Arts, Crafts Attract Few Men

Jack Stuff and wife Cari Stuff from Tulsa, Okla., browse Friday at the annual Fall Craft Fest at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center at the Holiday Inn in Springdale.
Jack Stuff and wife Cari Stuff from Tulsa, Okla., browse Friday at the annual Fall Craft Fest at the Northwest Arkansas Convention Center at the Holiday Inn in Springdale.

— Wayne Gisler was among those walking through the Jones Center on Thursday, gazing at the many items on sale at the center’s arts and crafts festival.

Gisler appeared moderately interested, but said he was there mainly because of his wife.

“I’m the designated driver,” he said with a laugh.

Asked if he found anything interesting at the festival, he said yes.

“But that’s about as far as it goes for me,” he said. “Now, if I had a fatter pocketbook, there are some things I’d pick up because I appreciate the art of it.”

Men tend to be in the minority at arts and crafts fairs. When men are spotted, they usually are accompanying a wife or a girlfriend.

At A Glance

Area Crafts Fairs

• Bella Vista Arts & Crafts Fair: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. today at 1991 Forest Hills Blvd. in Bella Vista. 855-2064.

• Fall Arts & Crafts Festival: 9 a.m.-6 p.m. today, Jones Center in Springdale. 751-9313.

• Frisco Station Mall Festival: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. today; 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, corner of Walnut Street and Dixieland Road in Rogers. 631-0006.

• Ozark Regional Arts & Crafts Festival: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. today, Northwest Arkansas Convention Center in Springdale and 9 a.m.-9 p.m. today, John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers. 756-6954.

• Sharp's Show of War Eagle: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. today; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, behind War Eagle Mill. 789-5683.

• Spanker Creek Farm Arts & Crafts Festival: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. today; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, just off Bella Vista Way in Bella Vista on Benton County 40. 685-5655.

• War Eagle Fair: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. today; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Sunday, 11037 High Sky Inn Road near Hindsville. 789-5398.

• War Eagle Mill Craft & Culinary Fair: 8 a.m.-5:30 p.m. today; 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Sunday, 11045 War Eagle Road near Rogers. 789-5343.

Source: nwacraftfairs.com

Sam Sprott was selling Christian-oriented children’s books at the Ozark Regional Arts and Crafts Show at the Springdale Convention Center on Friday.

“Look at them, they’re bored to death,” Sprott said about the men in the crowd.

Two of those men included Don Creasbaum, 59, and Fred Trentadue, 63, friends from Olathe, Kan., who, with their wives, make annual trips to Northwest Arkansas for the fall crafts fairs. The two men stuck together, occasionally losing sight of their wives, but always catching up to them.

“They can go through a whole aisle and not stop,” Creasbaum said about Kathleen Creasbaum and Marlys Trentadue. “Then they’ll spend half an hour at one booth. We can never figure out what appeals to them.”

The men, both wearing jeans, jackets and caps, paused here and there to check out things they found interesting. At one point they stopped to examine a display of wooden jewelry boxes.

“Beautiful work,” Creasbaum said, nodding to the vendor.

Farther down the aisle, Trentadue picked up a free sample of beef jerky.

Though their wives tend to spend the most money at the crafts fairs, both men said they will buy things occasionally.

“Especially for the grandkids,” Creasbaum said, noting the rubber band guns he bought last year. “It’s a good place to find unusual gifts.”

They always buy a bottle of wine for themselves on the way out.

“It’s a tradition,” Creasbaum said.

Michael Grigg, 34, of Springdale was at the Jones Center fair on Thursday with his girlfriend. He was particularly impressed by the work of Kivel Weaver, a woodcarver who specializes in whittling peach pits into animals.

As a woodworker who builds guitars, Grigg said he was fascinated by Weaver’s work.

“I can see what’s talent and what’s just knickknacks,” he said.

Vernon Wood, 72, of Jonesboro was in town Thursday to visit family. He was at the Jones Center to swim, but the crafts fair kept his attention for a couple of hours. He hadn’t spent any money, but said he was fascinated by the work of one vendor who made baskets out of rope. He said he spent about 90 minutes talking to that vendor.

“I enjoy coming just to talk to people,” Wood said.

Other men attend to support their girlfriends or wives who are showing at the fairs.

Ralph Cummins of Springdale was at the Jones Center to help his fiancee, Maryann Russell, set up a booth. Later they could be seen holding hands as they surveyed the rest of the crafts.

“They have quite a few nice things here,” Cummins said.

Other men simply were along for the ride.

“I’m just here with my wife,” said one man at the Ozark Regional Arts and Crafts Show, who declined an interview.

“I’m not into all of this.”

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