Malarie McConaha and Tim Hunter: Stop #10 on the Arts and Ag Tour of Hickman County

Malarie McConaha will be performing with Time Hunter at Duck River Rose Farm both days of the tour.

When Malarie McConaha moved to Nashville in 2014 to launch her career as a singer and songwriter, she began hitting the local music scenes around the city most evenings while during the day, working at a Broadway boot store to pay the bills. That story is a familiar one for many music hopefuls, but for her, that part didn’t last long.

She had been hearing about a small town outside of Nashville, where many of her music icons live and play music in casual settings almost every day. A local open mic night seemed like a simple stop, but it would be the first of many that would change her life.

She quickly met friends and became close with many of the famous and not-so-famous talented locals who have become mentors, sponsors, dear friends, and fans.

“At first, I was a little star-struck, but that wears off pretty fast when you realize that they are normal people living normal lives,” says McConaha. “Being surrounded by great talent inspires your own growth as an artist.”

But don’t let her humility fool you. There’s a reason why the music veterans like working with her. She has a style that blends hints of Janice Joplin and Bonnie Raitt with undertones of Linda Ronstadt. But her style is all her own as she tells stories of conviction, love, mystery, and adventure in her original, unique music. She underscores her soulful voice and story telling ability with raw acoustic and electric guitar.

Her talents extend beyond music. After suffering a broken wrist one afternoon after playing a show, she developed a love of making jewelry, which she sells at every show. Her jewelry is also sold in shops across the nation under the name Copper and Clay.

McConaha will be joined by Tim Hunter to perform for two days at the Duck River Rose Farm on the 2016 Arts and Ag Tour of Hickman County. They will play covers by Bonnie Raitt, Fleetwood Mac, John Prine, Bob Dylan, and Guy Clark, as well as originals including McConaha’s “Smooth Talker,” and Hunter’s “Til the Hurricanes Are Gone,” which is currently on hold for George Strait.

Craftyus: Stop #1 on Arts and Ag Tour of Hickman County

Wood Burning by Craftyus

Craftyus, longtime vendors at the annual Banana Pudding Festival, will be appearing for the first time on the Arts and Ag Tour at stop number 1 on the Public Square. Getting their start by combining a love of woodworking with an interest in polymer clay, Craftyus creates a variety of polymer clay figurines, wood crafts, and wood burnings. Seeing these end results is the most satisfying part of the process for Craftyus, that and the enjoyment their crafts bring to others.

 

 

 

Wood Games by Craftyus

At their booth during Arts and Ag, Craftyus will have a wide selection of their crafts available for purchase, including beautiful and unique bird houses, wood burned plaques, carpenter bee traps, polymer clay ornaments, charms, and figurines. Many of the materials Craftyus uses are either from the area or from the USA.

 

 

 

Polymer Figures by Craftyus

Outside of the Arts and Ag Tour, Craftyus’ works can be viewed and purchased during Autumn in the Country on October 1st on the Square in Centerville and Christmas Time’s a Coming  on November 19th at the East Hickman Elementary School in Lyles. They also sell their crafts from their home. More information can be found on their Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/craftyuscrafts, or at their booth during Arts and Ag.

Baskets for Hearth and Home: Stop #12 on the Arts and Ag tour of Hickman County

 

Baskets for Hearth and Home

Baskets for Hearth and Home will be making their first appearance on the Arts and Ag Tour at the Grinder’s Switch Winery, stop number 12 on the tour map. Sherryl Sneed and Brenda Cashion, the founders of the group, were initially introduced to the art of basket weaving through a class at church, Brenda 14 years ago and Sherryl 4 years ago. Since becoming hooked on the craft of basket weaving, the two have committed themselves to the art of creating something that is both useful and decorative at the same time, while teaching others to do the same.

Baskets for Hearth and Home will have a large selection of handwoven baskets of various sizes available for sale at their booth. The baskets are made from a variety of materials, including rattan, white oak, honeysuckle, day lily leaves, and leather. In addition, the baskets are stained with a homemade water-based stain made from local walnut hulls. Aside from the wide assortment of baskets they will have for sale, Baskets for Hearth and Home will also be demonstrating basket weaving all day Saturday.

Stop by the booth for demonstrations.

