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News from the Keweenaw Peninsula October 27, 2001 Text and Photos © 2001 Carol Rose, founder and director of Mohawk's Ramblin' Rose Arts Center, home of Keweenaw Krayons, a non-profit arts organization, currently funded by Strong Families/Safe Children and private donations.

Keweenaw Krayons artists make ornaments for national Tree of Hope

MOHAWK -- A stained-glass snowman with wings, a birch bark and driftwood duck, a bird cradled in a nest -- These are just three of the decorations made recently in Keweenaw Krayons' classes for youth and adults held at the Ramblin' Rose Arts Center in Mohawk. The decorations, which, to date, include five birch bark and driftwood ornaments and twelve stained-glass pieces, will hang on the 2001 United States Capitol Holiday Tree, or "People's Tree," a tree from the Ottawa National Forest.

A stained-glass snowman with wings, made by youth and adults at Mohawk’s Ramblin’ Rose Arts Center, will be one of the ornaments contributed to the 2001 U.S. Capitol Holiday Tree, or "People's Tree," a tree from the Ottawa National Forest.

In keeping with the Tree's theme of hope for the new millennium, the theme for the ornaments is "Hope Takes Flight." All the Keweenaw Krayons ornaments have been designed with a winged concept to show how our dreams take flight and our hopes soar. These include a stained glass snowman, a driftwood alligator and a copper star.

Artist Darlene Basto gives Doug Hill some assistance in ornament making.

Darlene Basto led the first workshop in the making of birch bark and driftwood ornaments, which included a bird in a swinging nest and a birch bark and driftwood duck. Green Thumb worker Linda Lohela assisted.

Glass construction artist Karen Bell-Hanson instructed a group in the art of stained-glass creations, which, besides the winged snowman, included the traditional "Yooper" symbol of a hockey puck -- and, yes, it too had wings. The 10 other stained-glass ornaments ranged from a flying hamster to a traditional angel.

Artist Martín Herrera pounds a design into copper.

Starting with a piece of copper donated by Copper Art in Calumet, and under the guidance of artists, Patti Pawlicki and Martín Herrera, ten youth and two adults designed, cut, pounded and put together one piece. Hanging from the bottom of the winged star, with an angel insert, are 16 small decorations, ranging from a flying wolf to a heart with wings.

The ornaments will join more than 5,000 being created by Michigan residents for the Tree of Hope, which will arrive at the Nation's Capitol on December 3 and will be lit in mid-December.

For more information call the Mohawk Arts Center at 337-4706 or visit the Keweenaw Krayons Web site.

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