Local Artisans

RHONDA AND WENDELL CROW
GOAT CHEESE
Crow’s Dairy opened as a cow dairy in 1919. In the mid-2000s, Rhonda and Wendell Crow decided to sell the cows and embark on what they call a two-year “cheese vacation” to figure out what to do next. The result? Crow’s Dairy now makes nothing but goat cheese. Being a dairyman, Wendell knows the importance of quality products, and he says what sets Crow’s cheese apart from others on the market is the use of Nubian goats. “You can’t make good cheese out of bad milk,” he says. “We know how to produce a fantastic goat, and that makes all the difference in the world.”
Information: 11300 S. Dean Road, Buckeye, 602-390-2601
 

RYAN ELEWAUT
LUTHIER
Ryan Elewaut, founder of Flagstaff’s Solstice Guitars, first picked up a six-string when he was 13 — and became obsessed. It was the perfect muse for a kid growing up in California’s Orange County, consuming music that ranged from classical and acoustic to the polemical sounds of Southern California’s 1990s punk scene. “Music is one of the most incredible art forms that humans participate in,” he says. “It’s one of the most emotive.” He launched Solstice Guitars in 2017; in addition to creating custom models, the business offers repairs for guitars, banjos, mandolins and other fretted string instruments.
Information: solsticeguitars.com
 

STEPHEN PAUL
WHISKEY

One evening, Stephen Paul sat on his patio with his wife, Elaine, sipping on scotch. Elaine had an idea: a single-malt whiskey made with “mesquited,” rather than peated, malt. So, Stephen began learning about the whiskey-making process. That was in 2006, and in 2011, the Pauls’ daughter, Amanda, moved back to Tucson from New York. The family business was born. Today, Whiskey Del Bac offers handcrafted whiskey, bourbon and rye. They’re rich, earthy and slightly sweet, and they celebrate the flavors of the Sonoran Desert.
Information: 2106 N. Forbes Boulevard, Suite 103, Tucson, 520-628-9244, whiskeydelbac.com
 

CELESTE MILLS
JEWELRY

As a self-taught silversmith, Celeste Mills of Cactus Bloom Design takes great pride in crafting jewelry inspired by her Sonoran Desert home. The pieces are delicate and hand-carved with images of native plants, and they often incorporate turquoise and other Southwestern stones. As the first female silversmith from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, Mills is deeply committed to the integrity of her work, so all of her components are sterling silver or 14-karat gold-filled and made from natural stones that are never dyed or pressed. “I am free to invent my own style and create pieces that are totally original,” she says. “Since there are very few Yaqui silversmiths, I get to explore my own design aesthetic using my own influences.”
Information: celestemills.com
 

JERRY SALINAS
FINE ART
Jerry Salinas, a Phoenix-based figurative painter, is known for luminous, impressionistic oil portraits that celebrate color and culture. He trained at the American Academy of Art in Chicago, then spent years as a commercial illustrator before transitioning into full-time fine art. His work reflects both urban roots and Southwestern vibrancy, often depicting figures in intimate, light-filled settings. Salinas teaches at the Scottsdale Artists’ School and exhibits nationally, continuing to refine a contemporary realist style grounded in warmth and humanity, as well as expressive color.
Information: jerrysalinas.com
 

DANIEL SHIRCLIFF
GLASSWARE

Daniel Shircliff, founder of Primitive Glass, is a Phoenix-based glassblower whose work blends rugged craftsmanship with modern design. With more than 30 years in front of the fire, he creates handblown glassware — from pitchers to beer glasses and lamps — that reflects a love of experimentation, heat and process. He describes his path in the art form as accidental but driven by persistence, comparing the trial and error of glassblowing to skateboarding. His pieces are both functional and expressive, rooted in individuality, resilience and a deep pull to create joy through colorful everyday objects.
Information: primitiveglass.com
 

STINA SWESEY
SKINCARE
Stina Swesey has been obsessed with the desert since she was a young girl roaming around with her brother. “I grew up in Phoenix,” she says. “That was before it was super developed up north, so we were backed up against a lot of desert. My little brother and I would ride bikes through the desert all year long, even in the middle of the summer. It didn’t matter how hot it was — we were desert kids, and that was kind of like life for us.” As much as the desert informed Swesey’s upbringing, so did a deep creative spirit. Those elements play heavily into her skincare line, Mother Mountain Herbals. Swesey makes her entire line by hand using natural, ethically sourced ingredients, many of which come from the Sonoran Desert.
Information: mothermountainherbals.com