The baskets on display during Arts and Ag are also available at various other festivals throughout the year and at Baskets for Hearth and Home’s online store at basketsforhearthandhome.com. Their basket weaving classes are also available outside of the Arts and Ag Tour; Sherryl and Brenda teach a class each month at Cross Roads Cowboy Church in Bon Aqua and quarterly at Centerville United Methodist Church. Groups interested in basket weaving classes may also schedule a class at their location.

More information can be found on Baskets for Hearth and Home’s website or at their booth during the Arts and Ag Tour on Saturday.

JP Creatives: Stop #1 on Arts and Ag Tour of Hickman County

One of a kind and custom designs by jp.creatives

Jp.creatives will be displaying her unique and personalized creations at stop number 1–the Public Square in Centerville–on this year’s Arts and Ag Tour. Her second year on the tour, Janet Pierce, the artist behind jp.creatives, got her start working with puzzle pictures: first, putting a puzzle together and then gluing it to a surface to create a picture. Later, she made a frame for her granddaughter and, as she puts it, “the rest is history.” Even before her work with puzzle pictures, Janet Pierce has always had a love of the arts; as a child, she learned to play the piano from her mother, a pastime she enjoys to this day. Her artistic interests only expanded from there, first with crafting and later on, drawing.

In all of her many and varied pieces, jp.creatives strives for the challenge of creating something new. Each piece she makes is unique, no two exactly alike. At her booth during the Arts and Ag Tour, jp.creatives will have decorated frames, coasters, trinket boxes, ornaments – paper mâché stars & hearts and glass globes in different sizes – letters, wall hangings, crosses, and possibly some pieces of her father’s hand-carved, folk-lore style ornaments, pins, barrettes, and earrings.

One of a kind and custom designs by jp.creatives

Outside of the Arts and Ag Tour, jp.creatives’ work can be viewed occasionally at the Farmer’s Market at Riverpark in Centerville, from June through the end of September;  at the Grinder’s Switch Music and Arts Festival on September 10th; at the Autumn in the Country Arts & Crafts Fair on October 1st, and at the Christmas Time’s a-Comin’ Arts and Crafts Fair on November 19th. Jp.creatives also has a regular booth at the Centerville Marketplace on the Public Square and takes custom orders throughout the year. Further information will be available at jp.creatives’ booth during the Arts and Ag Tour.

Kim Cary: Stop #1 on the Arts and Ag Tour of Hickman County

Necklace made by jeweler, Kim Cary

Kim Cary’s handcrafted jewelry will be making its debut appearance on the Public Square in Centerville–stop number 1 on the map–during this year’s Arts and Ag Tour. She first began her journey into silversmithing and bead weaving thirty years ago as a single mother to young children. Since then, she has further developed her craft, spending many hours beading ornate and intricate designs. She pays special attention to the design of each of her pieces, carefully selecting each color and incorporating natural stones in such a way as to compliment the person wearing it.

Kim Cary’s booth at Arts and Ag will feature hand-made jewelry in sterling silver and 24k gold, beaded jewelry using natural gems like rubies and emeralds, and rose petal beads that keep their scent. She will also have homemade peanut butter brittle for those who have a sweet craving while perusing.

Kim Cary’s workshop is at her home, and, in her own words, “people are welcome to come and see what I do; I personalize to people’s requests and generally love a good chat.” More information will be available at Kim Cary’s booth at the Centerville Courthouse during Arts and Ag.

Green Acres Farm and Old Mill Creek Smithy: Stop #17 on 2016 Arts and Ag Tour of Hickman County

New on the tour this year is Green Acres Farm and Old Mill Creek Smithy. With a drive across a shallow spot in Mill Creek, getting there is half the fun!

Green Acres Farm: Getting there is half the fun.

Gary and Nancy Kelley and their two sons, Jonathan and Christopher had grown weary of suburban living and were longing for the country, so in 2012 they moved from Nashville to this 28-acre slice of rural paradise on Mill Creek. To the Kelleys their farm is more a source of play than a source of income. Gary still has a day job in Nashville, and Nancy and their high-school-aged boys spend their days homeschooling. In their spare time they all enjoy learning how to farm and are taking on new projects little by little. They will enjoy sharing their successes, and failures, with anyone who’d like to stop by and chat for a while on Friday.

 

Homemade Maple Syrup has been one of their family farm projects.

