Artists Add Downtown Flair

The Rock Springs Main Street/Urban Renewal Agency and Community Fine Arts Center are excited to host the first ever Artists and Makers Market. The event is set for Saturday, March 27, 10 am to 4 pm in Bunning Hall at the restored freight station, 603 South Main Street in Downtown Rock Springs. 

This inaugural event features over a dozen artists, crafters, and artisans with their original and hand-made work. Admission is free. 

Here's a sneak peek of what some of the artists are bringing to the Artists and Makers Market. 

Over the past several years, Kaye and Don Tyler have become well known for making colorful push toys for children. Their toys make the perfect addition to any baby shower basket, but are also a fun gift for birthday and holiday celebrations. Over the past year, they have expanded their creations into weathered wood items such as trays and angels, and are now ready to introduce their rustic and unique trees which can be used to decorate your home year-round or during the holiday season. Several of their trees include decorative treatments or stained glass. 

Helena Albers has been creating her pebble pictures since retiring over a year ago.  The rocks are found in riverbeds, out on the range and in the mountains. Some are tumbled before being added to a design, others are painted, and some get cleaned, varnished and used for their natural color.

Susie von Ahrens has been fascinated with glass for nearly 30 years after taking a stained glass class. Now her focus is glass fusing, creating a variety of designs, both functional and non-functional. 

“Several of my designs are created with flowers and nature in mind but I also love abstracts," Von Ahrens said. "Glass comes in many colors and textures as do flowers."

She added, "Living in Wyoming all my life, I have seen the brown desert areas and the green and lush areas leading to the mountains, all of which have beautiful vibrant and fragrant wildflowers.”

I started Quimby's Eats because I LOVE desserts, and decorating cookies gives me a chance to use art in creative, edible forms. Depending on the cookie designs my customers order, I am able to utilize drawing skills through food color markers, painting with food colorings, air brushing and modeling with fondant. With royal icing cookies, the variety of art form combinations is endless!

From beautiful, colorful picnic quilts and kitchen items, to masks and homemade baklava, Donna Toly’s booth will be one not to miss!  A former home economics teacher and head of the school district’s lunch program, Donna has the experience to produce quality items. She is also very involved in our community with Blankets for Kids and cooking and serving at the local soup kitchen.

Edie paints a variety of work including Rocky Mountain wildlife, personalized art, and some fun, cute paintings. From her original artwork, she makes  throw pillows, coffee mugs, fleece blankets and more.

As a native of Wyoming, RJ has a deep love of his home state and the natural environment. Photography was a way he could capture the beauty from an early age and he took many opportunities to learn more.
With RJ's talents and taking classes from renowned photographer Paul Ng , RJ's passion and technical competence has propelled him to the status he enjoys today. As owner of New Studio Photography and an active member in Professional Photographers of America and the Wyoming affiliate, RJ’s work continues to grow.

Debora Soulé has always stayed connected to the arts in one way or another – pottery and sculpture, cartooning for GAF Viewmaster, custom bridal designs, painting, and graphic design. She has served as the director at the Community Fine Arts Center for over twenty years and teaches drawing, relief printing and other fine art techniques, as well as knit and crochet.

“I have painted almost every day this past year, focusing on birds and animals. The goal is to capture the personality of the subject, a lot of times with a little humor.”   

Jacobson makes oatmeal face wash for both dry and normal to oily skin, bath bombs, sugar scrubs, bath salts, crocheted bath scrubbers, lotion bars and various other items. Her products are handmade in small batches with no preservatives and no chemicals. Be on the lookout for her gift baskets at the Artists and Makers Market.