Who We Are

Annake's Garden is ... a collection of artisans; a business; a place; a metaphor; a philosophy of art, life, and surviving in tough times. 

Annake's Garden is the collaborative effort of several artisans living in a tiny town at the base of the world's largest flat-topped mountain.  After several years of doing area craft fairs, we decided to go where none of us had gone before:  e-commerce...scary.


We work in wood, paint, natural stone, yarns, ceramics, glass, and fibers. We prefer to concentrate on handmade, one-of-a-kind items; indeed, we hope that some of our creations will be handed down as heirlooms. We want to tell the world that there are people like us still hand-making beautiful and useful art and craft creations at prices competitive with those mass-produced, machine-made ones.



Resilience is characteristic of our group of artisans. None of us are young:  we range from middle-aged to nearly eighty years of age. Recent years have not been kind.  About half of us have faced the adjustment to retirement from long careers. A couple of us have been widowed; others have faced serious illnesses or injuries, or are caretakers for ones who have done so. Economic woes have cost jobs, lost savings, and relationships. Still, we are a hardy, resilient group.  One thing that has supported us through hardships is the love we have for, and the pride we take in, the work of our hands.


We subscribe to both “Buy American” and “Make Locally – Sell Globally”.

We support recycling, both as a lifestyle choice and as an integral part of the creative process. Many of us grew up hearing: “Use it up, wear it out; make it do, or do without!”

We want to emphasize the role Nature plays in inspiring us and to foster the use of natural materials wherever possible in our work.



We are very serious about keeping this a collective effort: we believe that there is strength in numbers, and that by using our various skills and talents and by sharing ideas, materials, and expenses we can do more as a group than individually.

Perhaps our most important tenet is our desire to promote and preserve art forms, methods, and techniques, many of which, sadly, appear to be disappearing.  (Retired teachers don't stop teaching, they just change venues.) We are not young; we would like to inspire, instruct, and assist younger people to take up the pursuits which we must ultimately leave behind. We do not want these endeavors to fade away: they are a part of our legacy.

Finally –  yes, Annake's Garden is also a real, actual garden: plants, critters and all. The Garden provides the inspiration for many of the items we sell (and is a major beneficiary of the funds they generate!) So, when someone buys our wares, they are also getting the fruit of the Garden; it is our way to share the peace and beauty it brings us.

Orange Lilies and Gloryflowers in Annake's Garden