PO‘IPU — Judy Lynch was so nervous Saturday, her neighbor Herbert Miyazaki made a special stop at the Po‘ipu Craft Fair to help her set up before he went to work. Lynch, who has been amassing a collection of photographs,
PO‘IPU — Judy Lynch was so nervous Saturday, her neighbor Herbert Miyazaki made a special stop at the Po‘ipu Craft Fair to help her set up before he went to work.
Lynch, who has been amassing a collection of photographs, was apprehensive about showing her artwork at the craft fair at Po‘ipu Beach Park, one of three that take place at various points around the island.
“I told her there was nothing to be nervous about,” said Jessie Miyazaki, Lynch’s neighbor. “Just go out and show the work. People will buy.”
This was Lynch’s first appearance at a craft fair and she was concerned that people might just look and pass by.
But that was not the case Saturday as the first-time craft fair showing yielded some sales of the artist’s favorite pieces.
Jessie explained how Lynch moved here from the Mainland about three years ago and after working for an artist decided to strike out on her own.
“I would call her any time a flower would bloom and she would come over with her camera,” Jessie said. “Herbert would always joke about her last name being Fujimoto (the same last name of a prominent Kaua‘i photographer).”
At the All Saints Church Ho‘olaule‘a in Kapa‘a, Tracy Bauman, one of the crafters there, said their daylong event was an extension of the successful event they celebrated last year marking the church’s 80th anniversary.
“We have some crafters, but with other fairs going on, the craft fair wasn’t the center of attention,” Bauman said.
The hot item at the Kapa‘a event was the selection of homemade baked goods that were quickly swept up.
On Bauman’s table, the inventory of jewelry created by her daughter Alanna, 9, was also a fast-moving item.
“I just used bracelet wire,” the aspiring young artist said. “And it only took me about two hours to make 20 pieces.”
Alanna was busy participating in the assortment of children’s games and activities offered outside the landmark gym in Kapa‘a.
Additionally, there were food selections ranging from finger foods to full-blown plate lunches including kalua pork and rice, a selection of cold beverages, and in the absence of the traditional shave ice, hard ice.
Out in Princeville, the Church of the Pacific marked the first weekend of the month with the monthly Island Art and Craft Fair.
Amy Christmas, who is a regular at the Princeville event, opted to do the Po‘ipu event this weekend.
“This (Po‘ipu) one is always good for me,” said Christmas, a container artist who uses local dried palm fronds and other leaves. “It’s a heavy visitor traffic event, has food and live entertainment that helps draw the people.”
Mindy Hibbett of Hot Lava sunglasses was a little more reserved about being at the craft fair.
“I’m more of a vendor,” she said. “The other people are crafters. But this is one of three I am able to do in the year so I’m really happy to be here and business is always good. And I like the setup.”
Traffic through the two tents bulging with crafters and vendors was brisk and an equally brisk tradewind kept things cool, if not exciting for some of the crafters.
Paula Ishii of Hot Flashes, a glass artist whose main showroom is in the Coconut Marketplace, kept coming around her table to pick up cards of earrings the tradewinds would flip over.
“I don’t sort them out anymore. I’ve been doing this all day long,” Ishii said. “As long as people can see them, it’s OK.”
Across the aisles, artist Lee Jacobson Rowen was busy applying color to a frame of the sign art she was working on between customers.
“I’ve been painting signs for three years,” Rowen said. “I do almost all of the craft shows and I get to show my stuff two days a week at the Grand Hyatt Kaua‘i outside of Stevenson’s Library.”
Rowen was offering her colorful signs along with a variety of painted coconuts and paused after being interrupted by her children who needed funds for a sandwich.
“My biggest accomplishment is being part of the ‘Kaua‘i Made’ program,” Rowen said. “I’m very proud of this program because I can truly say, ‘these are made on Kaua‘i.’”
Lynch, in the meantime, said her next appearance will be at the Coconut Festival in Kapa‘a after another vendor suggested it.
• Dennis Fujimoto, photographer and staff writer, can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 253) or dfujimoto@kauaipubco.com.
