Variety of beautiful artwork on display at the Ripley Artisan Festival

Sixteen artists and artisans brought their beautiful work for display and for sale at the Ripley Artisan Festival, held on the weekend at the Ripley-Huron Community Centre.

There was a tremendous variety of items, including paintings, stained-glass, woodworking, stone-work, purses, photography, sculpture, jewellery and more.

This year's event-sponsored artist was Kayla Heinisch, 15, of Ripley who creates bead-and-wire sculptures in the shape of trees.

"I've been making these since before Christmas," says Kayla. "I saw some artwork with beads and wire, and decided to try it. I started out just making them for gifts."

While she enjoys creating the artwork, Kayla wants to be a chef, and she hopes the sale of her creations will help pay for the courses required to reach that goal.

Another young woman, Sarah Nagus of Kincardine, is showing her work for just the second time, following a display at the Artful Hands show in Kincardine last weekend.

Under the name "Designs By Sarah," she creates handmade jewellery, including gorgeous necklaces, pendants, bracelets and earrings. "I get a lot of my inspiration on-line and from looking at different pieces," she says.

Kincardine photographer and artist Sarah Chisholm had many of her vibrant works on display, as well as her very first original painting, "Lights at Boiler Beach," made from acrylic, watercolour and glaze.

She says she just needed the confidence to start painting, and thanks to encouragement from friends and other artists, and from Athina Gatos at Artemis Art Supplies in Kincardine, she finally made the leap.

Kristen Holloway of Kincardine, a new member of the Victoria Park Gallery in downtown Kincardine, had her handmade jewellery and creations on display, including papier mache/mixed media sculptures, and her delightful jar creatures.