PENINSULA, Ohio — During Winter at Boston Mills Ski Resort, the art of skiing is on display. When the snow machines fall silent and the ski lifts stop for the Summer, other kinds of art appear.
"We are super-excited to bring back the 50th Annual Boston Mills Artfest", says Thomas Conti, head of marketing for Vail Resorts.
This is the final weekend for the premier art event. Over 300 artists from around the country from our back yard have brought incredible work to the show and sale. One local artist is watercolorist Cathy Welner. She doesn't need to look far for inspiration.
"I am inspired by things I see here in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park," says Welner, who has been painting since 1975. "I've been coming here for about 47 years."
Welner also says she can remember her first sale, a garden scene painted for the first Artfest. "It was a very special feeling to think someone wanted to hang my work in their home. Very special," Welner recalls.
In the North Tent, there are many different styles of art from paintings to pottery to art glass to ceramics. One of the most interesting booths is manned by Florida based Cesar Nogueira. He is a gemstone carver. Each color of his different bird carvings are done in different kind of precious and semi-precious stone and match the bird's real colors.
Here's how he describes one of his favorite carvings, a beautiful belted kingfisher: "You have sodalite for the dark blue, and you have obsidian for the bill, a different black onyx for the eye, and calcite for the white."
Cesar has been carving for 44 years. It's a skill handed down to him by his uncle, a famous carver in Brazil. He has had two apprentices that he's taught. One of which still carves to this day.
"It's a great feeling to know the skill will continue on," he says.
Creative visions brought to life through 18 mediums. They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder and for 50 years, Boston Mills Artfest has given us so much to behold.
Located at Boston Mills Ski Resort, 7100 Riverview Road, Peninsula, Ohio. Saturday, 10-6 and Sunday 10-5. Admission $11 advance and $15 at the door. Children under 12 are free. www.bmbw.com/artfest