Weldon Community Center to honor three creative individuals Oct. 12

The Weldon Community Center is hosting a show to honor three creative individuals and their work 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Oct. 12.

Jack Ames, Carolyn Carroll and Gareth Deemer are to going to bring samples of their work for visitors to see, purchase and learn about at the show.

Ames got started with knife making after his retirement 18 years ago. His son gave him a book about knife making and after reading it he thought he’d give it a try. When he makes knives he makes eight at a time to make it worth setting up the machines that he uses. Making eight knives puts Ames to work 40 hours a week. It would take about five hours for him to create a single knife.

A simple knife is about a seven step process for Ames and he creates handles for the knives as well as sheaths. he has sold knives all over the country and has never advertised.

“It gives me something to do everyday. I worked a lot of hours on it but I wasn’t quite sure what I was doing,” said Ames. “As I’ve gotten older I work less hours but I accomplish more in a given time.”

Carroll creates center pieces and new dishes by upcycling older glass dishes. She finds or is given glass plates or bowls and stem pieces and pairs them together. Using a stong clear glue after washing the dishes until they shine she glues the pieces together and lets them sit for a day.

Carroll has created candy dishes, cake stands, jewlery holders and holiday center pieces with glass dishware, glue and some creativity.

“I saw people throwing away dishes that they didn’t like and thought, boy you could make that into something,” said Carroll. “And that’s all it takes.”

She has over 200 pieces finished and has baskets full of glasswear to display and sell at the Weldon Community Center Oct. 12. Carroll’s proceeds go to to Muscular Dystrophy Research, in honor of her great grandson, Owen, who lives with Duchene’s Muscular Dystrophy.

Gareth Deemer is a wooderworker and has been creating bowls, vases, boxes, jewlery and more since his retirement. He makes his pieces for his family and friends. He started woodworking to give gifts for birthdays, Christmas or weddings.

“Everybody’s got everything and you don’t know what to get them,” said Deemer. “So you make them something.”

He has taken his pieces to a couple craft shows in Des Moines. He got started making picture frames from old barn boards and now has a shop with all his woodworking equipment at his home.

Deemer enjoys looking through magazines for different shapes to inspire his woodwork. He often sits and draws out his next creation after seeing a shape around the house or in a magazine such as a leaf or a pumpkin and will then create a piece of jewlery or a dish.

All three individuals will be at the Weldon Community Center with their works of art from 10 a.m.- 2 p.m. Oct. 12.