A folksy Jane jaunt

[attach]999[/attach]They make things.

With the One of A Kind show hitting the city for 10 days, artisans across the land are revving up their handicraft engines in preparation for a busy holiday shopping event.

On a recent jaunt along Jane Street, I meet two such artisans.

Kevin Roach of Roach Tackle Ontario Folk Art is now in his shop full-time, after having been available for the better part of a decade on a by-appointment or by-chance basis while he raised his kids.

The change is good for anyone who loves locally made folk art — a rare thing in the city from my perspective.

Folk art as a rule has no rules. It’s whimsical and fun. Some call it juvenile, but I would take that in the most complimentary of terms when discussing Kevin’s creations. Hailing from a family of east coast folk artists, there’s artistic mojo in his blood for sure.

Kevin’s signature piece is his wood fish chair, $400, a fab n’ funny take on the ho-hum Muskoka chair. Its arms and back are shaped like a fish and it can be customized to your colour specs (the brighter the better).

If you cottage in Muskoka you’ll likely see these chairs dotted on decks there, along with a few fish coffee tables, $475 each.

The garbage picker in me digs that Kevin finds most of his materials — and inspiration — in the trash. A huge piece mounted on the wall called “The Adagio”, $1,500, features a boat made from a pump organ, trumpet valves — even part of a harpsichord.

The planes are a hoot. One is a jumble of faucets, a chair leg, and a couple shoehorns. These are popular gifts for pilots and can be custom done. I have it from Kevin there’s a hockey and a guitar version in the works.

Love the fish lamps, fish paintings, and the floor lamp fashioned from a retro vacuum cleaner. An old Dumont TV has been gutted and filled with — you guessed it — wooden fish (ok, whales).

The shop is now carrying holiday items by guest artisans, and while Kevin is at the One of A Kind show Nov. 26 to Dec. 6 (you can find him at booth T-08), the store will be open for biz.

355 Jane St., 416-766-2982 [url=http://www.roachtackle.com]roachtackle.com[/url]

Another tidbit: come February, Terry Hutchinson from Barnstorm Leathers will be moving his shop into the back of Kevin’s space.

For now he’s in his Jane Street storefront, but not for long as he’s off on a whirlwind of out-of-town artisan fairs that will be occupying him for the next month or so.

That means his shop will be closed for that time but don’t worry: you can find him at the One of A Kind until Dec. 6 in booth Q-10.

Terry’s been in biz for 30 years making mostly cowhide leather apparel and accessories (everything but gloves, shoes or saddles, he says) at sinfully low prices.

There are red ribbons all over the place, first place standings from various artisan shows. No wonder: Terry’s designs are simple yet sophisticated. I’m crushing on the cherry red Italian lambskin jacket, $520, that can be made in practically any colour.

Men come in for the down-filled leather jackets, $1200 each, and then their wives come in for theirs after fighting with hubby for his.

The specialty belts are fab – a brown croc is only $60. When I ask about croc bags (the fashionista in me can’t help it) I’m told they can be made for around $300. Screw the Hermes bag.

Plenty of holiday giftie items here. Fanny packs in an assortment of colours are $40 each. Rock n’ roll wrist cuffs are about $15-25.

There are also cell phone holders, change purses and cardholders.

Santa baby, if you bring me one of those sheepskin coats, $575 for the shorter and $800 for the longer (maybe both?), I’ll be a good girl for the entire year, I swear.

Think I’ll drop by the One of A Kind and pick up the uber distressed leather messenger bag, $143.

413 Jane St., 416-691-3032; moving to 355 Jane St. in the new year