STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

Sara Syme confesses to be an introvert. But, when she drapes one of her sparkling capes over her shoulders, she feels like a superhero.

And others seem to note her new confidence—or, at least-her colorful decorated capes.

“They’re all about fun. When you put on one of these capes, people are drawn to you, and they tell you how awesome you look,” she said. “You get to spread joy around the world. And they’re made of sequins and spandex so they dry quickly if you happen to be at a music festival and there’s a sudden downpour.”

Syme, of Boise, is at the Ketchum Arts Festival this weekend with her Super Rad Cape Co. She’s selling capes in all sizes boasting rocket ships, clowns and more, along with colorful summer shirts that are sure to get you noticed at the neighborhood block party.

Syme and her husband Jeffrey are taking their place among vendors with more traditional clothing, headbands and jewelry. There also are handbags exuding artists’ touch, colorful landscape paintings and lawn fountains.

The festival continues from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today before concluding on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Champions Meadow on Sun Valley Road. Food vendors are on site and so is an activity tent for youngsters who want to play or create their own art while Mom and Dad shop.

Sean Robinson and his mother Marianne are hawking one-of-a-kind abstract art made from agatized rocks or petrified opalized wood and geodes found near Weiser, Idaho, or Idaho’s star garnet mine, which boasts rocks only found in one other place—India.

“When I was 5, I watched ‘The Secret of NIMH,’ and this crow looked at the ground and said, ‘’Sparkly.’ Now, every time I see something cool on the ground, I pick it up,” said Sean. “Most people see rocks--and they see rocks. I see rocks and I see potential.”

Sean takes his finds home to Mom, and she cuts a slab with an oil saw. When she finds a slab with a unique natural design, texture and color, she embeds the slab into her birch cradle board and sands and polishes the rock before layering acrylic and resin over it.

“I get some of my rocks elsewhere but most are from Idaho—Idaho really is the Gem State,” Sean said, noting the state’s nickname.

Sun Valley enjoys long summer days this time of year with dark not coming until 10 p.m. But, if you need a light, you’ll find some unusual ones created by Wendy Vaughn of Pocatello out of plumbing supplies and nuts and bolts.

Vaughn learned to weld to build her rocket men, some of whom wield light sabers or play saxophones and pianos.

“I like quirky things. I figure if you’re going to have a lamp you might as well have it be fun,” she said.

Vaughn made a 3-D printing of a keyboard for one of her lamps, and she created fingers for the bot out of nuts and bolts.

“Some are touch lamps. You just touch them and they come on.”

While the forecast for the Ketchum Arts Festival is sunny and dry, it was not that way for artists taking part in the Meridian Fine Art Festival near The Village two weekends ago. Torrential rain, hail and strong winds severely damaged artists’ booths with six inches of muddy floodwaters even ruining some artists’ wares.

As a result, some of the artists who had been scheduled to be in the Ketchum Arts Festival were not able to purchase new tents and supplies to take part in this weekend’s festival, said co-organizer Lisa Horton.

One of those who was able to prevail was Bellevue artist Marie Stewart. On Friday she was happily showing off her stylish hats featuring acrylic feathers and beaded hat bands and her hand-painted dresses, including her Frida Kahlo dresses.

“She is my favorite artist of all time,” said Stewart. “And I’m just happy to be here.”