By DAVID DUPONT
BG Independent News
As Thanksgiving approached, Becky McOmber, who makes leather purses and other items, was coping with the cancellation of the annual Holiday Boutique at Grounds for Thought.
For 17 years, the coffee shop and used book store has transformed itself into an indoor art fair, crammed with artists and artisans, and customers looking for distinctive gifts. For McOmber, this was the one art fair she did every year.
This year, though, the boutique was canceled because of the pandemic. Becky White Schooner tried to fill the void, and scheduled a smaller socially distanced event at the gift shop at Schooner Farms. But with COVID-19 cases spiking, that also had to be canceled.
So, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, McOmber decided to set up shop in her garage and invite patrons in. That worked so well, she considered expanding the concept. With the help of Kathy Pereira de Almeida, who was involved in organizing the holiday boutique at Grounds, they put together the Open Air Art Tour.
The art tour will take place Saturday, Dec. 5 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sunday Dec. 6 from 1-4 p.m. Customers will travel to visit nine artists and artisans in Bowling Green and at the gift shop at Schooner Farms.
Each will be set up outside and visitors are asked to wear face coverings and maintain social distancing. “We think we will be as safe as can be,” McOmber said.
There’ll be variety of items on sale, including jewelry, hats, photography, and furniture.
For McOmber it’s about more than sales. “As an artist and a maker, we all pretty much work in isolation,” she said. “We like the feedback and the reaction from people. It’s rewarding when people like what you.”
Stops on the tour are:
- Ann Beck: 717 Brittany Ave., Mixed media jewelry and wall art. annmbeckartist.com
- Jan Bell: 1073 Melrose Street, fine art photography. bellimages.com
- Penny Evans-Meyer: 203 Buttonwood Avenue, Fiber art: felted hats, mini fishing games, mini landscapes, tea/coffee cozies, mug mats
- Vicki Knauerhase: 19758 Sand Ridge Road, cards, pin cushions, fabric brooches, books/folios, casserole and microwave bowl caddies, take-along toy tins. Instagram Vickie_Knauerhase
- Becky McOmber: 420 Knollwood Drive, one of a kind leather purses, leather zipper pouches, leather earrings, hand thrown stoneware pottery fb/rkmleather.com
- Marge Meserve: 420 Knollwood Drive, Encaustic ornaments and pendants. fb/marge meserve and Twitter @MargeMeserve
- Becky White Schooner: 14890 Otsego Pike, Weston, herbal items, honey, fun gifts. schoonerberries.com
- Ellen Fure Smith: 751 Sand Ridge Road, Little Bare Furniture: handmade furniture, gifts, décor. fb/littlebarefurniturecompany and Instagram @LittleBareFurniture
- Louis Staeble, 137 Leroy Avenue, photography. Instagram louiestaeble@instagram.com
