The Delaware Arts Festival celebrates its 50th year bringing art and fun to Delaware. The two day event is May 17-18, 2025.

Festival hours are Saturday, May 17 11am-7:30 pm, Sunday May 18 10am- 5:pm. Delaware Hayes marching band kicks off the 50th celebration on Saturday at 11am. Flex buses are available to visitors, shuttling from 145 Union Street, behind the Delaware County Court House, to drop off at William and Sandusty Streets.

“It's so very special to be part of the 50th festival and to work with such a wonderful and dedicated group of volunteers on our committee,” said Mark Hardymon festival committee president.

Displaying their individual and unique art are 174 artisans from coast to coast. Works include watercolor and oil paintings, wood designs, photography, jewelry, pottery, original leather art, tie-dye garments for all sizes and much more. Independent judges select exhibitor artists for first, second, third and best of show prizes. The winning art works are based on originality, creativity and skill. Prizes include cash purses and ribbons.

“The festival filled up quickly this year. We have talented artists from 11 states besides Ohio.

Their works are amazing! Definitely worth a trip to our beautiful Delaware downtown historic

district,” said Sherry Riviera committee secretary/exhibitor administrator.

As in past years, festival profits benefit the festival's $25,000 scholarship program. Fund recipients are three Delaware County senior high school art students to further their art education. In addition, art grants, totaling $10,000, are available each year to eligible Delaware County art teachers and local non profit organizations.

Placing first in scholarship awards is Molly Jones a senior at Buckeye Valley High School. Jones goal is studying illustration at Otterbein University.

Second place winner, Audrie Prince, is a senior at Olentangy Berlin High School. Prince has the strong believe art can change lives. She looks forward to continue studying art at one of the following schools; Ohio University, College of Wooster, Bowling Green State University or Ohio Wesleyan University.

Third place recipient is Sydney Nelson a senior at Olentangy High School. Her artistic interests are a combination of ceramics, mixed media and metals. Nelson wants to pass on her love of art by teaching others. She plans to attend Ohio Wesleyan University.

The scholarship awards ceremony is Saturday May 17 noon on the South Sandusky Street stage. Presiding over the occasion is Judge David A. Hejmanowski from the Court of Common Pleas, Probate/ Juvenile Division. Winners' art works are displayed June1-30 at the Delaware County Main Library, 84 Winter Street.

Food and entertainment, both days, are located on South Sandusky Street. Bands start Saturday 12:45-6:15pm; country, rock n' roll and blues will keep toes tapping. Delighting young and old are The Amazing Giants, stilt walkers who wander the festival from1:30-2:30pm. And. Delaware Hayes Orchestra performs Sunday 10-11am in the Winter and Sandusky Streets intersection. Three additional bands, jazz, easy listening and popular music with acoustic guitar perform on stage at 11:30am till 5pm. The Amazing Giants return at 1:30-2:30pm. Also, 3-4pm, a magician strolls the festival streets performing and engaging festival visitors.

No one goes hungry at the Delaware Arts Festival. Tasty treats include Schmidts Sausages, Maine lobster, sandwiches galore, ice cream and your basic, ever delicious, fair food. Think funnel cakes.

Volunteers are always needed, the more the better.

The festival committee thanks the following corporate sponsors who ensure the success of this event: The Delaware Gazette, Cutco, State Farm, Infinity from Marvin, Renewal by Andersen, All American Gutter Protection, GFS Chemicals, Leaf Filter Gutter Protection, Bath Experts, Window Nation, VFW 3297, Eagles (FOE 376).

Hardymon added, “We would especially like to thank the City of Delaware for all their help and support to make this such a special event in Delware County.”

Please visit, delawareartsfestival.org

Delaware Arts Festival Pre-festival story 3-26-2024 by Dagmar Cianelli

Historic downtown Delaware will host the 49th Delaware Arts Festival, May 18 and 19. The two day event promises art, fun and entertainment for the whole family. Beginning Saturday at 11 am till 7:30 pm and Sunday at 10 am till 5 pm. Festival attendees will find 170 artists on both sides of North and South Sandusky Street, including additional artists on West and East Winter Street.

Free transportation, thanks to Flex buses, is available both days during festival hours. The shuttles leave from parking lots behind the Delaware County Court House on Union Street, stopping on West William Street next to Barley Hopsters.

