Leading Ladies 2018: Margaret Carleton

A passion for handmade art came at an early age for Craftland owner Margaret Carleton. “I grew up making things with my grandmother, who made beautiful art out of bits of nature she found on her walks,” she says. “I still feel that wonder at all the creative magic happening in Rhode Island.”

Brightly colored and filled with one-of-a-kind items, Craftland is a creative superstore. Jewelry, housewares, clothing, and greeting cards are just a sampling of the affordable art for sale. With two locations in Providence and East Greenwich, Craftland offers the largest collection of handmade art in RI.

Margaret, who has a BFA in painting and a MFA in printmaking, started making lamps and jewelry out of melted plastic Mardi Gras beads in 2002. Later that year, Craftland debuted in Providence as a pop-up holiday sale. “The outpouring from the community was just incredible,” Margaret says, adding that the holiday-only shop became a year-round shop in 2009. “The goal was to make Craftland a destination for art and craft in Providence that reflects its wonderful character,” she says. The second location on East Greenwich’s Main Street coincided with Craftland’s 15th year anniversary in 2017. “It’s so gratifying to have these spaces that showcase some of the amazing work being done in our community, and that the community support us,” Margaret says.

Craftland 

212 Westminster St., Providence | 272-4285 

264 Main St., East Greenwich | 886-5500