Furniture artist and new islander Stacey Sherman arrived two weeks ago after torrential rains hit the area. With her kids long grown and gone, Sherman, an animal rescue enthusiast and furniture artist who describes herself as âan old hippie and a Mae West and an Ally McBeal and a Diane Keaton kind of blend,â gave in to wanderlust, pulled up her south Florida roots and headed to the upper-left. As with every new town sheâs arrived in, Sherman looked up the local childrenâs shop to ask whether she could display a sample of her hand-painted furniture. A $5 ticket would give some lucky kid a chance to own a chair that Sherman would typically sell for $300, with all proceeds going to the American Red Cross to benefit flood victims. In Florida cities like Talla­hassee and Gainesville, Sherman specialized in creating high-end rooms based around her furniture, with a particular passion for matching her paint designs to clientsâ chosen fabrics. Here on the island, Sherman is keen to build community connections; sheâs keeping a casual eye out for studio space, has established a relationship with National Furniture in Silverdale, where she plans to put a painted adult rocker on display, and wants to begin offering lessons and workshops around town, perhaps to seniors and moms. read more