Meet the Artist at the Saluda Art Stroll

If you think you don’t like salad, you probably haven’t eaten one out of Mark Gardner’s salad bowls. “When making these, I start with a whole log and cut out slabs with a chainsaw,” the Saluda woodworker writes on his website. “These are cut into large disks on a bandsaw before mounting on the lathe to be rough-turned to [a] bowl shape. These ‘roughed out’ bowls are dried in a kiln for a couple [of] months … and then remounted on the lathe for final turning and sanding.” The process is meticulous and time-consuming, but the final product makes a simple bowl of greens seem so much more special. Gardner will offer more insight into the value of handmade tableware on Saturday, Sept. 14, during a meet-the-artist event at Heartwood Gallery. The following month, Heartwood will welcome Saluda fiber artist Lori Loftus to East Main Street for a discussion of her eco-dyed silk scarves and tapestries. Both gatherings coincide with the Saluda Art Stroll, a festive fête in which galleries and artists associated with the Saluda Art Alliance host receptions, demonstrations, and other creative happenings.