Creative folks abound at 2006 Arts and Crafts Show
October 23, 2006
Article mentions artists from KOKOMO and PERU.
KOKOMO, Ind.—The Master’s Potter, the “Bear Lady,” and other area artisans will display a wide array of handmade items for sale during the 15th annual Indiana University Kokomo Staff Council Arts and Crafts Show on Saturday, November 4. More than 80 vendors will display wares—including handcrafted clothing, toys, decorative and gift items, holiday decorations and more—in Kelley Student Center from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. Admission and parking are free.
Visitors can watch Michael Still of Peru spin his potter’s wheel and form lumps of clay into vessels. Seeing the sides of a pot rise and take shape is “mesmerizing” to spectators, said Still, a Maconaquah High School teacher who creates pottery as “The Master’s Potter.” He has demonstrated his artwork at the 2005 IU Kokomo Arts and Crafts Show, and for history festivals at Rochester, Huntington, Fort Wayne, and the Mississinewa Battlefield.
Forming a pot on the wheel takes around 10–15 minutes, Still said. The subsequent air drying, glazing, and two kiln firings add up to two weeks of effort for each piece. Collectors seek out Still’s work. “I have ‘groupies,’ ” the potter said. “They tell me they like the colors, and that they can get daily use out of this functional stoneware.”
Tiffany Parr of Kokomo has been bringing her cuddly collectibles, Tiffany’s O’Bears, to the IU Kokomo Arts and Crafts show for eight years. “I really enjoy this show because it’s in my hometown,” she said. “I have met some wonderful people who, when they see me, say, ‘Hey, you’re the bear lady.’ ”
Parr’s creations have been displayed at the Indiana State Museum, and won The People’s Choice Award at the Nashville Doll and Bear Show. She designs her own patterns and completes all the work on bears ranging in size from 8–20 inches. Prices run from $25–$200. She works with mohair, recycled fur coats, or synthetic plush. “I have also made custom bears from a loved one’s shirts,” Parr added. She names each bear and records its “birth date.”
“I love the fact that I can start out with a blank piece of material, and, when I am finished, I have created a little soul that will make someone smile,” Parr said.
IU Kokomo employees Marcia Sandy and Margie Wildblood will contribute craftwork to the Staff Council booth. A buyer for the IU Kokomo Bookstore, Sandy has won awards for her painted gourds. Student Coordinator for the Twenty-first Century Scholars program located at IU Kokomo, Wildblood specializes in seasonal wreaths and swags and nature photography.
Tara Halbrook, administrative assistant for the campus’ Physical Plant Department, and Anna Chaplin, administrative assistant for the Office of Human Resources, are co-chairs of the Arts and Crafts Show. The Staff Council represents the clerical, technical, and maintenance employees of IU Kokomo. Last year’s show raised around $3,500, which the council directed to campus improvement projects and scholarships for IU Kokomo students.
Expanding its charitable activity to the community, the Staff Council will collect food donations for the Kokomo Crisis Center during the Arts and Crafts Show. “The Crisis Center has asked us to help with their Thanksgiving Project of making baskets for families in need,” Halbrook said. “We are asking all of our shoppers to bring a non-perishable food item with them to this year’s show.” Donations can be deposited in marked boxes at each entrance of the Kelley Student Center and Alumni Hall.
All booth space has been reserved for the 2006 Arts and Crafts Show. For additional information, contact Halbrook at (765) 455-9273.
Tiffany Parr and Tiffany's O'Bears
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Wreath by Margie Wildblood
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Painted gourds by Marcia Sandy
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