News of the Winfield fairground flood kept some Walnut Valley Festival vendors at home, but the art and food produced by those who did turn up is well worth seeing this weekend.
Prehistoric-looking fish made by Ross De La Garza, are a good example. Called "Fish Ross" by his friends, De La Garza hails from Blanco, Tx near Austin. He’s making his first appearance at the WVF craft show. His googly-eyed little monsters won him an honorable mention from the WVF Craft Festival judges.
De La Garza said a vendor friend who usually comes to the festival but didn’t make it this year encouraged him to come. "I’ve wanted to see it," the potter said of the fest that draws bluegrass enthusiasts from all over the country.
Between sales to a few gushing customers, De La Garza explained his technique. His creations are formed out of clay baked in the raku style, he said. "Zen Buddism and the (Japanese) tea ceremony have their origins in this pottery," he said. According to De La Garza, the firing process involves extreme temperature changes that crack and shrink the clay, giving the finished product an antique look.
Mainly formed into fish with wide gaping jaws, popping eyes and a few with pointy teeth, De La Garza glazes them in muted purples, greens and oranges that give his art an earthy feel. The overall impression is of fossils dug from ancient layers of sandstone and igneous strata, which seems the perfect style for this geologist-turned potter.
De La Garza’s work is also functional. His pen holders make great desk accessories or eyeglass holders. The larger fish are fun decor and can be used as fruit hangers or towel holders. Either way, they’re just plain fun to look at.
Fellow potters and long-time WVF crafters Mindy and Greg Rhoads of Marquette are back again this year under the grandstand. Inspirational messages spill freely from their "Mindful Mosaics" and many shoppers strolling through the booths stop to read and admire their work. Besides the copious quirky quotes, tiles sport spirals, butterflies, faces and trees whose leaves tell the observer "love," "peace," and "laugh."
Dozens of petite clay pieces go into each picture and except for a few glass beads and China purchased from thrift stores the Rhoads mold and fire them all, said Greg. Potters by trade, the Rhoads have a few plates and bowls for sale, but their work over the years has "evolved" into mostly mosaics, he said. The pictures can be assembled on the road as they travel to others arts and craft fairs as far away as Florida, Greg said.
There’s no need to go hungry while at the festival. Besides the food court, a handful of food vendors are doling out lots of goodies in the WVF pantry. The pantry is located at the back of the craft barn.
Be sure to stop by the Pappardelle’s booth for pasta and oils, operated by Winfield locals Nick and Julie St. Peter. The St. Peters are back for their second year selling gormet treats that go beyond anything available in retail grocery stores. Pappardelle’s pasta comes in bright colors and fun-shaped twists and spirals, but traditional penne and flat linguini-styles are also available.
The distinct flavors are anything but garden-variety including thai spice, pumpkin, basil, sage, tomato, garlic and spinach. Tongue-tempting oils include balsamic vinegrettes, truffle and slow-roasted garlic, just to name a few. The booth features a tasting area with bread and dipping bowls, allowing shoppers to see which flavors they like best.
Foot traffic and sales in the pantry have been "great", according to Nick, who also sold this year at the Wichita farmer’s market in Old Town. The St. Peters won "Best in Pantry" for 2007 from WVF judges, but this could be their last year as vendors. The couple plans to turn over the business to another farmer’s market vendor.
"It’s been a lot of fun," said Nick of the pasta-selling venture.
Besides this year’s festival, Pappardelle’s pasta fans will be able to buy from the St. Peters at two nearby venues. These include Church of the Magdalene in Wichita on Nov. 1 and the Derby Recreation Commission’s art show set for Dec. 6.
If you missed the chance to snag one of these items here are a few email and website addresses: Ross De La Garza, phishross@aol.com; Mindy and Greg Rhoads, peacepttry@yahoo.com; and Pappardelle’s pasta, www.pappardellespasta.com.
