Murphy – About 35 artists filled the downtown sidewalks Friday night for a busy October Art Walk.
Tim Ford, who organizes the event for the Valley River Arts Guild, said he was happy to see the COVID-19 awareness, but not the limitations that may have kept some people home last month.
“I’m just really thrilled,” he said. “I think it’s a great turnout of people.”
For this month, Ford had eight new artists, with several signing up to participate just in the last week.
“I was stunned to see new artists. I love to see that,” he said.
One new artist was Kathleen Overdorff of Andrews. She was selling her “coronavirus projects.” Since February, she made too many tote bags, towels, pouches, cozies and tablet cases.
“I enjoy sewing,” she said. “It’s my passion.”
Although Overdorff typically makes things to give to others, she decided to try selling at the Art Walk because she had an excess of items. In just an hour, she had already sold many items at her table outside Glitz and Glamour.
“It’s great,” Overdorff said. “It’s a great way for people to get out and meet each other.”
She planned to be at the November and December Art Walks, and promised to bring more Christmas-themed items.
Another new artist was Claudia Lawhon of Marble. She is a local nurse who started making barn quilts last November.
“It’s a great stress reliever,” she said. “I call it my therapy.”
Lawhon used to hand quilt, but prefers the more instant gratification of painting quilt patterns. After seeing what she does, her husband, Douglas, started painting, too. Some of his works were alongside hers on the outside The Curiosity Shop Bookstore.
Ava Anderson always wanted to come to Art Walk, but couldn’t because she couldn’t get out of work at the Murphy Post Office in time. Now that she’s retired, she had plenty of time to show her unique bicycle wheel art.
She started making the wreath-like crafts after seeing a wheel craft on Pinterest.
“But it was nothing like this,” she said, gesturing to a fashionable snowman made out of two staked wheels.
A friend told Cindy Fife of Mineral Bluff, Ga., that she should bring her raw stone jewelry to the Art Walk. Fife was inspired to work with stones two years ago after attending a gem show, then started making jewelry about a year ago.
“I love it,” she said. “It’s a beautiful day, and there’s lots of great artists.”
Art Walk is usually held from 5-8 p.m. on the first Friday of each month from May through December.