One of their success stories is having learned to make maple syrup from the trees on their farm. Gary did the research, built an outdoor cooking station, and enlisted his sons’ help with tapping trees, bringing in the sap, and boiling it down to a finished product of golden goodness. They were pleased and proud three years ago when the first batch turned out just as they’d hoped, and they’ve cooked up a supply of the sweet stuff every year since. It has turned out to be a great winter project for the men of the house. Gary will enjoy sharing with you the nuances he’s learned for how to make great maple syrup. If you’re a seasoned syrup-maker, he’ll welcome the opportunity to learn a new tip or two himself.

The Kelleys have also had success with keeping their 40-plus blueberry bushes thriving, supporting the free-range lifestyle of a dozen or so chickens (who in turn support them with fresh eggs), and raising their two head of cattle, affectionately named Victor and Briscoe Darlin’.

 

Blacksmithing Demonstrations will be given on the hour during the tour on Friday.

The most recent addition to Green Acres farm is the handsome side-draft forge fifteen -year-old Christopher has built. Chris has named his forge “Old Mill Creek Smithy,” and he enjoys crafting an array of hand-forged items there. “If I do say so myself,” Nancy says, “he’s quite good at it and has the touch of an artisan.”  He will offer blacksmithing demonstrations every hour on the hour and will be selling his hand-forged items. After the tour Chris’ wares will be available at Centerville Marketplace in downtown Centerville.

Seventeen-year-old Jonathan enjoys leather craft and also has an artist’s touch.  He will be happy to show you some of the techniques he has learned for turning a piece of leather into something elegant and useful.

Next door is Gary’s mother, tenderly known as “Granny.”  She joined the Kelleys on the farm three years ago, and they say she is a treasure to have close.  She will be displaying her large collection of quilts, and she looks forward to your stopping by for a visit. The quilts were handmade by her mother, Lucille, who was born in 1915 and lived to be 100 years old.

Also at Green Acres on Friday will be Shalom Farms selling their homemade teas, precious handmade dolls, and other items. Terry Day of GiGi’s Rag Rugs will be there, too, selling her one-of-a-kind rugs and demonstrating how she makes them.

At the end of the tour on Friday, you are invited to join the Kelleys for some casual, family-style praise music, produced by their own sons and young friends, down at the circa 1899 cabin by the creek. They’ll share some worship songs you may know as well as some originals they’ve written. Bring a blanket and join them on the lawn for an hour or so of music starting at 6:00 p.m.

 

Country life is suiting the Kelleys just fine.  Gary’s city job is one in which he spends all day at a computer “aligning ones and zeroes,” as he puts it.  He relishes the opportunity back on the farm to get his hands on some dirt and do something tangibly meaningful.  There’s a similar draw there for the rest of the family. They all say they love Hickman county.  They love the dirt roads, having to drive through creeks to get where they’re going, smelling the honeysuckle along the way, seeing a hand go up to wave as they pass.  Life, they say, truly is better in the country.

Toyzini Gallery – Stop #15 on the 2016 Arts & Ag Tour of Hickman County

Toyzini at work in his gallery in Lyles, TN

Toyzini Galleries features a wide array of artistic exhibits, ranging from work by outsider or self-taught artists to work by both local and national artists in a variety of mediums. The gallery is run by Hickman County native Randy Toy, also known as The Great Toyzini, a local outsider artist who has been an exhibit designer for Cheekwood Fine Arts Museum and Brooks Museum in Memphis and has been showing his own artwork as well as the work of others for over 40 years. He was involved with the first Arts and Ag, originally held in the basement of the Old Courthouse on the Historic Centerville Square, and has participated in the event, either as a vendor or a stop on the map for the past five years.

As one of the early participants in the Arts and Ag festival, Toyzini has witnessed the growth of the artistic and agricultural community surrounding the annual event. According to him, this growth is “only natural” given the amount of rural beauty and talent present in Hickman County. At Toyzini Galleries, the focus is on making connections between artists and vendors, and for many of the vendors showing at the gallery, Arts and Ag provides such an opportunity.

