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Mystic Mud Studio owner Trudi Klinger outside her shop, where she creates pottery inspired by the Gorge’s natural beauty. //Photo by Alexandra Shyshkina |
MYSTIC MUD STUDIO
When ceramic artist Trudi Klinger, the owner of Mystic Mud Studio, came to Hood River for a vacation in 1990, she decided to stay. Klinger specializes in hand-painted greenware, and her creations are known for their vibrant patterns and fruit motifs inspired by the Hood River Valley. Her pieces range from an oblong compote with ribbon handles ($159) to a square serving plate ($79) to coffee mugs ($35 each) to an extra-large vase with three-dimensional cherries ($700). “One of the first things people do when they see the three-dimensional cherries is rub their hands along them,” she says.
Morgan Topolnicki browses at Apple Green while visiting Hood River from Colorado. //Photo by Alexandra Shyshkina |
APPLE GREEN
Apple Green has its roots in owner Dani Correa’s Hood River childhood. “It’s inspired by gardening and memories of spending time with my grandmother,” she says. “I love it when customers tell me the store also evokes memories for them.” The shop is filled with new and vintage finds. Salvaged tables and bookcases display decorating and gardening books and eye-catching items, such as a glass cloche transformed into a terrarium ($56), mercury glass candleholders ($25), bird-shaped nesting measuring cups ($42), Mason Cash mixing bowls (prices vary), and dishtowel fabric printed with apples and cherries ($8 per yard).
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Red Feather redefines design in the New American West. //Photo by Alexandra Shyshkina |
WESTERN WARE
Red Feather owner Linda Templeton describes the home furnishings and accessories store, which opened in 2003 in Hood River, as “organic rustic meets the New American West.” It’s full of artfully displayed items, many by Pacific Northwest craftspeople, such as bark-rimmed wood platters ($50 each), a live-edge reclaimed wood table with handcrafted iron legs (price available upon request), tableware and whimsical accessories. The store also carries work by Gorge artists such as Cathleen Rehfeld, Eric Jacobsen and Bill Ernst and, unusual for a home store, stocks fashion-forward clothing, bags and accessories. Red Feather also provides interior design services.
AT HOME ON OAK STREET
Owner Meg Dueber stocks At Home on Oak Street with out-of-the ordinary accessories for your home or for gifts. Choices include hand-hooked outdoor rugs woven from recycled plastic that look and feel like cotton (prices vary), hand block-printed French tablecloths ($59), plush Pine Cone Hill bathrobes ($86) and a Bartolini wall clock with exposed movement ($112).