Besides feeding our faces, we walked around and discovered the many booths of arts and crafts from artisans near and far away. Some have been coming back again and again since the festivals first began, according to Burt, the festival’s new president. For some, this was their first experience selling their creations at a festival. Others have been coming back every year. But all the participants have passed the high standard juried selection before they are accepted. He also told me that this year there are over 85 vendor participants and that all the festival money received from food and activities goes right back into the community to help its citizens. The three main festival celebrations are Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day. Festival hours are 8 am-5pm, Saturdays and 8 am-4pm on Sundays.

As I meandered around the white capped tents, neatly arranged side by side, I saw a few that captured my interest. They may not be the same ones you would choose but you will have lots to choose from when you visit one of the several festivals held each year in Pine. 

There was also a booth of Tonto Rim Search and Rescue (TRSAR) that showed its own spin on creativity…with T-shirts and sweat shirts with the message on the backs, “Support Search and Rescue, GET LOST.” I assume it is in jest but seriously, they are the heroes who rescue lost and/or injured hikers, wandering elders or many others who get in trouble in even the most remote wilderness areas. These are the unsung heroes who serve our community and beyond…completely in a volunteer capacity. 

And if ladies think that aprons are only for the drudgery of daily cooking, they need to visit Joanna at her booth, “The Apron Shop. Com.” You will find an incredible array of fancy aprons to fit any classy occasion you wish to cater.
And we ladies always are carrying lots of stuff so she has designed bags that will fit your treasured things that you can’t leave home without. Joanna was driven to be creative from wanting to get out of the insurance business -- what she felt was “the corporate rat race.”

As I paused by a man deftly weaving his baskets, I wondered how he could create such lovely designs with just reeds and willow slips. Bob was excited to share with me his passion about basket weaving. I didn’t realize there was so much interest -- world-wide -- in weaving. Even conferences and contests. I looked at one of the baskets and asked how long it would take to make such a basket. “About six hours,” he said. His first craft show was in Pine where he sold a creation. He was delighted and amazed. Bob comes from a background of Health Care Technology but was always drawn to woven things. He mentioned that the herringbone designed basket takes longer because of the intricacy of the pattern. His passion is taking him to Poland for two weeks for a weaving judging contest. Another surprise! I learned that Poland has a large willow weaving community and supplies the world with willow baskets.  

And I met Nora who started her carving and painting gourds over 20 years ago because she grew them in her garden and, as she said, “I just had to do something with them!” She commented, “I’ve dabbled in art my whole life but didn’t apply it until I had the gourds.” A Camp Verde resident, this was Nora’s fifth time showing at the Pine Festival.

And I met Josephine and learned about her passion for taking scrap tissue paper, left over items and discarded things to make what she termed, “Repurposed Art.” She got interested when she attended a Sonoran Art League Art Crawl and was inspired to begin making collages out of paper. She has scoured landfills, haunted thrift store discards and anything no one wanted. She had an Indian art piece and I discovered she used old pocketbook pieces, footstool cover pieces, boots, crushed beads, hair felting and part of a chair seat with a background of assorted tissue paper. Wow, it was totally transformed into an original art piece worth staring at! 

My eyes were mesmerized by the nature photography that Bryon Neslen had captured on aluminum backing. The colors were so spectacular, I had to blink twice to make sure they were real. He uses both digital and film to produce his art. He told me Pine has a special place in his heart as his great-great- grandfather was Revilo Fuller, one of the early pioneers of this Rim Country. Bryon modestly mentioned that he has been featured in the Arizona Highways Magazine several times. His passion is being able to capture the spirit of the landscape or the animal he is photographing. I think he does just that!

Another booth held whimsical, life size wood cut outs of fun messages from dogs and other animals. This was Diane Valentine’s art expression. She shared that she first got into a form of art by sewing and using wood for bases of her works. Her mother bought her a toy sewing machine when she was eight years old and she’s been sewing ever since. Neighbors approached her and asked her to transfer some of her art into wood forms. Diane loves her new medium of wood and this was her first year for art festival. I loved her Dog Signs. One said, “Home is where the dog hair sticks to everything except the dog.” 

Next year, I plan to attend both days the festival is held. There just isn’t enough time to see enough if you only go one day. So much to see and so many fine artists with so many great stories of how they got to the festival with their passionate creations. 

If you plan to go in the future, there are still two more festivals this year -- July 4th weekend and Labor Day weekend in September.  

Festival President Burt told me both the community and the Pine Business community hold festivals. This past May 25-26th was fun- - for all ages and well-behaved visiting doggies may bring their owners with them!

June 15th and 16th - The 29th Annual Community Pine Strawberry Festival

July 6th and 7th - The 39th Annual P/S Guild Juried Summer Show

August 31st and September 1st - The 39th Annual P/S Guild Juried Fall Show 


October 12th and 13th - The 12th Annual Fall Festival -Antique Show,
 Chili Cookoff and Scare Crow Contest.


 Want more information? 
Pine Strawberry Arts & Crafts Guild: www.pinestrawberryartscrafts.com 

Email: coolpc680@hotmail.com


Pine Strawberry Business Community 
 www.psbcaz.com 

 Email: coolpc680@hotmail.com

I hope that visiting some of our Rim Country arts and crafts festivals will inspire you to discover or rediscover the passion and purpose of your own heart art and perhaps you too will be showing at one of our future fun local 
art shows!