by Dennis Dalman
Duane Gaida of LeSauk Township has been trying to retire for 10 years but can’t seem to manage it.
“When you like what you do, it’s hard to quit,” he said.
Long-time St. Joseph residents, Gaida and his wife, Loyola, own Homestead Artisans, a crafts-and-arts shop on their property in a stray pocket of LeSauk Township, located just south of County Road 120, the road that runs past Epic Center shopping plaza in Sartell.
Duane worked for a few contractors in commercial construction, then started his own business and has hand-crafted furniture all of his life, which he is still doing. He creates rustic “live-edge” furniture, which means he leaves the wood as natural as can be with edges that show a bit of bark and are un-planed. The objects include coffee tables, end tables, book cases, sofa-backed tables and mirrors.
Loyola Gaida, has been making greeting cards for 10 years, using colorful pressed flowers adhered to the paper cards, along with her embossed designs.
Their creative works will be displayed for sale during a pop-up grand-opening exhibit Friday-Sunday, Sept. 22-24. The open hours will be from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on each of those three days.
The Gaida property is located at 136 CR 120. To get there, drive east on County Road 120 (on the south side of Epic Center). When you see Sam’s Club to your left, take a right in that area onto Delores Road to your right. You will come to a T, then take a left on a short little road. There will be signs and flags along roads to guide visitors.
The arts-and-crafts show will take place in an old, refurbished barn – now an arts-and-crafts shop next to the Gaidas’ home. Almost two dozen other artists from central Minnesota will also display their works during the three-day event. There will be live music, daily giveaways and a fun interactive photo booth.
The Gaidas’ roots are still connected to St. Joseph. For example, Duane’s brother-in-law, Bill Storkamp, and Bill’s wife, Karen, of St. Joseph will have their works featured in the Homestead Artisan show. As owners of the Rubber Ducky Soap Co., they make homemade soaps and Karen makes whimsical 3-D art works using felt pieces and needle-and-thread. Loyola Gaida’s nephew, John Walz of St. Joseph, is also a crafter who makes specialty woodworks that include signs, birdhouses and other objects. He, too, will have his works featured in the upcoming show.
Loyola (Walz) Gaida grew up in St. Joseph and worked for 30 years at the St. Benedicts’ food service department, from which she retired in 2021. She married Duane Gaida in 1977 and the couple lived in St. Joseph for 28 years before moving to Brockway Township in 2005. In 2019, they purchased their current home in LeSauk Township. They have four adult children: Mason, Big Lake; Karl, Cold Spring; Troy, Sartell; and Sarah, St. Paul.
To learn more about Homestead Artisans and to view the kinds of arts-crafts at the grand opening, visit online homesteadartisansllc.com.
Duane and Loyola Gaida stand in front of their arts-and-crafts shop Homestead Artisans, which was created out of an old, rustic, small-sized barn.
Duane Gaida enjoys making furniture, like this bench, which shows off the natural beauty and textures of the wood he uses.
Karen Storkamp of St. Joseph is one of many artisans whose works will be featured at a three-day grand opening of Homestead Artisans, a shop right along CR 120 across the road from Sam’s Club. This hand-sewn pillow depicts a whimsical owl holding the key to wisdom.
This is an example of the kind of greetings cards created by Loyola Gaida – pressed and dried flowers attached to a card that she embosses with stamped designs.