The Delaware Arts Festival's scholarship program provides three Delaware County high school senior art students receive financial benefits from the festival. “We want to help students further their art education at a university or college of their choice,” said Sherry Riviera, festival committee secretary. The 2024 scholarship fund was increased this year to $25,000 for first, second and third place.

First place winner is Dennis Parker of Buckeye Valley High School. He is currently committed to Columbus College of Art and Design, studying illustration. His goal is fashion designing or illustration major.

Second place winner is Alex Wettrich from Olentangy High School, Lewis Center. He has applied or will apply to several schools including Parsons, Brown, Yale and Harvard. Still undecided, Wettrich leans toward becoming a teacher, professional artist or art therapy.

Third place winner is Jax Williams from Olentangy Liberty High School. His schools of choice to further his art education are Columbus College of Art and Design, College of Creative Studies Detroit, MI and The Cleveland Institute of Art. Williams goal is to major in Studio & Fine Arts with a minor in Art Therapy.

The scholarship presentation is scheduled for Saturday May 18, 12 noon, on the South Sandusky Street stage. Awarding the scholarships is Judge David A. Hejmanowski, court of common pleas, probate/juvenile division.

In addition to the scholarship program, the Delaware Arts Festival is grateful to the Franklin Foundation for sponsoring $10,000 in festival grant funds to qualifying Delaware County art teachers. The grant helps art educators with capitol expenditures and special projects.

Without the many community volunteers the festival would find it difficult to function. These vital helpers include members of the Berlin 4-H and several Delaware residents working eight hour shifts on Saturday and Sunday. There is always room for anyone wanting to donate their time, further information is on the Delaware Arts Festival website.

The unmistakable white tents lining Sandusky and Winter streets present artists not only from Ohio, but from California to New York with 34 other states represented. Exhibitor's creations include jewelry, leather creations, tie dyed art, pottery, oil and water color paintings, photography and much more. Independent judges choose artists for first, second, third and best of show prizes. The winning works are based on originality, creativity and skill. Prizes include cash purses and ribbons.

Variety defines the festival's entertainment. Stilt walkers stroll the festival on both days, a magician mystifying all with his sleight of hand and music for everyone. Saturday at 11 am finds the Delaware Hayes Marching Band making their way north on Sandusky Street to Central Avenue, then back south to the festival stage. Sunday morning at 10 the Delaware Hayes Orchestra performs at the intersection of Sandusky and Winter streets. In addition, festival guests can enjoy talented musicians

performing many styles of music from blues, jazz, oldies, country, current pop and standards.

Food, what's a festival without it? Tasty eats from 11 food trucks will satisfy everyone's taste

buds. The local Kiwanis Club's burgers are sure to please, along with kettle korn, ice cream, sausages, steak, egg rolls, sandwiches and more. All sure to banish hunger.

The festival committee is grateful to the following corporate sponsors who help ensure this event's success: The Delaware Gazette, Suzy Nicks, The Eagles, The Water Works, Able Roofing, Infinity from Marvin Windows, Renewal by Anderson Windows, All American Gutter, Cutco, State Farm, and Everdry Water Proofing.

Mark Hardymon, Delaware Arts Festival committee president said, “We would especially like to thank the City of Delaware for all their help and support to make this such a special event in Delaware County.”

Website: delawareartsfestival.org

 Kim Lawson Varu Handbag Story 4-10-2024 by Dagmar Cianelli 

 Kim Lawson, designer and creator of Varu handbags, is presenting her collection's newest handbag style at the Delaware Arts Festival May 18-19, 2024.

In business since 2009, Lawson branded her company Varu, meaning “Boutique” in the Estonian vocabulary. Several years later, her Julia Hipster bags gained Lawson recognition when they were included in celebrity swag bags for the Primetime Emmys and Golden Globes award shows.

The handcrafted bags are created from fabrics,while designs reflect seasonal handbag trends. Among the styles available are handbags, crossbody bags and totes. While the crossbody bag is the best seller, the tote is useful for travelers. “Our tote bags meet all airline carry on requirements,” she said.

Designing with fabrics was inspired by Lawson's interior designer mother. As a young girl, Lawson was taught how to work with patterns and appreciate fabrics with different textures and colors.

