Spark Collaborative Studios is excited to announce the third and final spotlight in our Summer Spotlight Series on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, from 5-7 p.m. This month, Spark is spotlighting it’s four fiber artists.

First up, we have Harney County resident, Lucille Barnes, a lifelong crochet artist. Her mother and grandmother crocheted as well. When she was only seven years old, Lucille asked her mother to teach her to crochet. Her mother agreed with the condition that Lucille crochet a chain long enough to go around the whole house in order to earn the privilege. Little Lucille was up to the challenge, and that chain eventually became a rug. Now, Lucille’s daughter, Tammy, is continuing the family tradition. 

Lucille loves to donate her work. Some of the recipients of Lucille’s cozy lap robes include residents of the Aspens and Harney Hope. Lucille has a variety of items available at Spark such as baby bonnets, hats, hand warmers, dishcloths, aprons, dish towels and even football keychains. Come down to Spark to see if she has your team’s colors.

Jane Parks is another lifelong fiber artist who moved to Burns with her husband, Randy in 1989. Jane learned to knit in 7th grade. She was taught by the nuns when she attended Catholic school in Longview, Wash. 

Jane is retired now and enjoys traveling and working on her adorable crocheted animals and felted pouches and bowls. She recently added needle felted vases, some of which depict beautiful landscape scenes. Spark is very happy to offer Jane’s beautiful work, including seasonal items and custom work. Jane would love to create a crocheted replica of your pet.

Next, we have Debbie Mederios, who is an Idaho transplant. She moved to Burns almost six years ago, and not knowing anyone, she decided to take up macrame, something Debbie learned from her mother as a teenager back in the 1970s. Debbie also decided at this time, to finish her bachelors degree and graduated with honors from Boise State University last December with a degree in Interdisciplinary Professional Studies with emphasis in business and child development.

With her degree under her belt, Debbie turned her attention to Spark and volunteered to be its store manager. Debbie would love to see you come on down to Spark and see her macrame wall hangings, beaded plant hangers, and other macrame miscellany. She also offers witch bells, jewelry, embroidered greeting cards and painted pots.

Last, but definitely not least, we have Marilyn Wilber, a Harney County native, whom Spark recently welcomed back after a year-long hiatus. You can find her work under the name Lupine Lagomorph, which is the most recent incarnation of Marilyn’s lifetime of creative endeavors. The name comes from her favorite Oregon High Desert flower, and the scientific name of the Jackrabbit that she calls her Spirit Animal. 

Marilyn has been creating beautiful things since she first learned to knit at eight years old. Her mother, grandmothers, and local women in her life taught her knitting, sewing, leathercrafting, home economics, and other life skills necessary for self-sufficiency in a rural setting. 

Her father, grandfather, uncles and family friends taught her more industrial skills such as wood and metal work, mechanics and horsemanship, animal husbandry, operating farm equipment, and doing everything with a solid work ethic.

From knitting and sewing to beadwork and basketmaking, Marilyn has tried every skill that keeps her mind and hands busy. Print on Demand (POD) is the most recent playground where Marilyn is keeping up with technology, learning the ins and outs of AI art, digital painting, and online sales.

Marilyn currently has a space in Spark where you can find her POD items as well as her handmade goods. She owns and operates a small farm on the edge of town where she and her partner are establishing their retirement income with beekeeping, field flowers, market vegetables and fruit trees. A portion of all of Marlyn’s sales goes to Veterans Suicide Awareness and Prevention entities.

Our fiber artists, as well as some of our other Spark artists, are all looking forward to meeting you on Saturday, Sept. 21.