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The Gathering at
Garst... an unexpected pleasure
By Christy Riley
Teen Scribe
When I first heard of “The Gathering at Garst,” I did not think much.
After a hard week of working, I was not intrigued to attend; yet I was
soon proved wrong. It was amazing to see all the artists out there
selling piece of themselves in their artwork, seeing history and the
past come alive, enjoying good music, hanging out with strangers as I
learned what makes their work awesome, and enjoying some of the food.
All in all, it was a great trip.
Following are notes from the time I spent at the Gathering. Some photos
have been published; not all. Watch for additional photos soon in
County News Online’s Photography tab.
Virgil’s Soaps
His daughter did all the graphic designs involved in his booth. She is
studying in Cincinnati currently. Virgil told me that he makes all the
soaps at home in his kitchen.
Antiques Collector Jim Wagner
While browsing his display of antiques, old books, and the like; I came
across this antique trunk. According to Jim, it is said to be from
1831. From his research, he estimates its origin from Virginia. As for
the era it was from, he can only estimate the approximation to be 1777
to 1830. Overall, Jim found it to be valuable; because the majority of
trunks from that era have already been destroyed by bugs and other
decaying agents.
Stephanie Preston
She is an artists whose work is done in clay. I was curious what got
here first interested, “I took a class at Sinclair Community College
and loved it. It was fantastic…there are limitless possibilities with
clay.” To make her clay artwork, she has to use a high fire at
2000°-3000°. According to Stephanie, children make the best clay
art because they are unhindered by the worries, expectations, and all
that adults have. They are free to create any clay art as desired.
Stonescapes Mike Brookhart
When I saw the rocks and the way they were displayed, my sister
commented how it must have taken a long time to set it all up. Each
detail to the display had to be painstakingly displayed because of the
style of art. When I asked Mike why “stonescape”, he explained that he
worked for the Highway Department. From the bridges and buildings taken
down, there were always leftover stones and rocks. From those
stonescraps, he began to create his “stonescape” art. He then became
interested in reshaping, cutting, and chiseling the rocks.
My Thoughts
I took a lot of pictures for this event and I had a lot of fun
exploring the entire place. If I had come alone, I might have explored
each and every booth and station. Given the time, I would have
probably bought something from each place. Yet time was not in
the essence, so I soaked in what I could. Current and future pictures
are proof of such.
1. 50 Little Birds - Geoff Davis and displays of his artwork are based
upon his love for birds.
2. Pics Patriotic Wood figure, pillow art, really neat house, shell ur
art, watermelleon umbrella. Shown is artwork done by this woman who
displayed her artwork in her backyard and showed her appreciation for
many different types of art.
3. Designs in Wood - Nick Vidakovic - Photos display the work of some
artists who loved fish and wood. My favorite pictures are of the trunk
because they show pictures of an old trunk that is a nearly two plus
centuries old.
4. How 2 Make A Woodencanoe - These pictures showcase the station that
taught me how the Native American Indians made canoes by hand. I was
given the pleasure of standing within the canoe while man carved out
the canoe around me.
5. Minntia - Lori DeBacker - This display showcased dollhouse sized
art. This woman made tiny items for a dollhouse. The dollhouse on
display looked so realistic that I felt I could live in it. It was if I
had a giant microsope into how my dolls lived when I was not looking.
6. Old Fashion Artwork - Black Smith - The photos are of people who
dressed up specifically in character. Also they are displays specially
inspired by the artwork of old-fashion days gone by.
7. Spirit River – Indian Art - It is exactly as the title suggests. The
artwork showcases Indian era stuff and appreciates Native American
history and culture as a whole. It is a husband and wife operation.
Their artwork centers around carvings, pottery, jewelry, and paintings.
8. Stephanie Preston’s Clay Art - Her artwork is clay inspired and
clay-err-refitic!
9. Stonescapes – Mike Brookhart - It is artwork focused around stone
and rock inspirations.
10. Treaty No. 2 Meeting House - The Meeting House tells the story of
“Treaty-City” of Greenville. And how the Indians’ treaty with the
Whiteman did not last the first time around. There were also handouts
telling the history and purpose of “The Great House, Big House, or
Council House”.
11. Virgil’s Fine Soap Pics - Photos showcase the soap artwork of this
guy I met upon my arrival. It is a daughter-father operation. And you
can read more about in the above description depicted.
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