After becoming the mother of young children, Lawson looked for income which allowed her to stay home. She started baking and decorating wedding cakes. Her life's direction changed while attending a friend's baby shower. A handcrafted diaper bag gift was the spark leading Lawson to change course. “I can make that,” she said to her self. Lawson went to a fabric store, bought fabric and constructed four diaper bags and proceeded to sell them at a high school craft bazaar. Lawson never looked back.

All handcrafted designs are original. “I come up with my own patterns,” she said. Lawson attends about ten artists' shows a year, she focuses on what type of handbags are being carried and what seems to be a trend. When it comes to choosing fabric, Lawson said, “My customers pick out the fabric for me, by what they do and don't like.” The creative process starts by doing sketches on paper, then making a prototype, tweaking it until the final design is achieved.

Fabrics are obtained from all over the world. Fashion changes with every season and fabrics do to. Now, summer dictates solids, prints and florals all in bright colors that pop.

Obtaining necessary fabrics was a real challenge during Covid. “China stopped shipping fabrics,” she said. Impacting the entire industry. She didn't take a salary for a year, putting all profits into finding fabrics online and stocking up for the next two years. Even now obtaining fabrics hasn't totally rebounded she commented.

If she sees fabric, “I jump on it to keep up the stock,” she said.

According to the company website, every handbag purchased supports not only the business, but also handbag donations. Lawson started participating in the fight against Human Trafficking in 2010. A brand new purse is given to each victim, looking for a new start, with essential new personal care and beauty products enclosed.

Varu handcrafted bags can be found online at myvaru.com

 Henry Levine Glass Blowing Story 4-12-2024 by Dagmar Cianelli

 A strong need for creativity guided Henry Levine to blow art glass. The road to his glass blowing studio, Thorn Ridge Studios, came with twists and turns for Levine.

In high school Levine started doing pottery as a fun after school activity, it taught him to think about color and form. Still, he saw pottery only as a hobby not as a viable way to make a living. So, after high school Levine went to the University of Rochester and graduated with degrees in Economics and English. But there was no sense of fulfillment for him. “That wasn't it,” Levine said.

He enrolled at Alfred University, in Alfred New York, majoring in production pottery. Frustration set in unable to create certain color effects on a regular basis. Then, Levine discovered glass blowing classes. He'd found his passion.

Another twist for Levine came after graduating from Alfred. There weren't many calls for glass blowers and he needed and income. He knew how to bend glass and found a job processing tubes for neon signs. This eventually allowed him to buy Quality Neon Products in Columbus, Ohio. “It was a good start of business for me,” Levine said. While working in the neon business for 10 years, he was also a founder of Glass Axis, a glass blowing studio which provides classes.

The last turn for Levine found him in Meigs County, Albany, Ohio. In 1999 he looked into building his own glass blowing studio. In order to finance this project he attended a wholesale art fair in Philadelphia. Levine obtained 30 orders, from various galleries, to produce blown art glass. He took those receipts to a bank, securing a loan to build his studio. Levine was ready to fulfill his dream.

Levine's designs aren't sketched on paper first, they develop as he blows the hot glass. Color is what inspires him, “Color hits me first,” he said. Levine applies hot molten glass on a blow pipe till a bubble forms, then applies the color. “Glass work isn't hard work, but start to finish and what's next is where you have to concentrate all the time,”Levine said. No two forms are ever alike, he let's shape follow his color design. “I don't know what it's going to look like, but I know something is going to happen,” he said. Sometimes, with a color in mind Levine might make a sample piece, if he likes it he'll continue on till it's a new form. “If a form excites me, I feel like my customers will be too,” Levine said. When business is slow Levine feels that's the time to create something striking and different. “My work is now more to the translucent not with contrast or complimentary colors,” he said.

Levine does 20 art shows a year, spring through fall are in northern states. Following warm weather south, he spends two winter months in Florida. Levine pursues his passion at art shows in cities such as Naples, Boca Rotan and Sarasota promoting and selling his latest creations and designs.

Levine glass is found online at henrylevineglassart.com

Gail Russell, Peachblow Pottery March 23, 2024 by Dagmar Cianelli 

Gail Russell has been a potter for 50 years and is ready for semi-retirement. She and her ceramic studio Peachblow Pottery, named after the studio's original location on Peachblow Road, have been part of Delaware County art scene since 1986.

Russell has attended art fairs through out Ohio for many years, The Delaware Arts Festival is right at the top of the list since 1987. “I did art fairs early on to build the business,” she said. In recent years Peachblow Pottery's booth has been front and center on the corner of Winter and North Sandusky Streets.

