Remember someone with the wonderful and inexpensive gift of flowers from Arlene's Home Farm Flowers.  Fresh, fast and direct to the one you love.  Flowers are for every occasion. Sending flowers isn't unique, but sending them direct from the grower is!

Isn't it time you sent someone flowers just for no reason? Our flowers are the freshest, least expensive and fastest from our grower to your recipient.  Give us a try by clicking either the banner above or the link.

by Arlene Wright-Correll

This week’s Kentucky artist is Sharon Chartier Haines

Earlier this year I attended the Kentucky Market show over in Louisville and as I was awed by all the talent displaying their wares, I was especially delighted to see a booth called Natural Accents filled with beautiful (Natural/Organic) Cornshuck Flowers and Figures; Decorated Wreaths; Floral Swags; Centerpieces; Christmas Decorations & Ornaments all made by an artist and craftsperson named Sharon Chartier Haines.

It took me awhile to get time to contact Sharon who only lives close by in Park City. Then it took us both some time to arrange our busy schedules to be able to do this interview. Sharon does about 15 shows a year throughout KY, IN, IL and OH. She is a juried presenter at everyone of these exhibits.

Well, I finally made it over to Sharon’s studio in Park City where she lives with her husband who owns and operates 225 acres of farm land with 125 head of Black Angus cattle. This is a 3rd generation business.

Sharon is a native of Michigan and was a high school art teacher with degrees in Home Economics and Art. She spent 9 years teaching in those fields.

Q. How did you get started in your present endeavors? A. I was asked to create a workshop for the Michigan County Extension in 1984 and it just grew from there.

Q. Do you use all natural material as your business name implies?

A. Yes. I grow 90% of it on 1 acre. I grow greens, grasses, pods, veggies, fruits, flowers, whatever I can dry. I even grow my own wheat. My husband drills it in for me. The other 10% I buy and that usually just comprises the wreath bases or I would never get anything done. However, I do make the grapevine wreaths as I grow the grapevines on a fence and they are cuttings from my grandmother’s grapevines at her home. I even grow the gourds I use.

Q. What are some of the things you grow?

A. I grow lavender, yarrow, wheat. I grow many different things each year. Different Millets, I have 4 different varieties of Pussy Willows. I grow okra, 100 different pepper plants and I never eat one of them. I grow a whole range of statice, cockscomb, bells of Ireland. My husband laughs. He spends all his time tearing out teasel and I grow it.

Q. Do you classify this just as a hobby?

A. No! This is a definite full time artform put together with the mind of a pallette and it starts in my garden when I decide what to plant. Then it goes from there. It helps to have been an art major because I see my final product as a completed work of art since no two pieces are every exactly alike.

Q. How hard is it doing all those exhibitions and shows a year?

A. It is quite hard and time consuming. I drive to each one and each one is a "one of a kind" exhibit. All the shows are juried, so all my work must be juried. Each show is a two day show and there is the setting up before hand and taking down. There is a lot to bring and each item has to be handled carefully.

Q. Do you belong to any guilds or art societies?

A. Yes, I am a member of the KY Guild of Artists and Craftsman. I was the VP for 1 year and the President for 2 years. I was also on the standards committee for 4 years and then set up the juried committee for the KY Craft Marketing Program. I also belong to the Louisville Artisans Guild.

Sharon took me down into her "dungeon", which is her large basement studio and I was astounded by the scope of what she does down there. From floor to ceiling, racks filled with boxes of dried items she uses to make her beautiful arrangements.

She went on to tell me that the process is quite detailed. She uses glycerine to dry her items. However, glycerine causes a loss of clorophyll (green), so she must put the colors back in with a natural commercial dye.

Q. Do you do custom work?

A. Oh yes. People often bring me containers of all sorts that have special meanings and memories for them and I fill them with all kinds of dried things that create a long lasting home decoration for them.

When you want something really special made just for you give Sharon a call. Her work is beautiful and her prices are really reasonable. The name of her business is Natural Accents and the artist is Sharon Chartier Haines of 5294 Pk City-Glasgow Rd Park City, KY 42160 you may call (270) 749-8862 or email her at kshaines@alltel.net   Her studio hours are by appointment only.

(Contact Arlene Wright-Correll at 270 524 9567 or email her at askarlene@scrtc.com if you want to be next week’s column of Who’s Who in KY Art’s and Crafts)