Farmers Market: Artist puts effort, and a smile, into works

“It’s a keep-me-busy thing, not a business,” says mild-mannered Ken Kunkle. As a wood burning artist, Ken makes eye-catching walking sticks with a variety of Arizona images burned into the staff.

You’ll find Ken with dozens of other vendors at the flourishing Green Valley Farmers Market. Our market started off with a bang a few months ago; now it is flourishing with people selling just about anything you can imagine. Many sell the farm products you’d expect; in addition we have varied artists, plant and cactus sellers, and everyone in between. With market space going for just $10, it’s hard to guess who will join the fun next week. If you’re interested, meet with Annie at the greengrocer’s stall near the entrance of the market, just off the parking lot.

Kunkle says, “When we moved here I had to have something to do with all my extra time.”

No, he didn’t retire when he arrived in Arizona about 30 years ago, “I was only working about 40 hours a week or so here. My New York job was 80-90 hours a week. So my wife ordered a wood burning set for me and that started it,” he says.

Kunkle says, “I’ve been a carpenter all my life... in the building trades all my life. I was a construction superintendent in New York.” He chuckles, “I can’t even turn on a computer! I still do everything with those two,” smiling, he holds up both hands. “I’ve been retired now for at least 10 years... time goes so fast.” He smiles again and says, “Now I’m giving my age away!”

“I went into walking sticks about 12 years ago; I’ve been selling them here in Green Valley at the Arts and Crafts fair. I sold pictures, wood burning pictures, long before that... for at least 20 years here in Green Valley. There’s gotta be hundreds of them in this town! From pictures I went into walking sticks,” Kunkle reminisces.

His walking sticks are fully functional models he crafts from spruce. Kunkle adds his wood burning art, a stain and a rubber tip before bringing them to sell at our Farmer’s Market for just $10-$30.

“The artwork determines the price; it’s nothing to do with the size or the shape,” Kunkle says. “There are no two alike.” Pictures of eagles, Kokopelli, gambel quail, saguaros and roadrunners grace his work. He’s a low-key fellow,

“I don’t pressure anybody. They sell themselves. If they want it, they’ll buy it. It keeps me busy and I make a couple bucks on the side, which we can all use.”

“I’ve been toying with art all my life,” Ken says, “I grew up in a little town in northeastern Pennsylvania, so small you won’t ever even find it on a map. It called Effort-Effort, Pennsylvania.” Now, why is the name of his hometown not surprising?

If you go

The weekly Green Valley Farmers Market is held Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Green Valley Village, at Esperanza and La Canada.