Russell's love of art goes back to her early childhood, making things by hand, especially with Play Dough. “My Mother kept many of the Play Dough pieces,” she said smiling. High school didn't offer much in art classes for Russell, until one day Professor Les Miley from the University of Evansville Indiana, presented a demonstration of throwing clay on the potter's wheel. “A light bulb went off in my head, this is me,” she said. Russell was hooked.

The University of Evansville, where she studied with Miley, brought Russell many opportunities to learn the ins and outs of working with clay; porcelain clay became her favorite. “I learned by doing and the excellent teaching of Miley,” she said. During her junior year Russell spent 1974-1975 in England, 100 miles north of London at Harlaxton College, a University of Evansville satellite school. Between semesters she traveled Europe visiting pottery artists and art museums. Russell obtained a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Evansville in 1976.

Following college, Russell continued to broaden her pottery know-how by working as a ceramic apprentice for two years at a studio outside of Boston, Massachusetts. In1981, she earned a master's degree in ceramics from the University of Illinois.

Russell set up her first full time pottery studio in Indiana before moving to Delaware County and establishing Peachblow Pottery. In addition, for eight years Russell taught pottery classes at The Delaware Arts Castle after setting up the present day ceramic studio. After 27 years on Peachblow Road, she moved her business and studio to Sunbury, Ohio; spending the last 10-11 years doing what she loves, throwing porcelain clay.

Designing and creating bowls and vases are her favorite clay projects. “Bowls can be open and inviting, or they can be closed and mysterious. For me bowls are ultimate functional form,” she said. Russell said she is influenced by nature, 19th century English pottery and Asian art forms, including Ikebana, the ancient art of floral arrangements. “These designs are classical, beautiful, well proportioned and they never go out of style,” she said. Copper red glazes are her color of choice. “Red has always been consistent in my work, it's a technically challenging glaze,” she said. Russell mixes all glazes from scratch using her own formulas.

Breaking down the Sunbury studio, not participating in Ohio art fairs and moving into the city of Delaware were hard decisions for Russell. Remembering the fun people she's met along the way Russell said, “I am so appreciative of the support from the Delaware community all these years; but, I'm still here making pottery, just on a much smaller scale.” Russell plans to continue selling her pottery at Gallery 22 on West Winter Street in Delaware, and The Ohio Craft Museum in Columbus.

Save the dates; May, 18-19 2024. The 49th Delaware Arts Festival, located downtown Delaware, welcomes all for the two day family friendly event.

The Delaware Arts Festival is a non-profit organization with two beneficiaries. To further their visual arts education, three Delaware County high school art students divide $20,000 in first, second and third place prizes. In addition, Delaware County art teachers and non-profit community organizations are eligible for $200-$2000 grants totaling $10,000.

Again, a sea of white tents house artisans displaying original works of art including, water colors, oil paintings, ceramics, photography, wood working, metal art and much more. Exhibitor art works are awarded ribbons in four categories best of show, first place, second place and third place. Ending her 2023 two day stay, vendor Kim Lawson said, “We as vendors have no idea just how much hard work goes into putting a show together!” “My sales were great as always,” she said.

Organizing the festival are the Delaware Arts Festival committee members. A group of dedicated volunteers working behind the scenes recruiting sponsors, exhibitors, entertainment, food trucks and the City of Delaware, whose help is essential. “With the city and sponsors help we are looking forward to a fantastic Delaware Arts Festival 2024,” said Mark Hardymon, committee president.

Entertainment includes bands, roaming magician, stilt walkers, and a few surprises. Local restaurants and food trucks offering a variety of hot and cold menus to satisfy any appetite.

As last year, the Flex shuttles are available to pickup and drop off festival guests...welcomed last year by many festival goers. Locations are to be announced.

Committee member Sherry Riviera said, “It's hard to believe that we began our organizational meeting in September for the May 2024 Delaware Arts Festival. When I first volunteered I was amazed at the amount of planning the festival takes...but, that's why it's always so awesome.”

For further information visit The Delaware Arts Festival website at www.delawareartsfestival.org 

 The 48^th Delaware Arts Festival made everyone’s day; exhibitors, visitors and festival committee members. 

