PRINTArrow Rock Spring Garden Show showcases May flowers
Garden show features artists from across Mid-Missouri
May 10, 2012 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Missouri's state flower, the White Hawthorn Blossom, isn’t the only local flower opening its petals to drink in the Missouri spring sunshine. Hundreds of plants from Mid-Missouri will be available for purchase or just to offer their sweet springtime scents at the annual Arrow Rock Spring Garden Show on Saturday.
Rain or shine, around 24 vendors will sell a variety of plants, handcrafted garden decorations and Missouri-made crafts. Vox spoke to four artists who will bring their original works to the show.
Where: Old Schoolhouse, 711 Main St., Arrow Rock
When: Saturday, May 12
Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission: Free
Shelle Johnson, Bead Happy
Johnson, 42, who lives in Harrisonville, began creating handmade beaded jewelry after attending a craft show with her aunt about five years ago. Johnson also embellishes one-of-a-kind vintage pieces, including recycled jewelry, which is one of her best sellers. However, Johnson has found recent success with her jeweled cups, or vintage beaded teacups, which she says can function as bird feeders or hang decoratively in kitchen windows. To create them, she wraps the handle with wire then drills the opposite side of the teacup so she can wrap the wire through the hole. Then she glues the teacup to its plate and lets it dry for three days. The teacups are made of galvanized steel, which means they probably couldn’t withstand an unpredictable spout of Missouri hail, but they can hang outdoors. Johnson emphasizes the flowers on the yellow, pink and bright blue colored cups by choosing bright beads to wire through them.
Catherine Mahoney, illustrator and watercolor artist
Mahoney, 63, painted scenes of the Missouri River for more than 30 years before she discovered that her ancestors’ lineage traced directly back to the area. In fact one of her ancestors Josiah Pickson, who fought in the Revolutionary War, floated on a raft down the Missouri River after the war. This will be her third year returning to the Arrow Rock show, which is a particularly special event for her because of her family’s roots to the state. She will bring her original works to the show, including many impressionistic paintings of the Hermann area. Two children’s books by Hermann author Kathy Meyer, for which Mahoney provided 24 illustrated watercolor scenes for each book. Mahoney will also bring one of her favorite spring flower paintings, a watercolor painting of an iris entitled “Iris Composition #5,” which features shades of peach, violet and the light green that trees possess as their leaves begin to bud.
Pat Bartlett, B Unique, LLC, Fine art note and greeting cards
After retiring from 35 years as a library media specialist, Bartlett, 64, decided to turn her pastime of creating handmade cards with her original photography into her own line of cards. Bartlett does most of her photography in Missouri in the spring and summer, because her line is currently based on flowers. For her fourth year at the show, she will bring her entire card line, which features about 25 designs, prints in black frames and two books filled with her photos. Through her work, Bartlett hopes to capture “a detail or perspective that might be missed by a passing view” through her camera lens. One of her best selling cards is an image of two bees on pink coneflowers with a Goethe quote, “Nothing is worth more than this day.”
Deb Galey, Mamma Lizzie’s Italian Gems
Deb Galey, 58, runs a jewelry business out of her home in Smithton with her daughter Lizzie’s, 21, help. Galey has been coming to this event for the past five years and now has repeat customers who seek out her necklaces. Although they appear as though they’re made of large, bright beads lined end-to-end on string, the necklaces are actually fashioned from Turkish and Italian yarns that are twisted and secured into a beaded shape. Galey also attaches ornate, decorative pendants to each necklace. The pair, who channel their heritage by playing Italian music at their booth, have found that those looking for gifts most often buy black and silver necklaces because they can be worn with almost any outfit. They craft aqua, pink, maroon and light blue necklaces for their springtime shows.
