Two longtime island artists open shops on Old South Wharf

PHOTO BY ROB BENCHLEY Karin Sheppard Nearly three decades ago Karin Sheppard learned to weave from master weaver Andy Oates who used to own Nantucket Looms with his partner Bill Euler. She stayed at the Looms for 20 years, then nine years ago opened her own studio called Island Weaves in her home on Hooper Farm Road.

Sheppard's exquisite blankets and wraps in rich, muted colors of the softest yarn sold well and steadily, with her customer base growing after more exposure selling her goods at Sustainable Nantucket's Farmers and Artisans Market. In part due to that added publicity and success, Sheppard "graduated" from the summer market this year and opened a branch of Island Weaves on Old South Wharf, complete with a loom so that she can be productive during the day and visitors can watch her ply her craft.

"This is the first time to see how it is downtown," Sheppard said excitedly last week as women strolling down the quiet shell lane could not resist touching some of her shawls displayed outside the front doorway.

"I've always felt I belonged down here on Old South Wharf. I never felt ready, but this was an opportunity that I heard about and I took the chance. It seems to be fine," she said. "It was kind of a scary, risky thing to try out, but you don't get anywhere if you don't try things out.

"I have a lot of regular customers and I do a lot of work for designers. We do custom colors that match people's interiors and I also design woven upholstery fabric. I feel really thankful that I'm doing work that is so pleasing to me. I don't take it for granted. This is what I always thought I'd love to have and I have it. I have everything I need — I have my spool rack and my winder and my loom."

Among the baby blankets and full size bed covers, wraps and woven scatter rugs, Sheppard is displaying for sale shawl clasps created by Anne Terry and still life and animal paintings by islander Stacy Fusaro. Most, but not all the woven goods are made by Sheppard, who also employs Zeldi Cahill and apprentice Kirsten Ward.

"I'm always teaching somebody," said Sheppard, who likens weaving to cooking. "I love that you have cones of yarn. It's like a chemistry thing and all of a sudden you have this piece that you can use or wear. It's magical.

"People on the wharf have been really nice to me. They are happy that I'm here and they have been nothing but helpful and welcoming."

Island Weaves is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. with occasional evening hours. Sheppard said she intends to be open through Columbus Day and possibly on fall weekends and for Christmas Stroll. I