Cranberry Basecamp

06/15/2026

We made our annual trip to Four Seasons to get the garden looking good at the Cranberry Basecamp. Stop by next time you are in town. ☺️

06/12/2026

You think you are tough, give this a go! 😉

Next Sunday June 21st 6AM on the longest daylight of the year and a perfectly kickoff to summer, a small group of cyclists embark on a mission. A worthy challenge (a real Doozy) to fully emerge in nature for a day and to cover all (most) of the trails in this small corner of WV's Monongahela Nation Forest. Camping options include Summit Lake CG, or 2 primitive shelter sites 7 & 10 miles away. Four Season Hotel is right on the Doozy route in Richwood. Rosewood Coffee will be open for our start. There is no registration, this is free, no awards or prizes, you are expected to know the course and how to self extract if it becomes painfully obvious.

We are planning a support vehicle like we've had the last couple years, so we need to know what to prepare for. If you have not let your intentions known already, please post or message.

We will have more details on the day forthcoming.

06/08/2026

Found the sweetest little mushrooms on a hike last week. 🤎

06/04/2026

This week, we are sharing images captured during the artist in residence studio tours that serve to cap the residency each year. Last but certainly not least from our 2026 residency is Charleston, WV- born actor, musician, & writer now living in NYC and performing with his band,

Jake performs his dreamy accoustic songs alongside highly emotive storytelling. Themes of Jake's work include nature, Appalachia, home sickness, spirituality & religion. During the studio tour, Jake played several songs and told many stories but the most impactful was "The Color Green," a love song for Appalachia.

Jake is currently recording his debut album. Keep an eye out for future tour dates. Go see him live if you have the chance, you won't be sorry.

Thanks again to Jake for sharing his work. Give him a follow and see what he is up to next!

06/03/2026

This week, we are sharing images captured during the artist in residence studio tours that serve to cap the residency each year. Next up from our 2026 residency is with her printmaking and pottery. Liz Urse is an Appalachian artist and professor of art from Fairmont, WV. 

Liz paints, collages, and works in reduction block printing, handmade books, & textiles. Her work centers on exploring memory, fleeting moments, and the natural environment of Appalachia.  Themes of Liz' work include memory, surroundings, nostalgia, & Appalachian resilience. During the studio tour, Liz shared a piece in progress inspired by the cup of stars referenced in Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House, a rumination on not settling. 

While some of Liz' work can be appreciated in photographs, you must see her reduction print work in person. Please keep an eye out for her at your local gallery. 

Thanks again to Liz for sharing her work. Give her a follow and see what she is up to next!

06/02/2026

This week, we are sharing images captured during the artist in residence studio tours that serve to cap the residency each year. First up from our 2026 residency is with her vibrant, rich acrylic and oil paintings. Mya Dempster is from Martinsburg, WV and just received a degree of fine arts from Shepherd University.

Mya's paintings are heavily saturated, colorful worlds. She works in small and large format painting. Themes of Mya's work include past, present, & future, the self, fear, & identity. During the studio tour, she shared a forest scene full of strong hidden bodies in the shadows highlighting a call to nature and how the body exists within it.

While some of Mya's work can be appreciated in photographs, you must see her vivid works in person to see the layers. Please keep an eye out for her at your local gallery.

Thanks again to Mya for sharing her work. Give her a follow and see what she is up to next!

05/27/2026

We will be sharing more about each of these lovely artists soon but for now, here is a picture of them on our hike along the New River.

Each year we wrap up the artist in residence with a hike somewhere nearby. The weather led us to the New River this year. We found so many interesting things including blue wild indigo flowers and shaggy mane mushrooms!

These folks are rad, you should give them a follow.