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Idaho Enterprise

Patrick Werk

Patrick Werk's workshop for leathermaking

The 10th annual Evening of the Arts, sponsored by the Nell J. Redfield Memorial Hospital Foundation, will be on Thursday, April 6, from 6:00 – 8:30 p.m. at the Event Center at the Fairgrounds.  Admission is free, and everyone is invited to see works of art by some of Oneida County’s best artists.


Featured Artist – Pat Werk

One of the artists this year is Patrick Werk, who will display some of his leather work.  Mostly self-taught while in college, Pat makes rodeo chaps, ranch chinks, tack, belts, wallets, purses, shin guards, halters and one-of-a-kind decorative items for custom orders. He particularly enjoys making rodeo chaps for rough stock riders. Pat does all the work by hand on his leather work from stamping out designs, carving, painting, staining and sewing. A cowboy and rancher, Pat earned his bachelor’s degree in animal science from the University of Wyoming.

Before moving to Cherry Creek, Pat worked in Las Vegas, performing in the Tournament of Kings at the Excalibur Hotel and Casino. Pat was one of the “knights in shining armor” in “the most thrilling dinner and show experience in Las Vegas.”  As a knight on horseback, Pat jousted and battled in the King Arthur-era show. On the side, he repaired tack and sword scabbards for his fellow performers and made custom orders, such as leather shoes that blew fire from the toes for variety acts. 

Pat and his wife Callie, whom he met in Las Vegas as she was in the Excalibur show as a princess, moved to the Werk ranch in Cherry Creek in 2012, following his parents, Steve and Toni, who moved here in 2005. Pat and Callie have two children, Winn and Charlotte. 

Pat has served as a mentor for several senior projects, teaching students the technique and art of making ranch chinks or rodeo chaps. Besides ranching, Pat works for the City of Malad and serves as the vice-chairman of the Oneida County Fair Board. He raises bucking bulls as a hobby.


Other Artists and Events

The other artists to be featured at this year’s Evening of the Arts are Ladd Neilson (metal work), Brian Llewellyn (bonsai plants), Joan Hawkins (oil painting) and Ron Spomer (photography). Watercolors by the students of Dianne Adams and works of art by student artists from Malad Elementary, Middle and High Schools will be displayed.

The Easter Bunny will hand out candy during the evening. In addition, the winning Peeps displays, created by the departments at the Hospital with Easter candy, especially Peeps birds and bunnies, will be on display.

Raffle tickets on two handmade quilts will be sold during the evening. Attendees will be able to bid during the silent and live auctions on gifts for themselves and others. Gift baskets prepared by local businesses, organizations and individuals will be on available for silent bids throughout the evening. Everything from decorative household items and car care and gardening supplies to restaurant gift cards and tickets to events will be sold to the highest bidders. The live auction will begin about 7:30 p.m. and will include a 3-night stay at a cabin in Island Park and other great items. The Evening of the Arts is the Hospital Foundation’s biggest fund raiser with all proceeds going to remodel patient rooms in the Nell J. Redfield Memorial Hospital.