Beth Nash, a Devola resident and retired professor at Marietta College, did a demonstration of needle felting, as pictured in the image above. She is working on a cat-like doll. (Photo by Clara Noelle)

Greta Guimond, owner of the Marietta Makery, and Sarah Arnold, owner of the Clutch Collective, brought the national movement of Artist Sunday to the Mid-Ohio Valley.

The Artist Sunday movement started in 2020 to support artists who are looking to make a living off their art. According to Guimond, she and Arnold collaborated to promote local artists and shopping small.

“I can see Sarah and I making this an annual event and spreading it through the community,” said Guimond. “I’m so appreciative that Marietta has embraced our community of artisans.”

Arnold, who opened the Clutch Collective two years ago, is the one who had the idea to bring the Artist Sunday movement to Marietta.

“The impact is greater when you shop from local makers,” she said. “Local artists are what gives our community character.”

Aisha Moghal, a full time nurse, gave a demonstration on leading a stained glass ornament, or a “sun catcher.” Moghal occasionally teaches classes at Marietta Makery where she also sells her art. Though she has no classes scheduled in the near future, Moghal says she usually schedules classes in January, February and March. (Photo by Clara Noelle)

“Few people realize how many people and artists are represented by our local shops,” Arnold adds, “So when you buy from us, you are really supporting more than one small business.”

According to Arnold, between the Marietta Makery, Clutch Collective and Wit and Whimzy, they support over 300 small artists. Clutch Collective and Marietta Makery brought in five of them for Sunday’s event.

One of them is Aisha Moghal. Moghal is a full time nurse, but does commissions for stained glass. Her shop, Fractured Studio Stained Glass LLC, has a Facebook and Instagram page. Moghal makes stained glass ornaments, or “sun catchers,” as well as architectural stained glass and stained glass panels. Moghal said that she would love to work on the local churches’ windows, as most of them are around 100 years old and need releading. Moghal also teaches classes at Marietta Makery; she said most of her classes are in January, February and March.

Moghal said that she started doing stained glass around four years ago when her daughter moved out.

“I had to have something to do,” Moghal said.

Two Tonez Acoustic Duo, Connie Quinn and Bob Williams, played live music in Clutch Collective. Quinn and Williams have been playing together for two years. (Photo by Clara Noelle)

Moghal said “empty nest syndrome” inspired her to start making stained glass.

Also doing a demonstration at Marietta Makery was Devola resident Beth Nash. Nash is a “mixed medium” artist, meaning she works with multiple different materials to create her artwork. Nash did a demonstration of needle felting, making a 3-D image from wool while working the material with needles, at Marietta Makery. Nash has been needle felting since May, but she’s been doing art for her whole life. She also draws, paints and does portraiture. She makes what she calls “altered dolls” or “quirky toys” from wool by needle felting.

“The wool is very much like painting,” Nash said.

Her art takes on an almost picasso-like style with abstract shapes and bright colors. Nash sells her paintings and dolls at the Marietta Makery, but she also sells her art on Facebook. Nash also has an Instagram page and a website (bethnashart.com).

Before becoming a full time artist, Nash was a drawing teacher at Marietta College.

Another teacher and artist duo is Bob Williams from Athens and Connie Quinn from Marietta, two halves of the Two Tonez Acoustic Duo. They performed at the Clutch Collective Sunday.

Williams is a mechanical engineering professor at Ohio University and Quinn is a retired school teacher from Williamstown. The two have been playing together for two years, but Quinn has been playing for five years total. Williams, however, has been playing for 47 years.

“I treasure this partnership. I’ve learned new songs and I feel like I’ve just gotten better from playing with Connie,” Williams said.

The two play a collection of genres, featuring blue grass, folk and a little bit of country. Williams said they play music inspired by mountain and country people.

“I am grateful to play here,” said Quinn.

“Support live music or we’ll lose it,” said Williams.