Toyzini Art Gallery, Hickman County, TN

Toyzini Art Gallery,  Hickman County, TN

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This year, Toyzini Galleries will present the following artistic lineup:

• Dr. Dale Sworts, a veterinarian known locally as the Medicine Man, will be displaying his paintings, many of which feature some of his patients.
• Rose Littrell, a nationally recognized sculptor who has created works for both the Wild Horse Saloon and Opryland Theme Park, will have one of her works on-site for the festival.
• Brenda Dawson, local author of Running for Home, will have her book available at the gallery.
• Terri Tucker, an amazing self-taught artist, will show her photo-realistic sketches.
• Guest artist, Rand Lane, a well-known artist, who makes the southern folk art circuits with his paintings.
• Guest speaker, Joyce Day will be giving a talk on collecting outsider art at 5 p.m. on the 27th and 11 a.m. on the 28th; she will also bring some pieces from her collection, as well as her original drawings.
• Emily Naff, photographer, will be introducing her new series titled “The New American Gothic,” a look at the modern organic farmer in Hickman County.
• Lauly Arts, created by multi-talented artist Claudia Reis from Berlin, Germany, will return to Arts and Ag with jewelry, paintings, bags, and found-object art.
• Denny Adcock, a woodworker and photographer will exhibit examples of both at the gallery.
• Lois Lewis will display her unique and beautiful, hand-painted pottery.
• Penny Stafford, a sculptor known for the textured surfaces of the pots she creates, will present a sampling of her work.
• Ben Lankford, an outsider artist whose work has been exhibited all over the southern United States.
• Clinton Toy, a woodworker and painter, will show handmade bird houses and carved fish along with his colorful two dimensional works.
• Tatum Creek Crochet, made by Cofie Toy, will feature crocheted market bags, baskets, and dishcloths.
• Antonia Meadors will exhibit her series of out-of-this-world lizard paintings.
• Austin Toy, Hickman County’s premier rap artist will have his latest CD available for sale.
• Wonderful festival food by Gloria McCord will be available from her cart on-site.

Toyzini Galleries is located at 5603 Hwy. 100, Lyles, TN 37098 and is stop number 15 on the Arts and Ag map. Further information on each of the above artists will be available at their respective booths during Arts and Ag.

Paintings by Antonia Meadors on display at Toyzini Gallery.

Denny Adcock at Toyzini Gallery

New American Gothic: Lewis Acres

Sunny Side of the Street by Toyzini

2016 Arts and Ag Tour Guide

The 2016 Arts & Ag Tour Guide and Map is now available for pickup or download.  Explore the beautiful back roads of Hickman County on this free, two day, self-guided tour of farms, art and music. Many favorite stops from previous years will be returning, as well as some new stops and new vendors to meet. Printed guides are now available at the Hickman County Chamber of Commerce on the Centerville Town Square and at each stop on the day of the tour.  In the meantime, you can download a full version of the tour guide here.

Download the 2016 Arts & Ag tour guide

 

Stop #20 Features Self-Taught Artist Glenda Lovell

Glenda Lovell is a self-taught artist who enjoys bringing new life to images of our not so recent past. She specializes in homesteads, old buildings, and barns. The latest addition to her portfolio is note cards which usually transform us to another time and place with historically significant structures or scenes. Each card contains a scripture reference that captures the essence of Glenda has a passion for art as well as history. She has found a way to preserve both in the gift for which she is so richly blessed. Glenda will be at Stop # 20.

Arts & Ag Tour Preview Stop #2

Centerville Marketplace is Stop #2 on the Arts & Ag Tour. Owner Korie Cochran boasts three floors of locally crafted products and a variety of vintage and antique collectibles. Cochran, who opened Centerville Marketplace in 2009, was one of the first new business owners on the square to concentrate her inventory in local, handmade items. Her knowledge of each and every product and the craftsmen who make them brings to life the story of Hickman County’s artisan community.

On day two of the Tour, one of Cochran’s premiere vendors, Joel Lopez of Keg Springs Pottery, will be demonstrating RAKU. RAKU is a type of traditional Japanese pottery that is used in the Japanese Tea Ceremony, typically in the form of tea bowls. The vessels are often hand shaped rather than thrown, and are fairly porous, which results from low firing temperatures. In the traditional Japanese process, the fired RAKU piece is removed from the hot kiln and is allowed to cool in the open air.

Keg Springs Pottery RAKU vessels for sale at Centerville Marketplace

Janet Hopkins-Campbell will be on site at Marketplace on Saturday as well demonstrating watercolor techniques from 10am-2pm. A native of West Virginia, Hopkins has completed more than 250 commissioned works for clients in her 3o-year plus career and has been painting in the Centerville area for more than a decade. She plans to display a number of paintings during the Tour that showcase Hickman County.