Murphy – As Tim Ford looked down the sidewalk at the people enjoying the Art Walk on Friday night, he remarked the activity looked normal for November.
“It’s a great night, great weather,” said Ford, who organizes the monthly event for the Valley River Arts Guild.
He was happy that at this time in the season he was still getting new artists to sign up to participate. A new artist, Janet Beall, was the featured artist outside the Murphy Art Center, demonstrating how she makes Ukrainian eggs.
Beall first got interested in Ukrainian eggs when a friend introduced her to the tradition, and the friend’s mother gifted her an egg. The eggs are cleaned out inside, while the designs are created with wax and dye.
She enjoys the geometry aspect of designing the eggs. Beall is a former math teacher who also does basketweaving and watercolor painting. She thinks art and math complement each other.
“My math helps me become a better artist, and my art helps me become a better person,” Beall said.
One of the things that attracted her to moving to the area from Georgia about 18 months ago was John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown. It was there that she took a class and learned how to make the eggs. She has since gotten involved with the arts guild.
“It’s a joy to get to connect with other artists in the area,” she said.
Ford hopes the evening will be just as nice for the next Art Walk on Friday, Dec. 5. It was originally meant to be coordinated with Murphy’s tree-lighting ceremony, but all Christmas festivities in the town have been canceled.
Ford said he’s been assured the tree will be lit before that Art Walk. He plans to encourage performers to be in the holiday spirit, spreading Christmas music throughout downtown that evening.
“I’m going to bring Christmas back,” he said.