Boundary Arts Connection: Volume 3

Were you at the Boundary County Fair last week? It is proof that the creative spirit is alive and well in our community. I enjoyed the long-standing tradition of strolling through the exhibits of hundreds of creations. From quilts to Lego structures, from pencil drawings to giant wooden creatures, the artistic spirit was in full force throughout the exhibit hall.

I was excited to see all the colorful works and my first stop was the far corner where the drawings and paintings were displayed. I loved the desert scene by Charlie Dinning, a young boy who has often visited the gallery with his grandmother and sisters. I could just imagine the adventure he was having through his imagination as he painted the cacti and sand.

As I continued, I came across more artistic adventures. Some that caught my eye were a pirate ship, a dramatic mountain scene, and a colorful, happy shark – all works by Saxon Craig. A few sections further on, I noticed the colored pencil work of Logan Craig. A dramatic green anglerfish, a turtle and friends, and a whole page full of colorful circles were some of his detailed entries.

Perhaps my favorite of the 2D works was Samuel Barbacci’s “Barber Shop,” a pen and ink watercolor. Both nostalgic and modern, the work depicts an old building with power lines above it, evoking a sense of history intertwined with the promise of new ideas. In the Seniors category, another watercolor by Joe Barbacci caught my eye, which made me think Samuel could follow in his footsteps.

Next, I headed to the 3D creations. One entire exhibit was dedicated to dozens of Lego works, and the one next to it featured creations made from every material imaginable. I immediately recognized Ezra Kessler’s post-apocalyptic creation. Although I haven’t met him in person yet, I met his father a few weeks ago, who told me about Ezra’s art and his YouTube channel.

The creative sculpture resembled a cross between a machine creature and a pirate ship. It was designed to be made of different types of metal in varying degrees of decay. The copper and pewter colored gears and joints looked like they would make loud, creaking noises if they were alive.

I contacted Ezra via email to get some more information about his unique art form.

He began making these creations, called MECHs, in March 2023 and launched his YouTube channel at the same time. On his channel, he shares the step-by-step process of his various creations, which, he explained, are all part of a larger story he is working on. Ezra said the piece on display at the show took him just over two months to complete. Visit his channel at youtube.com/@woodlanderstudios to see more of his impressive work.

After my little trip to the fair, it was back to the gallery to print materials for my next group event. Tamara (of Wood Thief Art) and I have put together another opportunity to experience and celebrate the creative works of some of our hidden local artists. The Boundary County Artist Studio Tour will be held on September 14th and 15th from 10am-4pm both days. It is free to the public and features the works of 12 local artists at 10 locations – I hope you’ll join us.

For information on the Artist Studio Tour, visit teascarlet.com to view each artist and the map.

Until next month, I hope you find a way to make the world a more beautiful place.

Hannah Sucsy owns and operates Teascarlet Fine Art.