Payson Roundup

Hello again, fellow Creekers.

One of the things I continue to be impressed by is the amount of artists and talent up here in Christopher Creek. I am finding that there are more than just a couple great amazing writers, artists and crafts people. It is really pretty amazing!

One of the crafts people I most recently learned of is John Mitchell. John has some really magnificent wood working skills.

John and Ellie are primarily in Christopher Creek during the summertime, because, as he puts it, it’s “too cold for these old bones when the snow comes to visit.” They enjoy hanging out with friends and neighbors and occasionally “having a few toddies now and then.”

I visited John’s Facebook page where he has some pictures of some of his art. It is all top-notch and all of it is definitely “Christopher Creek-themed.” More specifically, what John specializes in are: birdhouses, replicas of the Landmark into bird feeders and jewel boxes.

He tells me that “feeders and birdhouses are usually constructed out of redwood for exterior application. We also sometimes include secret drawers for internal decor or place on a mantel. I construct approximate replicas of cabins in my eye or just get creative. Usually a photo of exterior guides the way.”

Materials used vary from redwood, alder, mahogany, and walnut. One-quarter inch minimal to maximum three-eighths thickness. You can actually see some of his great works on the road to C Canyon RV Park where you will see them mounted on the fence line and a few trees.

Some of the many artists up here have some pretty big credentials and have won some big awards. Here and there I will spotlight some of our terrific talent up here. If you happen to be an artist or know someone that I should consider for this column, please let me know.

As always, I do need your help with content and stories! For anyone wanting to submit information from the Christopher Creek area for inclusion in our weekly article, please e-mail me at: info@christophercreeklodge.com. Any submitted pictures must be full-size (typically around 1MB per picture). The cutoff time for inclusion in Friday’s article is close of business on Monday.

Thanks again for reading the column.