Yellowstone Art Trail showcases local artists
By Julia Wolf
People are once again invited to tour the Yellowstone Art Trail, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 10-11, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The seventh annual event features 34 artists at 11 locations, across the Cadott, Boyd and eastern Lake Wissota areas.
A new face along the trail this year, will be Barry Dalberto. Dalberto will be stationed at the Cadott Area Historical Society, with his grapevine and birch bark baskets.
Daberto says he taught himself how to make the baskets, which vary in size from ones you can hold in one hand, to larger sizes.
“I like the outdoors, so I looked out and there is wild grapevines growing out there on the outside of the building,” said Dalberto.
From there, he took the vines and started trying to weave baskets. The popularity of the baskets grew and he began selling them.
“Then, I started wanting a little more pizzazz, something different,” said Dalberto, so he began adding curly birch bark.
From there, his work evolved to include varnishing the inside bark curls, which brings out the color and adds shine.
Dalberto also offers a number of other birch bark/twig accessories.
Dalberto also says he is interested in the area history, as he wrote two fictional books based on the history of the fur trade.
“I intersperse them with real figures,” said Dalberto of the characters in his books.
Dalberto will have his books available for purchase at the Yellowstone Art Trail, and says he is willing to sign and dedicate copies while he is there.
The Cadott Area Historical Society and the ZCBJ Bohemian Lodge are also sharing area history to passersby, offering tours during the event.
Devona Brodt, another artist featured along the trail this year, has been a part of the event since the beginning.
“I was one of the original ones that started out with it,” said Brodt.
Brodt will be at Revelations Studio in rural Cadott, stop No. 2 on the route, with her graphite and charcoal drawings, acrylic and watercolor paintings, prints and note cards.
Brodt started the home studio after retiring from her position as an art teacher, by teaching youth she came across while subbing. Now, she teaches all ages in small classes offered three days a week, with an option for people to sign up for fall sessions that begin in September.
Some of Brodt’s students will be on hand during the trail, doing demonstrations of their work.
“It’s an opportunity for them to maybe ask students questions and see what they are working on,” said Brodt. “I think it’s good for the students and it’s good for the public that comes through.”
Brodt credits the art trail with helping her business grow.
“The art trail really is an opportunity to showcase what’s here to a lot of different people,” said Brodt.
Maps of the trail are available at businesses in Cadott, as well as the Cadott Village Hall. More information on the art trail is available at yellowstonearttrail.blogspot.com.