Exhibitors displayed original art work in the174 white tents that stretched down the middle of Sandusky Street from William Street to Central Avenue; continuing on East and West Winter Street. Vendor Kim Lawson in booth #10 said, “I appreciate how hard everyone works behind the scenes to make this show so special!! We as vendors have no idea just how much hard work goes into putting a show together!” “My sales were great as always,” she continued. 

Art comes in many forms and visitors found it both festival days. Puppets in the likeness of hot pink dragons, lime green dogs and bears. Woodworkers creating tables, chairs, owls and wagons. Pottery cups with snakes for handles and unique faces. Laughing children with faces painted as tigers, Spiderman, Batman, butterflies and exotic flowers.

At lunch time hungry patrons enjoyed a variety of eats from food trucks and local restaurants. Hot dogs, brats and chips were on the Delaware Kiwanis menu, “We're glad to be here as one of the food vendors,” said Sharon O'Neil. 

“It was a great day to be in uptown Delaware with all the talented artists, entertainment areas, and good food options,” said Marsha North of Central Ohio. 

The yearly $20,000 art scholarship awarded to three Delaware County High School seniors is what motivates the festival committee. First place went to Cate Crowell of Olentangy Liberty High School. According to her personal statement clay is her medium of choice, with animals being her inspiration. Crowell is attending the University of Alaska Anchorage. Second place is Chase Wahlund also of Olentangy Liberty High School. In her personal statement, Wahlund, a painter, said she paints in acrylics, but also enjoys exploring mixed media when creating. Wahlund is attending Savannah College of Art and Design. Third place belongs to Elizabeth Weinberger of Olentangy Orange High School. In her personal statement Weinberger said her medium is digital 3D, because when creating it allows one to address problems with unconventional ways. Weinberger is attending The College for Creative Studies, Detroit. The scholarship awards took place on Saturday, May 20 at noon. Presenting the awards was Delaware County Probate/Juvenile Judge David Hejmanowski. “It's a pleasure to be a part of this event every year and see these incredible talented kids,” he said. The three scholarship recipients art works are on display at the Delaware County Library during the month of June. 

The Delaware Art Festival is a juried art show awarding ribbons to four artists. Two judges with art backgrounds and educations determine the winners.

Best of Show goes to William Shearrow of Shearrow Tile & Pottery, Canton, Ohio. A Columbus College of Art and Design graduate, he's enjoyed working with clay since 1979 and is inspired by his garden and nature. He learned the basics at CCAD, but over time Shearrow has developed his own techniques, acquiring honors along the way. According to his website, Shearrow received the Award of Excellence in Ceramics 2012-2013 Best of Ohio Exhibits and is a member of the Roycroft Artisans. He passes on his expertise by teaching classes at Canton Museum of Art. shearrowpottery.com 

First Place went to Henry Levine of Thorn Ridge Studios Albany, Ohio. Levine started his art career creating pottery. He turned to glass blowing in 1984 while attending Alfred University in Alfred, New York. After graduation he opened a wholesale neon sign company in Columbus, Ohio. Levine started attending art festivals in 1999. After 10 years Levine sold his neon company and opened his glass blowing studio in Southern Ohio. Color draws Levine to his Munro style glass blowing. “People appreciate authenticity in art. I feel I achieve my authenticity that excites me that then excites my customer,” he said. henrylevineglassart.com 

Second place is Wood Art by D, Delia Smith of Powell, Ohio. A self taught wood worker for 30 years, Smith said she learned a little through her own drive and some from You Tube. She believes function in wood working shouldn't be sacrificed for aesthetics. Her design may include a piece of drift wood from the beach, Nova Scotia or the Olentangy River. “Design on the fly,” Smith said. A reconnaissance trip to the Olentangy River can result in wood, stones, little shells any thing she finds interesting. Smith looks at one of her finds and thinks, “Your going to be something, don't know what yet.”

woodartbyd.com 

Third place is Markgraf Clayworks, Tom and Karen Markgraf of Granville, Ohio. The husband and wife team are Columbus College of Art and Design graduates with Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees. Each is inspired differently. Tom's designs just evolve he said. Nature inspires Karen, as seen in her designs. 

