The public is invited to hop in their cars this weekend and drive to homes, ranches and galleries nestled throughout Eastern Madera and Mariposa Counties where more than 100 artists will be showcasing their creativity as part of the 10th Annual Sierra Art Trails.

There will be a variety of artists -- from mixed media and paints to photographs and sculptors -- ready and willing to speak to art lovers about their passion for art from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Sunday at 60 locations.

The event allows visitors to meet many of the artists while they work in their studios and have the opportunity to purchase original fine art and quality crafts directly from the people who create them.

A number of artists participate in the event every year, but there are also some new artists joining the event and adding even more variety to this year's experience.

 

Deborah Martin

Fine craft, mixed media, sculpture

What started out as a tragic situation, turned into something more magical for Deborah Martin a couple years ago. A resident of Madera Ranchos, Martin had to go through the unfortunate and emotional tragedy of losing her home to a fire. Forced to live in a trailer on the property, Martin said she was soon bored out of her mind so she went to the craft store and bought some clay. Martin said she had always been crafty but had never taken art classes.

"Once I started working with clay, it just kind of evolved," she said.

What evolved was a mixture of elves, ogres, trolls and fairies and other mystical creatures from Martin's imagination -- each with a name and a story.

"They're mystical forest creatures that took on their own personality and when I look at them, each has its own story," Martin said. "When growing up, I played with Trolls instead of Barbies and had a Troll cave instead of a Barbie house so I think it kind of stuck."

It takes Martin a couple days to mold her mystical creatures but the hardest part for her is not their detailed and expressive faces, but sewing their clothes. Martin has never used a mold and says she's inspired by the world around her.

"Certain things inspire me, whether it's a branch or a pine cone in the forest, I have to go home and work on it," she said. "You kind of go into your own little fantasy world and see whatever comes out at the time."

Martin said she never really thought of herself as an artist, to her it's "just craft stuff," and says she is kind of nervous about her first year showing at Sierra Art Trails. However her friend Sheila Boyd pushed her to do it and she finally relented.

Currently one of her sculptures, "Ivy's Incantations" is on display at Stellar Gallery. Prices for each piece differ, because they are calculated on hours it takes to create each one. Martin says she hopes to someday get them in stores, but for now she's just taking it a day at a time.

"It turned out this was just my niche and it just happened that it took off and people like them," Martin said.

Art enthusiasts can see Martin's sculptures over the weekend at Coarsegold Historic Village, 35300 Highway 41.