Crafter shows nature in art, sustainability in life

Fall Festival is a treat for the senses. It's the feel of crisp autumn air, the sound of wind chimes, the smell of frying elephant ears and the taste of kettle corn. It's an event that Laura Crawford, 29, remembers fondly from her childhood - and it's one that she's anticipating again.

Crawford grew up in Corvallis, but she left in 1997 to attend college. For the last seven years, she's been living in Long Beach, Calif., where she works for the nonprofit Heifer International. Since 2003, she's also been creating and selling jewelry. Crawford's work was accepted through the Corvallis Fall Festival's jury process, and for the first time, she's coming to Corvallis to be a part of Fall Festival as a crafter.

"I'm excited to come back to town and have a chance to visit and be a part of the festival I grew up with," she said.

Originally, Crawford made beaded jewelry, but she soon became bored with the process.

"I got burned out on the simplicity," she said. So she took a few metalworking courses and began making sterling silver jewelry, incorporating natural materials such as dried flowers and leaves into her work.

She sees her newer pieces as a fusion of California's industrial landscape and the natural beauty of Oregon, representing both aspects of her life. In addition to sterling, her work also features copper, rice paper, seeds and twigs, beads, and other unexpected elements, such as pieces of a Spanish map, or a Peruvian good luck seed.

On Crawford's Web site, www.tangerinetreehouse.com, she describes her approach to jewelry making as one in which each element, whether it is a precious metal or a leaf, is considered equally important.

"By bringing these elements into my jewelry," she writes, "I can introduce nature into our daily lives in a very accessible way."

Crawford is mindful of her impact on the natural world in the way she lives her life. She's sold her car and commutes to work on her bicycle. She avoids air travel when she can. To get to Fall Festival, she's shipped her display pieces ahead and loaded her bike with all of her jewelry.

"The nice thing about jewelry is, it packs really small," she said.

She and her bike boarded Amtrak and rode to Albany, where she arrived Wednesday afternoon. She then rode to Corvallis, where she was staying with her mother, and spent Thursday riding around town gathering the other things she'll need to prepare for Fall Festival, from cabinets to a tent. Using local suppliers for her booth - which will be located on the west end of the park, north of the gazebo - is another way she combines her art and values.

"I feel like I need to be doing whatever it is I can to live more sustainably," Crawford said. Plus she really enjoys riding her bike.

"I feel so much more connected with the community," when riding down the street, she said. "You're not just passing through. You're breathing the fresh air and feeling the sun on your face."

At a glance

WHAT: The 36th annual Corvallis Fall Festival

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday in Central Park.

HIGHLIGHT: The Saturday Night Street Dance takes place from 6 to 10 p.m.