Artisans at the Harbor, ArtsFalmouth’s weekly summer art market, takes place Thursday, July 30, from 11 AM to 4 PM on the Lin Whitehead stage at Falmouth Marine Park, 180 Scranton Avenue. Silver Beach performs acoustic pop-rock covers on July 30 from 1:30 to 3:30 PM.
In case of rain on Thursday, the market will be held on Friday, weather permitting. Artisans at the Harbor continues every week through August 27.
Artisan basket maker Jennifer Dole of Blue Scallop Studio is one of the artisan vendors who is at the art market every week throughout the summer. She weaves one-of-a-kind baskets of high-quality recycled cotton cord and rope, using neutral coastal colors and subtle textures evoking the ocean, sea glass, sand, seashells, hydrangeas, and more.
The baskets can be used as entryway catch-alls for keys, sunglasses, and small essentials; as nightstand jewelry holders for rings, bracelets, and watches; as bathroom storage for rolled washcloths, lotions and more, or in multiple other ways, including as decorative items.
Dole has only been making baskets for a year and a half, and selling them for about a year, initially on Etsy. Always interested in crafts, she was inspired to make baskets as a means of holding napkins and other household items.
Her three teenaged daughters encouraged her to make a business out of her craft, so she opened an Etsy shop about a year ago, selling mostly to people in coastal areas: Florida, California, and the Cape. Her father encouraged her to sell locally, in Falmouth, where she grew up. She heard about Artisans at the Harbor and found it was a perfect venue for her.
“It has exceeded my expectations,” she said. “People buy the baskets for themselves, for others, and to bring as a hostess gift.”
Customers love the baskets, complimenting them as “beautiful, useful, and unique,” and that they “capture the colors in my home.”
Another plus about being at the market is that she is always running into people she knows, people she grew up with in Falmouth, and she has enjoyed reconnecting.
Dole’s three daughters are an important part of Blue Scallop Studio. “They don’t make baskets, but they run the business side of things, and they are great with customers. This is how I get to spend time with them,” she said, smiling.
The baskets come in various sizes and in four styles: sea glass, hydrangea, oysters, and beach. It takes her about five hours to make a basket, but she endeavors to keep her prices reasonable. “I want people to use them,” she said. “That’s what brings me joy.”
As she writes on her Etsy website, “Like the scallop shell that symbolizes beauty and protection, each basket is crafted to hold, not only objects, but also stories—of home, tradition, and the timeless pull of the ocean.”
In addition to the baskets, Dole also sells stickers, postcards, and coasters. Her favorite postcard is a picture of a scallop shell and the words, “Shells make me happy.”
“I’m having the time of my life,” Dole said. “It is a joy to be here, in beautiful Falmouth, on the harbor, on such a gorgeous day, meeting new people and old friends, being with my daughters, and having a blast.”
Silver Beach is a lively acoustic duo featuring Chuck Williamson on guitar and Ashley Edwards on piano and vocals. The Falmouth-based performers are known for their engaging audience interaction and energetic performances of acoustic pop-rock covers spanning from the 1960s to today.
They encourage the audience to sing/clap/play tambourine and dance along! Attendees are encouraged to bring folding chairs or blankets to enjoy the concert, which is free and open to all.
For more information, visit artisansattheharbor.com or artsfalmouth.org.
Notes on The Arts 