Two Linda's named Old Hotel Art Gallery's Artists of the Month

OTHELLO — Linda Boothman and Linda Crosier have been recognized as the Artists of the Month for June. The two are longtime residents of Othello who are both passionate about their crafts.

Linda “B” moved to town from Grand Forks, B.C. in 1974; a year before the Old Hotel Art Gallery came into existence.

“I’ve been involved from the very beginning,” She said. “Most of the early members belonged to the Art Association.”

Known for her sewn purses, bags, and towel sets and ‘scrubbies,’ which are for sale and on display at the Old Hotel and on her Facebook page, “Linda Booth Creations,” Linda’s passion for sewing began at an early age.

“I’ve been sewing since high school — making my own clothes,” Linda said. “We were a middle-class family living in Upland, Calif. My mother had a sewing machine, but didn’t sew. I noticed other girls at school had beautiful clothes and thought, ‘I could make clothes like that.’”

She didn’t take a home economics class in high school and says she’s not a quilter, but has made a few, although has never pieced one together from start to finish.

Director of the Old Hotel Art Gallery Jenn Stevenson says Linda B’s array of purses, bags and towel sets are a big hit at the establishment.

“They command prominent space – Linda is one of the Top 5 sellers of all time – we do what sells.”

She markets her creations at the Beta Bazar during the Christmas season as well.

Linda “C” relocated to Othello 41 years ago having lived in Sunnyside and then Ellensburg.

“We moved here during the 1976 Bi-Centennial,” she said. “I thought we were only going to stay a year or two.”

Linda established herself as a prominent member of the community early on teaching Home Economics and Technology at Othello High School. She went on to work for the school district for 32 years.

She took an interest in quilting roughly 20 years ago.

“I took a class with my best friend at the quilt store in Moses Lake,” Linda said. “I’ve been quilting ever since — I really like the creativity of it.”

She makes quilts of various sizes, putting in many hours to produce a quality product.

“The table runners take about 25 – a king size quilt can take up to 100 hours — a lot of time is spent cutting out the pieces and getting them ready to sew — and depending on how detailed they get — wall hangers take much longer to do.”

Most of Linda’s quilts are holiday or seasonal themed. She says she gives away more than she sells.

“They are gifts from my heart – I give them as birthday and Christmas gifts and as baby gifts as well.”

Many of her “gifts of the heart” are sent out worldwide to people she’s never met.

“I belong to a weekly group that makes them for Lutheran World Relief,” Linda said. “There are 20 of us — we make over 200 a year and they are sent out to flood and fire victims and to refugee camps — it’s very fulfilling.”

The group also makes them for Othello’s Community Christmas Basket program. She says it’s a type of assembly line work, but not nearly as mundane.

“There’s a lot of socializing going on — it’s a lot of fun — we all have a real good time.”