Their clay creations are hand thrown, sculpted and hand glazed. The pottery can be functional and also contemporary works of art. In addition, Markgraf Clay Works has a teaching studio in the Newark Cultural Art Center. “We have a big head class where everyone makes a big clay head,” said Tom, “it's interesting to see people grow in the class.” markgrafclayworks.com 

Honorable Mention went to Amy Beeler Design of Oregon, Ohio. Beeler's baskets are a unique design created from cotton clothes line, then sewn in a circle by machine using regular thread with small stitches. “I use American made rope,” she said. Beeler's donkey was the basket inspiration. She needed small light weight baskets, developed them and soon started designing baskets as art work for the home.

According to festival President Mark Hardymon, this year saw a number of new exhibitors. He said they enjoyed the festival and the charm of Delaware. Hardymon continued, “This year's festival was a wonderful success.” There are many volunteers, sponsors and various Delaware City Departments to thank for their hard work and patience. “Thanks again to everyone,” Hardymon said.

There are many art forms. Robbie Hay's are face painting/body painting/ and henna. Her artistic talents extend into being an author, teacher and coloring book designer.

She has shared her gift with Delaware Arts Festival visitors for 15 years. Hay can still be found painting faces at the same Winter Street location, close to Buns. “This festival has been wonderful to me,” Hay said.

Hay started her face painting journey about 30 years ago. “I'll never forget it,” she said. Hay and her husband were attending the “Feast of the Flowering Moon” festival in Chillicothe, Ohio when they saw a young man painting faces. “I was absolutely mesmerized,” she said, “I got hooked on face painting that day.” Hay said she loves people and enjoys painting on them. “When you paint someone you learn a lot about them and their lives,” she stated.

Hay's face/body painting expertise led to world wide conventions. Her first convention, 2005, was the International Face & Body Painting Convention in Orlando, Florida. Followed by Seeboten, Austria, 2006, The World Body Painting Festival in Albuquerque, New Mexico, 2006-2007. Body painting is a world wide art form she said. “There's body painting at The Arnold,” Hay said.

Art is in Hay's blood, her parents and grandparents were artists. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from The Ohio State University, majoring in painting and printmaking. Participating at Ohio art festivals brings Hay great joy. Along with the Delaware Arts Festival, you'll find her at the Ohio State Fair, The Columbus Arts Festival, Westerville Music & Arts Festival and the Renaissance Festival, among others.

Hay developed a different art form when she couldn't find a book on facing painting. “So I wrote it,” she said. “Face Painting for Fun and Profit”, published in 2006, can be found on Amazon. The book's introduction reminds the reader that humans have painted their bodies and caves, for one reason or another since we started walking upright. Today's humans are simply following in their forefather’s footsteps. Written for non artists, it tells the reader how to chose correct make-up, brushes and other necessities. It also includes information about setting up a face painting business.

The Doodle Dazzle Designs trend has caught Hay's attention. The colored markers have a double line out-liner, metallic, for drawing on any surface. Hay then published an adult coloring book, available at Nobles book stores or online, using the special markers to color ink drawn animals.

All ways busy, Hay teaches art classes three days a week to age 50+ members of the Martin Janis & Thompson Community Center. Her classes include, beginning figure drawing, abstract painting, painting/drawing, needle point/Embroidery Club and painting on fabrics. “ You never stop learning, you're always learning,” she said.

Hay can be found online at www.thebash.com Robbie Hay: Face/body painting.

Noah Mynes' love for wood and a natural artistic flair led to his business Handcrafted by Noah. He is a third generation woodworker. Mynes interest in the craft came through his grandfather and great-grandfather. Mynes' great-grandfather was a professional cabinet maker and his grandfather built furniture.

As a teenager, while working with his grandfather on attaching a deck skirt, Mynes learned valuable lessons in using power tools and a table saw “It was all very cool.” Mynes said. His interest in woodworking grew and so did using the tools that make it all happen.

Building cabinets were not Mynes' future, “You're doing the same thing over and over again,” he said, “creative freedom can lead to happy accidents such as one of a kind wood objects.” This leeway led to Mynes' first happy accident, a charcuterie board. Using tools left to him by his grandfather and wood from a friends garage, Mynes found his calling. According to Mynes website, he sold enough boards at the end of one year to start a business.

Small bowls, sized for the charcuterie boards, followed soon thereafter. Mynes uses burl wood for boards and bowls, because of its unusual grain. “Burl wood hasn't grown correctly creating exciting beauty just like a happy accident,” he said. A splash of colored epoxy completes the one of a kind designs. The boards and bowls are both food safe.

