Featured in The Ravalli Republic, December 3, 2009
by Will Moss
When a downturn in the economy started affecting Jeff Skelton’s wholesale custom furniture business, he knew that he’d have to do something different.
But for the wood and metalworker who has been turning rocks and logs into fine works of functional art since his grandfather got him started at the age of six, that change didn’t mean moving on to some other profession.
It meant following a dream.
“It was kind of a long-term dream; something that we’d wanted to do,” said Skelton, a Hamilton native who opened Aspen Cove Creations in Darby with his wife, Lori, last June.
Since then, Skelton said, the couple has found both success in their business and a new, welcoming community of friends and artists to share their passions with.
“The best part of this is the people,” he said. “From locals to people who just come up to their summer cabin …. We have met so many people down here that are just spectacular.”
Located just east of U.S. Highway 93 at Darby’s north end, Aspen Cove started as a gallery and sales floor for Skelton’s furniture and little else.
“Originally, it was just going to be myself and a friend of mine,” he said, “but we had craftsmen come out of the woodwork.”
Now, the tall, red-roofed building is literally brimming with handcrafted goods, furniture and artwork, all from valley artisans.
“We’re real sticklers on quality … if a piece comes in here it has to be extremely good craftsmanship,” Skelton said, “but we have 21 people who display their things in here now. We went from just strictly furniture to antiques, art, jewelry and clothing.”
Skelton’s own creations range from handsome and sturdy wooden chairs to painstakingly crafted tables of rock and wood.
“I hate the physical work, but I love what comes out of it,” he said, with a laugh. “I just like to be able to take something – like this table here with Three Rivers stone from Challis and legs made from dead standing Aspen that we harvested – and go from rocks and logs to a piece like that. I love it. It takes a lot of time, but it’s enjoyable.”
Skelton works in a shop attached to the store, which still contains tools owned by his grandfather, such as a drill press, a shaper and some old bar clamps, and enjoys bringing to life people’s custom orders.
“[They] have a specific-sized table or dresser or hutch that they want, or they have their own design in mind … that’s my favorite thing to do, custom pieces for people, especially when they’ll let me stick some of my own design ideas into it.”
Other artisans featured in the gallery include Richard Lauran Sample, who creates rich, natively-stylized fresco oils.
“Richard’s got a heck of a background,” Skelton said. “He originally lived in Beverly Hills and did art there. He’s done things for Vincent Price, Charlton Heston, the Beach Boys … We have a whole list of people that he’s painted for and galleries that he’s showed in. So, we’re pretty fortunate to have his stuff in here.”
They also feature the wildlife paintings of Jason Basnaw.
“Jason does unbelievable work,” he said.
But as much as the Skeltons enjoy creating and selling the works on display, they insist that it is secondary to the community that they’ve become a part of.
“We don’t really push sales here hard at all. We just sort of visit and enjoy the people,” he said.
On the last Friday of each month, the Skeltons host a get together with friends, family and customers at the shop.
Sometimes, Skelton said, it’s just five or six people, playing guitars and chatting, but sometimes it’s more. Like the time last summer when, after a notably good month, the couple hired R & R Conner Aviation to come down and provide helicopter rides to guests.
“We had 60 or 70 people that night,” he laughed.
This Saturday, from 9 a.m.-7 p.m., Aspen Cove Creations will have a storewide sale with all items marked down by 10 to 40 percent.
The sale includes door prizes, hors d’oeuvres and, of course, the opportunity to hang out with old and new friends.
“Just kind of hang out and visit with people. I mean, that’s kind of what we do,” Skelton said.
Aspen Cove Creations is located at 3306 DVN Lane, off of U.S. Highway 93, in north Darby.