POMEROY — This past weekend, avid bird-watchers and local families gathered for the annual Birds in the Hills Festival at Wisteria Campground in Pomeroy.
Previously hosted at Camp Oty-Okwa, the nature-oriented weekend featured interactive sessions focused on birds and the scenic views of Appalachia.
Running May 17-19, each day consisted of different workshops and events, such as building bird nests, an all-day birding field trip, extensive hiking, bird identification lessons, and live music.
Although the festival was centered around birds, it also celebrated many aspects of nature and what the Appalachian land has to offer.
A table included a list of over 60 bird species seen during the festival including goldfinch, warblers, wild turkey, woodpeckers and more.
Local vendors took the opportunity to set up shop, offering handmade nature-themed products, such as stoneware pottery, jewelry made of recycled materials, and animal and plant stickers and prints.
Bailey Grenert, of Oak + Stone, brought stoneware pottery with assorted bird designs.
Aside from the unique designs on the mugs, Grenert uses an interesting concept to produce her work.
“I’ve got an old-fashioned kickwheel, so I don’t use electricity,” she said. “Some of it is hand-built from slabs. I use a lot of natural elements, like leaves, and I press them into the clay. I’m definitely inspired by ecology and the nature here in our region.”
This was Grenert’s first time attending or vending at Birds in the Hills, and the business seemed to be slower than expected.
“(The organizers) did mention that Camp Oty’Okwa and other sites had a bigger crowd,” she added. “They’re adjusting to the new site, which is a change for people.”
Although the number of attendees was lower than expected, there was still a many things to look at, specifically the art supplied by the vendors.
Cabin Creek Crafters, run by Melody and Sarah Frazier, utilize pieces of nature and recycled materials to make handmade jewelry and other pieces of art.
“I make earrings out of repurposed wood and pressed flowers, and I also specialize in making earrings out of beer cans,” said Sarah Frazier. “It’s all upcycled materials.”
Melody Frazier showcased bleached tie-dye flannels, featuring old quilt patterns that belonged to her grandmother.
Nora Steele, NoraSteeleArt.com, creates prints and stickers of nature drawings. These drawings consist of butterflies, owls, moths, flowers and other types of birds.
She considers herself both an artist and a naturalist.
“I really like making art that is educational, and features things that are down here in southeastern Ohio,” said Steele. “So not just birds, but also butterflies and other faunas, and the connections between them.”
She creates the designs digitally, and then produces them into prints and packs of stickers.
Along with the other vendors, she expressed a passion for birds.
“There were some really good birds this morning when I got here,” she added. “I heard American Redstarts, warblers, scarlet tanagers, ovenbirds and all sorts of things.”
Although there wasn’t a huge turnout of visitors, there was plenty to look at and appreciate. The vendors were able to display their locally-made and nature-inspired creations and form connections with one another. They all had positive experiences at the festival, and expressed interest in returning in future years.
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