shopping at the marketplace, and she was scouting for gift ideas for her parents.

“I always find something. This year I’m kind of liking wooden bowls,” Noyes said.

At a glance

Oregon State University’s 26th annual Holiday Marketplace continues today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the Memorial Union Ballroom, 2501 S.W. Jefferson Way.

In addition to the individual artisans, two local artist guilds are participating. The Craft Center Guild is displaying and selling ceramics, glass, fiber arts, jewelry and other crafts. The Willamette Ceramics Guild is displaying functional and decorative ceramics works.

Also, Handmade in Oregon lll, featuring 14 Willamette Ceramics Guild artists’ work, is on display through Dec. 8 in the Memorial Union Concourse Gallery.

For more information, call the OSU Craft Center at 737-2937.