Flea market brings new creations and old traditions

Draped in vintage handsewn bears, unicorns, bedspreads, and blankets, the Bearly Chenille booth is one that can be seen every year on the courthouse lawn. 

Debbie Hoover began Bearly Chenille many years ago after discovering a toy animal at a yard sale. 

“I’ve been here for probably fifteen years. I began while I was a stay-at-home mom. I found a quilt at a yard sale for 50 cents, and this took off. I use vintage linen and upcycle the fabrics,” said Hoover as a young curly-haired girl hugged one of her handmade unicorn creations.

She smiled and added, “There’s a girl who has been coming to my booth since she was eight years old, so it’s a wonderful tradition to see.”

While many vendors are new each market, there are dozens that have been coming for decades. 

While the streets along the square hold amazing booths to discover, the courthouse square is home to the arts. 

Rick Kom, of Nothing But a Sewing Needle, sat in his booth scratching away at a new creation, as visitors passed to admire his work. 

Stopping to explain his technique, Kom said, “I first take a little needle and put it in a tool dot to work with. I start with blank ink painted over a clay background. I scrape that ink off to get to the clay. I scrape the lines, then switch to a paintbrush and use watercolors to add the colors.”

“I’ve been doing this for about 35 years after being inspired in high school art classes. Over the years, it developed into a technique that’s unusual. I don’t see this anywhere out there,” he added. 

The technique is similar to scrimshaw on ivory.  Nothing but a sewing needle is used to intricately etch a black India ink surface, revealing a layer of white kaolin clay underneath. As Kom explained, opaque watercolors are then gently brushed into the exposed clay lines, “giving the subjects I etch an enhanced, life-like appearance.” Kom specializes in animal portraits. 

The Canton Flea Market is always held on the second Thursdays in May and October. It began in 1965 as an art show, with local artists hanging their paintings on the iron fence surrounding the grounds of the Courthouse. The fall flea market will be on October 14.