Holiday Spirit Abounds at Holly Art and Craft Show

Holiday Spirit Abounds at Holly Art and Craft Show
(Crystal A. Proxmire, Nov. 8, 2015)
 
What better way to start the holiday shopping season that a gigantic art and craft show set with the beautiful red backgrounds of Holly High School? Volunteers in red shirts tended to the needs of over 130 vendors and thousands of shoppers for the annual Holly Art and Craft Show on Saturday. The event is the annual fundraiser for the Holly Historical Society and Holly High School Project Graduation.
“This is what pays the rent and keeps the lights on,” said Historical Society Treasurer Worley Smily. “Half the money goes to the Historical Society and half goes to the high school seniors for their senior class Project Graduation.”
Project Graduation is an all night party to give seniors a chance to celebrate graduation in a safe environment.
In addition to raising money for good causes, the event gives local artists a chance to showcase their work and make some money. The diversity of items shows the eclectic mix of tastes and creative spirits in the community.
For example, there are Crazy Cluckers.
Pearl and Victor Podlinsek raise chickens on the Crazy Cluckers ranch in Howell. And one day on a trip to Shipshewana Peal met a man selling hand-carved ostrich and emu eggs. She was so impressed with them that she started experimenting on a smaller scale, with the eggs laid by her own chickens.
“I needed a creative outlet and this was perfect. I tend to the chickens and I just sit outside with them, carving away. It’s very peaceful” Pearl said.
She does carving and painting in a variety of designs. There were Old English D’s, musical notes, animals, abstract designs, the Michigan mitten, faces, and even ones that are painted with tiny holes in the shell so that a light can shine through and showcase the designs.
The shells are naturally very hard and resilient. “I feed my girls right,” she said.
The eggs can be made into ornaments, displayed in a case, or even propped on a stand with a light to really “egg-centuate” the design. She does several local art fairs a year, but does not yet have a website. For more information contact crazycluckers@gmail.com.
Another local artist Jim Strode from Bloomfield Hills does hand poured pewter pieces. Strode enjoys historical reenactments, and often brings his pieces to Civil War and other historical themed events. The Holly Art and Craft Show is his only art show exception. “I have two grandkids who go to Holly Schools, so I do this one so I can help support the schools,” he said. Strode uses original casts to pour pewter spoons and buttons like those made during the Civil War era. Today’s pewter is safer though, with no lead in it, he said. Strode also makes coin recreations, ornaments, and figurines. He also does not have a website, but he can be found at reenactment events, with Strode selling his wares in full period costume.
A newbie to the art fair scene was George Paulson. He’s been a long time “tinkerer” in his garage, who eventually started selling his wooden crafts to Suhm Thing store in Birmingham. “I enjoy working in the garage,” he said. “I never really had plans for making a business out of it, but I’ve been encouraged to do it.” Paulson’s most noticeable piece was a large American Flag with Michigan in the blue, made with picket-fence-shaped pieces. There were also wooden crosses, birdhouses and boxes for beer and wine bottles.
For Kathy Jacob the Art and Craft Fair is a chance to work with her sister and get out to meet potential clients. Jacob is a licensed massage therapist and personal trainer. She and her sister started making therapeutic neckwraps about a year ago. “Plug in ones leave you stuck in one place and they aren’t designed to fit around your neck and really get into the parts of the shoulder than need it,” she said.
The wraps can be microwaved or put in the freezer, depending on if hot or cold is needed. And they are made with many fun patterns. Her website is http://www.executivemassageonline.com/about-us.html.
To learn more about the Holly Historical Society, visit their website at http://www.hsmichigan.org/holly/.
For upcoming events in Holly and through Oakland County, check out the oc115 Event Page at https://oaklandcounty115.com/events/.
Other upcoming craft shows:
Clawson: https://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/11/04/christmas-in-clawson-craft-show-nov-14/
Ferndale: https://oaklandcounty115.com/2015/11/02/ferndale-holiday-showplace-dec-5/
Note: a previous version of this story neglected to mention Project Graduation as one of the groups behind the event, and this story has been updated to include them.

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