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Wednesday, September 20, 2017 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon
Wildflower Studio blooms in Sisters
By Katy Yoder
Correspondent
After a tough retail season,
business owners in Sisters
have taken a significant hit.
To succeed in such an envi-
ronment takes business savvy,
a great product and a proven
track record.
For Chris Nelson and
Wendy Rickards, the seed
of their idea was to create a
studio where they could both
make art and sell it directly to
their customers.
“We didn’t want to be a
gallery,” explained Nelson,
“we’re a workspace studio.”
Their new business,
“Wildflower Studio,” is a
place for them to produce
work for their shop as well
as other venues. They love
the chance to sell their work
while they’re producing new
things. Seeing people’s reac-
tions helps them be more
creative. That interaction
fuels new ideas that reflect
what they hear from their
customers.
Chris is known for her
paintings of landscapes, song-
birds and flowers. She loves
the blur of impressionistic
art blended with her eye for
detail and color.
Her career in the arts
didn’t start as a painter. Chris
is well known for her mastery
as a framer. With 27 years of
experience framing art, she
knew her business endeavor
had to include that passion,
too. Opening the new busi-
ness has brought back a sense
of fun and creativity when
she’s framing. She’s excited
about what her customers
bring in and the joy of work-
ing toward the perfect frame
for a beloved artwork.
A recent empty-nester, the
roles have reversed for Chris.
“Now the kids are support-
ing me in my new endeavor as
a business owner,” she said.
Wendy is a three-dimen-
sional artist. Her jewelry
offers a fresh and unique
look for her customers. She
also loves working on bigger
projects. When you visit the
studio, check out the tables in
the shop. She built them, and
plans on making more metal
art in many forms.
Along with being a framer,
Wendy has another job that
gets her up before sunrise
and hard at work for 12 to 16
hours a day.
“Two or three days per
week, I drive a log truck,” she
said. “I don’t have kids but I
do have three Peterbilts!”
Wendy has been driving
trucks for as long as Chris
has been framing. It’s tough
physical work and she’d like
to begin the transition into
more metal work and less
hours behind the wheel. For
both women this new busi-
ness allows them to finally be
who they have wanted to be
from the beginning. Instead
of working all day for some-
one else, they will be able to
make art during the day and
spend time with their custom-
ers, too.
The studio will feature
PHOTO BY KATY YODER
Chris Nelson and Wendy Rickards have launched Wildflower Studio — an
artists’ workspace in Sisters.
other Sisters artists as well.
Their plan is to be a boutique
versus a gallery.
“There’s so many multi-
faceted artist in Sisters, we
want to support them,” said
Nelson. “We’re not a huge
space but we will be varied in
what we feature.”
Framing will be a big part
of what the Wildflower Studio
offers.
“Sisters is growing,” said
Rickards, “and we think
there’s room for us. We hope
to connect with people who
want someone with design
expertise and years of fram-
ing experience.”
Leaving their former
employer was bittersweet.
“They’ve been nothing
but supportive,” said Wendy,
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who is Dan Rickards’ sis-
ter. Clearwater Gallery has
been a wonderful place to
work, but these two ladies
are ready to flourish in a
garden of their own making.
To reach Wildflower Studio
email them at wildflower
studiollc@gmail.com or call
541-904-0673.
Community volunteers
are invited to turn out on
Saturday, September 23, at
10 a.m. to start shaping and
creating lines and building
features for the mountain
bike skills area at Bike Park
242.
The bike park located
near Sisters High School and
Sisters Park & Recreation
District will include moun-
tain bike skills features for all
skill levels.
Workers will also be
marking the jump lines,
roll-in and up-ramp with
stakes to prepare for dirt
delivery from Robinson &
Owen Heavy Construction,
Inc. Refreshments will be
provided.
Volunteers are invited
to bring the whole fam-
ily — Bike Park 242 is for
everyone.
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