Murphy – The 7-year-old relative of a local dignitary displayed her entrepreneurial spirit Friday evening during the monthly Art Walk.
Jemmabelle Hill, a second-grade student at Andrews Elementary School, conceptualized her very own Stumpkin Patch last year and initially sold items in her hometown. This year, she ventured into Murphy and sold Stumpkins on a downtown sidewalk.
“This is the first time we’ve done Art Walk,” said her mother, Kristina Hill. “She’s very into arts and crafts.”
Jemmabelle’s desire to decorate slices of tree stumps spawned from her love of carving pumpkins. She obtains the wood from property owned by her grandfather, Andrews Alderman Steve Jordan.
The Stumpkins are created using an “assembly line” system to minimize the time it takes to complete one, thereby reducing its cost. When asked how long it takes to finish decorating one Stumpkin, Jemmabelle said, “About 30 minutes.”
“They’re all decorated or coated with exterior paint, so you don’t have to worry about it running,” Kristina said.
Jemmabelle’s display table garnered steady attention at Art Walk, where she also sold painted rocks.
“We get creek rock off Steve’s property, and when she wants, she’ll grab a handful of rocks and paint,” Kristina said.
A nice crowd was on hand Friday, in part because John C. Campbell Folk School’s annual Fall Festival started Saturday. The next Art Walk of 2019 will be held from 5-8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 1.