Wall hangings, coasters and custom coffee tables are some of Mynes' other compositions.The coffee tables are unique and beautiful. The combination of colored epoxy, which forms the table, and a large cross section of sliced wood placed on the table top produces an extraordinary work of functional art.

Mynes' creations bring the outdoors in. He uses walnut, silver maple, oak and poplar for his products; supplied by two sawmills located in Johnstown and Mt.Vernon.

Mynes website states his Mother Tammy Mynes serves as a partner by marketing and taking custom orders. Together they attend many art shows for inspiration and what's new in the woodworking world. Mynes' original wood creations were available at Winter Fair in 2021-2022, Summer Fair in Cincinnati and for the first time, at the 2023 Columbus Art Festival this June. Several other Central Ohio art festivals are also scheduled including The Delaware Arts Festival. “I enjoy seeing what others are doing,” he said. Mynes draws inspiration from other artists, while doing his own wood interpretation.

Mynes says there's nothing he enjoys more that woodworking. “I enjoy doing it. I don't know what I would do if I wasn't doing this, along with my Mom's creative involvement,” he said, “there's a camaraderie among woodworkers.”

Check out Noah's website: www.handcraftedbynoah.com  

The 48th Delaware Arts Festival opens May 20-21, 2023. Two days full of family fun; featuring 174 artisans showing their original art work, stilt walkers, bands and good food for all.

Kicking off the event, at 11:00 am, are the Capital City Pipes and Drums, marching up Sandusky Street to Central Avenue. After marching back to city hall, the group continues to perform.

Also at city hall, on Saturday at 12 noon, Delaware County Juvenile Court Judge David A. Hejmanowski presents the three visual arts scholarship awards. The honorees are; Cate Crowell, Olentangy Liberty High School first place, Chase Wahlund Olentangy Liberty High School second place, and Elizabeth Weinberger Olentangy Orange High School third place.

Parking this year is less problematic with a shuttle addition. Festival pick up is at the Hayes County Court House parking lot located on Union Street. Drop off is at William and Sandusky Streets. Pick up starts at 11 am and stops shortly before festival closing each day.

Delaware County school art teachers and non-profit community organizations are festival beneficiaries through the visual arts grant and scholarship programs.

Mary Ellen Kelly, in 2009, started the grant program. “I thought it would be a great thing for the community and the schools to promote the visual arts,” she said. Kelly stated she always had an interest in the arts and wanted to make visual art funds available to teachers and non-profits.She realized school budgets aren't always big enough to cover extra art project expenses. This spurred her on to try and start a grant program in coordination with the arts festival committee. “I love the arts and the idea of the grants for schools and community organizations would be a good idea. Other festival committee members thought it was a good idea too,” she said. Through the grants, Kelly accomplished her goal of helping Delaware County schools and organizations. Now, after 25 years, with the arts festival committee, she has decided to retire. Arts festival secretary Sherry Riviera said, “I was always impressed with how well Mary Ellen ran the grant program. She was always open and inclusive with the applicants requests, while awarding the festival funds carefully and fairly.”

Grant funds, available each year, total $10,000. Each individual award is between $200 to $2000. Delaware County art teachers and community organizations are eligible to apply every year whether or not they've received a previous grant. Some application questions can include, how the art student’s education would be improved with the grant funds. Also, how is the finished project presented to the student's school and/or the Delaware community. Estimated project expenses are part of all considerations. A six member grant committee, including artists and retired art educators, reviews the applicants and votes on the grant's recipients. This year's applications are emailed to all teachers by August 31, reply's are due on September, 30 and awards are presented by October 15, 2023.

Recipients for 2022 grants are: Jennilyn Haer, Big Walnut Intermediate School, received $1,285 for block printing supplies. Shannon Mitchell, Olentangy Liberty High School, received $940 for two year digital subscription to the Metalsmith Academy. Kim Roberts, Ventures Academy received $987for two 3D printers and a Cricut Maker 3 machine. Jennifer Sosa, Olentangy High School, received $1,998 for two Cricut Maker 3 machines, accessories and printing materials. Sara Butler, Olentangy Berlin High School, received $1,500 for a new pottery wheel, including splash pans and pedal. MaryAnn Davis, The Women's City Club, received $500 for face paints, scissors, markers and other supplies used for the club's activity booth at the 2023 Delaware Arts Festival.