“Lots of Little Ones,” a watercolor by Andy Sewell of Viola, will be on display at Artisans at the Dahmen Barn in Uniontown.
There are people who fish for meat and people who fish as art.
With their hand-tied flies, agile rods and catch-and-release philosophies, fly fishers take the sport to an aesthetic level. This month the bonds between art and sport will be explored in exhibits, demonstrations and workshops at Artisans at the Dahmen Barn in Uniontown.
This is the first time the nonprofit center will explore a theme over a month, says manager Leslee Miller. There will be free casting classes and demonstrations on rod building and repair. Steel sculpture, paintings and woodwork — including hand-crafted fishing nets — will be featured in an exhibit opening Friday.
“It will be a very rich exhibit,” Miller says. People will be able to meet featured artists at a reception July 14.
No pre-registration is required for classes and demonstrations that take place on Sundays. Casting classes for beginners will be offered by Casting For Recovery of North Idaho. Attendees should bring a fly rod if possible, but some will be available. Casting for Recovery is a national nonprofit organization that supports women recovering from breast cancer in a program involving the therapeutic sport of fly fishing. The classes at the barn are for men or women.
International rod builder Joe Douglas, of Orofino, will demonstrate rod building and rod repair. Douglas owns both Black Dog Tackle, a custom rod building business, and Rod Builders Institute, the nation’s only school teaching custom rod-building classes for hobbyists and professionals. Douglas has been building custom fishing rods for more than 15 years.
Special events:
11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday
- Casting classes for beginners by Casting For Recovery of North Idaho.
- Rod builder Joe Douglas will demonstrate rod building and rod repair.
1 to 4 p.m. July 14
- Reception with artists of Fish On!
- Idaho fly fisherman and author Will Godfrey will sign copies of “Seasons of the Steelhead,” featuring photos and commentary on fly fishing for steelhead in Idaho, Oregon and Washington rivers. Everyone who purchases the book at the barn will receive one of Godfrey’s tied steelhead flies.
1 to 3 p.m. July 21
- Fly casting workshop for beginners offered by Casting For Recovery of North Idaho.
11 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 28
- Fly rod building and repair demonstration with Joe Douglas.
if you go
What: Fish On!
When: Friday through July 28
Where: Artisans at the Dahmen Barn, 419 N. Park Way, Uniontown
Cost: Free
Of Note: Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.
This watercolor painting by Andy Sewell of Viola will be on display at Artisans at the Dahmen Barn in Uniontown.