Sonora, County Fair and Spring Festival

         Coming soon to Tuolumne County and the surrounding communities are summer festivals and local Farmers Markets. These are always great events that I have enjoyed as I am able to visit with the wonderful people involved. This year I was asked to participate in many of these events and help support our local communities. I think this will be a great way to support local farmers and craftsmen and craftswomen.

      The summer starts off with the Spring Festival in downtown Sonora on April 28th. I am planning on attending this fun event. My booth will be located just South of the main light on Washington St., across from the Opera Hall. Come visit me and check out many of the items I will have on display.

    Over the summer there will be numerous festivals and fair featuring many exhibits. I am currently trying to decide  which items I will enter in this years County Fair as a fun and creative way to evaluate my woodcraft with many other talented artists. I was actually looking into participating in the the State Fair as well, but I have yet to decide if I will take part. One of my newest creations seen here is a coffee knocker for the espresso machine. A very easy way to rid the grinds without banging and it looks nice in the kitchen. Most are made from stainless steel and I thought a sturdy washable piece of Black Oak would be perfect. Plus Oak has a very high tolerance for bacteria and other organisms (think about wine barrels)!

     I have been making dozens of fruit bowls utilizing a variety of artistic styles. The fruit bowls are one of my best sellers and have been hard to keep stocked. I am very tempted to use alcohols to speed up the curing process and increase my roll over in products. Waiting 6 months to finally have a stable bowl is the most trying part of my hobby. I try to keep as natural a process as possible, especially since my products have a very organic style and feel, and 99% of the time they are! As I mentioned, the artistic style is a great way to test my skills. As of late my challenge  has been producing a bowl that is very thin. Most of the time I am around the 1/8" realm and I am getting closer and closer to going even thinner. My goal one day is to produce a bowl that you can almost see through. This will be a ways down the road as I personally have never seen one. I believe you should always have a challenge somewhere, somehow to improve your skills and keep your mind and your eye sharp with creativity.

   Lastly, per the request of some friends of mine, I have been commissioned to make some crosses from the local woods. One friend enjoys collecting crosses from around the world and asked if I could make one for her from the local mountain woods. Where I find my inspiration and passion! My other friend plans to hang his in his home office. It brings joy knowing my art will be appreciated and admired in a caring home.

I hope to see you at the Sonora Spring Festival!!

Scotty