SYRACUSE — Oakwood Resort and Chautauqua-Wawasee had a beautiful day for the annual Fine Arts Festival. Saturday, Sept. 12, started a little chilly and more than a little damp, but ended with sunshine and happy faces in the Syracuse community.

The outdoor art festival was held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the Oakwood Resort grounds and offered a little free fun for everyone who stopped by. As guests walked to the first booth they could grab some barbecue from JNB Smokers or some freshly popped kettle corn.

Artists from all over Indiana, including South Bend, Syracuse and Fort Wayne, were set up under white tents on the green, grassy lawn. Artisans stood by their work, chatting with community members about techniques and their varied crafts.

A ceramic piece created by Joseph Pelka.

Joseph Pelka, a ceramic artist based in Fort Wayne, took time to share the story of his trade. He laughed as he told of his previous love of woodworking, until he almost cut his finger in shop class. His passion quickly changed to ceramics, which he has practiced for the past 35 years. His sense of humor and colorful work kept visitors in the booth with rapt attention. This was his second year joining in the festival, and he offered a huge acknowledgement to Marlies West and Nathan Day Wilson for setting up such a wonderful community event.

The Kosciusko County Community Foundation set up a few tables to keep children involved in the arts, as well. Children could practice their philanthropic side by making a card for a local police officer or firefighter, or send a window sun-catcher to a sick child at Riley Children’s Hospital.

There was also a small petting zoo set up nearby, with a mini paint horse named Abner catching everyone’s eye. There were several fainting goats and two donkeys that children could feed with snacks provided by the owners, although the goats tended to go for loose clothing more than loose corn.

Sue Ganshorn explained how her husband, Jerry, crafts each piece.

Locals Jerry and Sue Ganshorn displayed their beautiful wooden crafts, including small and large bowls, vases and platters. Sue took a few moments to explain how her husband creates the lovely pieces, some of them crafted with “the ugliest part of the tree,” or the burl. Jerry uses the burl to create pieces that are naturally filled with holes and multi-colored, then uses an epoxy finish to coat each one.

Another woodcrafter, Old Guy Woodcrafters, had a lot of attention from the public as he shared the various types of wood and wax he uses to make beautiful cutting boards and platters. Liz and Lee Clark, owners of Turkey Creek Alpacas, were also set up at the festival to showcase their goods along with two alpaca friends.

The Oakwood Fine Arts Festival gave many local vendors a chance to engage community members and share their trade and love of arts. It was also a wonderful opportunity to involve children in the process while enjoying fun in the sun.