Consideration and sympathy for my wife, who just passed, was well above and beyond being helpful…read moreand courteous. Tavia was just brilliant. Picture framing and ideas using small jpgs from my Apple Phone camera came out beautifully, even when expanded to fit a 23x28 frame. All 9 pictures in frames were perfect! This made a great Celebration of Life for my wife! And, I need to add, this was done literally in 2 days! Thanks again to Bend Picture Framing. I will recommend your service and friendly staff to all!

I met with Melina to get a picture framed. She walked me through the process, gave me suggestions…read moreand was incredibly helpful/friendly! The framing was completed in a timely manner and the finished product looks AMAZING! I highly recommend seeing Melina/Bend picture framing for all your custom needs.

These classes are so much fun! Either a girls night out or family fun. You come home with a…read morepersonal work of art! Sarah is a fantastic teacher and super fun! We keep going back over and over.

This place is a hidden gem! Owner's Susan, and her son Aaron (master glassblower) are amazing…read more They worked with me to create a custom piece of glass blown art to house my pet's ashes. Now, not only do have a beautiful piece of artwork, I smile every time I look at it. If you're looking for a memorial piece, a unique gift or want to commission a custom piece for yourself, this is a must visit studio. Bonus, they offer classes for individuals, couples and large groups where you can learn how to make your own art piece!

Took a beginner class. Instructors were very patient and knowledgeable. Directions were clear. The…read moreinstructor made sure I was comfortable handling the glass and helped out when I needed it. I have taken several glass art classes and this studio's class prices are very reasonable. I would highly recommend anyone interested in trying glass art to take a class here.

We first spied the eye catching designs and gorgeous glazes of Steven Provence Pottery this summer…read morein the small display of his work for sale at one of our favorite Bend stores, Ginger's Kitchenware. ( http://www.yelp.com/biz/gingers-kitchenware-bend-2 ) A beautiful array of pottery pieces in designs from geometric to sort of botanically inspired patterns and glaze colors that are "ahhhh...." worthy. The pieces captured our attention for their art and their functional potential. We thought they were elegant in the combination of usefulness and organic simplicity in the designs. We went to visit Steven's pottery studio this week to look through additional options in searching out a couple of coffee mugs that matched given they were to be a gift, the gift recipient likes matched things and Ginger's had only singletons in mugs when we went back to make our purchase there. We're so glad we got to visit with Steven, what a likable guy he is in addition to being a talented artist, and see his new studio location. I have some Steven Provence Pottery bowls for daily use on my holiday wish list. But my husband and I also saw mugs and platters and plates and pitchers and trivets and bakers to admire. Not to mention bowls and platters large enough to be display pieces that sing to us too. I've included photos here but I'm a lousy photographer and can't begin to capture how wonderful are these designs and glazes. So I've also inserted a photo from the Steven Provence Pottery Facebook page that does a better job than I can of showing the range of work. As postscript, this is another of those stories in the unfolding short story book of how Bend's economic collapse in places like the building industry due to the implosion of the high flying Real Estate speculation market has had good implications in other areas. Because while the "Aspen wannabe" boom was going in, folks like Steven and his business partner and wife had trouble affording commercial rents in Bend. He was previously working out of private garage space. But with the decline in rental rates in Bend, he's able to move his studio into a large space which will be easier for shoppers to come visit and see his work. Everybody wins in that arrangement. Everything is connected. If you're looking for something beautiful and functional for your home or as a gift for someone else's, Steven Provence Pottery is a good place to start. You can find it at Ginger's Kitchenware or at his studio. (Both Ginger's and Steven ship.) Tips - 1) Call before you go to the studio. Although hours are listed as Fridays and Saturdays from 10 - 5, either Steven or his wife are sometimes at the studio at other times. And sometimes away on weekends for shows. 2) For my Yelp friends and others who use wheelchairs, canes or crutches, the studio is completely accessible from level in entry. But helpful to know in advance that the parking lot of the complex in which the building sits does not have designated accessible parking.

It doesn't matter if you live in Bend, or just visiting the area, Just a Little Charm is a must…read more"go-to" for personal and unique gifts, all made of up-cycled copper from an historic Bend building! If you don't see something that fits just right, Jen, the owner, will create a personalized gift with your personal message in words or art! I've purchased quite a few charms from Jen, each are unique, personal and one of a kind!

There is a reason why John Paul designs is five star. It all begins when you walk into the store,…read moresweetly greeted by the lady, Amy. She gives nice direct eye contact, friendly, beyond a pure joy. "The master" could not have a better representation for him and his almost cult like followers. When you buy John Paul you will always be going back for more. Be it for jewelry. Modifications, and/or of course, the real bonus; the Charmingly stoic, John Paul. When meeting the Desiiiiigner, John Paul, well I am not sure his horn could be tooted any louder. You might not get to meet him personally right off and there is good reason. Being a perfectionist certainly works to our favor, the customer. He takes his work very seriously, very personally. The finished product has always been beyond what I had envisioned. I've said to others "Its almost as if I'm a driving hazard after I pick up my new beauty. I can't stop staring at it. It's something special. Always different. If one can be so lucky he will add a little personal touch. These last two weekends I've gone to parties. I've never ever had so many compliments on a ring. (It's new) Lots of men which generally is not the norm, however, this ring has been a huge conversation piece. One gentleman asking me to take it off. Proclaiming he could care less about jewelry TISK TISK And said how pretty it was while putting it on his pinky. The shop certainly is not centrally located for me. And parking downtown is amazingly fun, however they always make it worth my while one way or another. Some sweet cheap (not really cheap in the long run) entertainment and many laughs. Invigorating. : ) Like I said. When you start business with John Paul one will definitely be going back for more. There are many other nice jewelry shops in Bend, however for this born and raised incorrigible lady there can only be one top jeweler. The Bravo channel should do a reality show. I know they've made my little world a bit better while adding beauty. Touché to the best team downtown and thank you for all the effort and laughs. I would leave a picture of my ring but I'm afraid somebody might cut my finger off. It's that amazing. A word I never use.

Bought a beautiful necklace a couple years back...I can't wait to add another to the collection!…read moreQuality craftsmanship!

Cognitive Surplus offers a very cool array of gifts, stationary and kitchenware. I bought two each…read moreof the wine and beer glasses a couple of years ago and after recently discovering I had no cocktail tumbler that would hold a large ice cube, I bought two of their drinking glasses. Love the science themes. In photographing my collection, I noticed that the beer glass molecular formulas are wearing but that's to be expected with use I suppose. Prices are very reasonable.

Wonderful selection of well-crafted, beautiful, thoughtful items. The store is so nicely organized…read moreand the selection is fantastic. I am going to order so many gifts from their online shop! We normally order for shipping but are so happy there's a store location we can visit when we're in the area. Definitely worth a stop!

Stumbled upon this gallery while visiting Bend and was blown away. One of the cooler galleries I've…read morebeen in and a very "vibey", low-key environment. The artists here are incredible, and the person working that day pulled out pieces from the back, which was a blast. A must if you're in the Central Oregon area.

An amazing collection of art in a light filled space in the heart of town. The works are…read morethoughtfully arranged to give them each "breathing room". Most of the artists are local. I usually play a game in galleries in which I can have one or two pieces to take home. In the current Peterson collection I easily found ten pieces I would love to own. Talk with the gallery folks--they are unpretentious, good humored, open and have stories and anecdotes that enhanced our viewing.