Artists showcase work at Wade Creek House

Co-op marks one-year anniversary with free bouquets for visitors

By Vanessa Van Voorhis

The Estacada News, Sep 24, 2008, Updated Oct 30, 2009

Vanessa Van Voorhis / Estacada News

Estacada resident Becky McFarland opened the Wade Creek House artist co-op last year, established the garden, remodeled the house and attracted a talented pool of local artists to showcase their work. From Sept. 24 to Sept. 28, visitors may pick a free bouquet from the shop's coloful garden blooming with towering sunflowers at 664 N.W. Wade St.

ADVERTISEMENTS

Wade Creek House, a 14-member co-op of craftswomen and artisans, opened its doors one year ago this month, and the Estacada gift shop’s owner, Becky McFarland, has invited the community to come see how they have grown.

“A major highlight of our first year was in August, when we opened our new sun room,” McFarland said. “This added an additional 400-square-feet of needed space. That allowed us to invite new members to join, as we now have space to display more merchandise. Members will now be able to teach classes starting later this fall.”

From Sept. 24 to Sept. 28, visitors may pick a free bouquet from the shop’s colorful garden blooming with towering sunflowers. “We’ll have a donation jar and the proceeds will go to Wade Creek Park,” she said. Earlier this summer, McFarland presented the City of Estacada with a check for $1,500, the proceeds from the shop’s yard sale that benefited the new park.

“I guess it’s not like a typical shop, where you only have a storefront,” she said. “We have the capability to do so much with our one-acre property, and we want to pull the community together, get to know them and support the park. It’s about being part of the neighborhood and part of being in Estacada. Everybody wants to do best for their community.”

McFarland, a nurse who heads a unit at Mt. Hood Medical Center, and her husband Bill, who works for the U.S. Geological Survey at Portland State University, became part of the community seven years ago when they purchased a 7.5-acre property in Estacada.

Five years later, Bill saw the 1940s-era, 700-square-foot home for sale on Wade Street. It was in much need of care, and he decided it would be a fun remodeling project to take on as he neared retirement.

He began taking out interior walls, and he replaced the electrical system. He finished the wood floors and tore out the old kitchen. He added porches to the front and back, and built a back garden room. His son-in-law, Tim Carroll, created new concrete walks and patios. Within a year, the old house was transformed into a picturesque country cottage.

With the renovations completed, the McFarlands had to decide what to do with the property. Rather than rent it out to strangers, they decided to turn it into a co-op gift shop at the suggestion of nurses from her medical unit involved in creative projects.

Seven co-op members opened the gift shop on Sept. 14, 2007. “We started out with nurses, a nurse assistant, a graphic artist and one person with retail experience, thank goodness,” she said, “but we learn fast, and are still learning.”

1 | 2 Next Page >>