Operated by local artists and craftsman, three new stores are now open at the historic location of the Gouderman homestead just before the north bank of the Kenai River Bridge in Soldotna. Most visible by the new field of huge red capped artificial Amanita mushrooms. “The Artzy Market” is now home of Susanna Evin’s Mt. Momma Originals, Artzy Junk featuring Designs by Sioux and Lori Sisson’s Prince of Peace works and offering mouthwatering cuisine art is Willow King’s “Where It’s At” food bus. “These are local women who got together to showcase their art, men are included but we got it started,” explained Evins. “I custom make clothing, Willow’s art is cooking and it’s so amazing with a different menu every day, and Design by Sioux refurbishes furniture in addition to offering her unique t-shirt and logo designs. We have so much local talent here and now we have a showcase for it that is reminiscent of the return to handcrafted works of the sixties,” she said. “Half the fun of eating together is sharing stories and we are encourage a lot of that at the Market where you can have a cup of homebrewed tea or coffee with our daily food art special,” said King, daughter of renowned fisherman poet Rich King.

At the grand opening of the Artzy Market last week Rachel Jean Sullivan of “Hibernation Textiles” demonstrated how she hand spins wearable art in Cooper Landing from her six Angora Rabbits. “I raise them in Cooper Landing and a couple times a year I brush their hair as they shed for the season and it comes off in big clumps. It’s not painful for the bunnies and is the softest fiber I have come across and is four times warmer than sheep’s wool. My bunnies are loved and well cared for, each have a name and pet status with my kids, who spoil them and take them out to play every day,” Sullivan told the Dispatch. Her bunny hats are for sale inside Mt. Momma’s originals and each hat has a photo of the bunny and its’ name who provided its fur for warmth and fashion of humans.

Lori Sisson teamed up with Designs by Sioux to showcase her change of life art, “Prince of Peace is inspiration sealed with a kiss,” says Sisson, “I’ve jumped off the cliff of corporate support and into my art. I’m excited to do custom orders of wood grinding where you can get anything from fish to flowers,” she said.

You can visit the Artzy Market Monday –Saturday 10:00am – 6:00pm all year long, just look for giant Amanita mushrooms not growing near the Soldotna Bridge.