Beauty in Art at Arts & Music Festival

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April 4, 2009

By CHERIL VERNON The Palestine Herald-Press Sat Apr 04, 2009, 10:52 PM CDT

PALESTINE — Handmade jewelry, candles, iron work, paintings, photography and other arts were featured in Saturday’s Arts & Music Festival on the Museum for East Texas Culture grounds.

The event was one of many activities held during the last weekend of the Dogwood Trails Celebration which festivities ranged from the Hard Hat Tours, CASA 5K and the YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day.

Pine needle artist Rachel Burk of Bradford was one of the exhibitors at the Arts & Music Festival, displaying her bowls, platters, miniature tea sets, crosses, necklaces, ornaments and other items — all made from pine needle.

Each piece of the pine needle art is composed of pine needles collected in East Texas forests. Raffia is used to weave the coils together. In some cases, walnut slices are used as center pieces or in other locations of the piece. Each piece is unique in both design and shape.

Growing up underneath the tall pines of East Texas, Burk learned to admire nature at an early age. She spent many hours exploring the woods on both foot and on horseback, and has degrees in Cultural Anthropology and Museum Management. The study of the native cultures of North and South America fascinates her, so when she was introduced to pine needle basketry, a craft that has been practiced for centuries by the Native Americans, Burk was hooked.

“My mother-in-law told me she knew a craft I should try,” Burk said Saturday. “And she was right. I picked it up about 4 1/2 years ago and have been addicted to it ever since.”

Her miniature tea sets can take up to 20 hours to complete. Each coil is only eight pine needles thick, the spoons are made with two pine needles and the trays are about 12 pine needles thick.

There are 12 pieces in the tea set: teapot and lid, sugar bowl and lid, cream server, two cups, two saucers, two spoons and a serving tray. The pieces are roughly 1 inch tall, the teapot is 1 3/4 inch tall and 2 1/2 inches from spout to handle. The tray is 4 1/2 inches across.

“I’ve never met other people in person who do the craft, but I have online,” Burk said.

Weaving artist Toni Smith of Tucker also showcasd her work Saturday.

“It’s weaving but there are several different styles,” Smith said, noting she started five years ago from curiosity and is self-taught mostly from the Internet. “I like fiber. When I saw a Swedish weave, I just had to have it.”

While she mostly does things for friends and family, Smith said she hopes to open a shop in Tucker for lessons and fellowship.

Frosty Hardin made a purchase Saturday at the Arts & Music Festival that held a special meaning for her. She purchased a piece of iron art featuring a soldier praying before a cross.

“Ive seen them across town on stickers and vehicles, but I’ve always wanted one,” Hardin said.”

Hardin served the Army as an MP in Fort Hood, Germany, Bosnia and for a short time in Kuwait.

“It’s something to remember the troops,” Hardin said. “There are too many fallen soldiers.”

Bands performing Saturday include White Flag, Heartline and Johnny Mac & The Gamblers, provided by Stephen Lesh Records.

The event, which organizer Joy Phillips hopes to make an annual event, was sponsored by the museum and Ben E. Keith.

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Online:

Pine Needle Arts: http://www.pine-needle-art.com

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