Printmaker Charley Forsyth fit two Kansas giants into his small art tent at the Smoky Hill River Festival this weekend.

Carvings of Basketball Inventor James Naismith and Abolitionist John Brown watch over Forsyth’s space as visitors come and go to buy and inquire about his old world art.

“I basically carved out what I didn’t want to print and inked up the rest,” he said.

The young artist just acquired a press to help produce more prints of his unique carvings.

“Before about six months ago I wasn’t even in the 1500’s,” he said. “Before I got a press I was using a spoon – handmade prints with a spoon!”

Forsyth, who lives and works in Lawrence as a middle school teacher, has been impressed with his first trip into Salina’s signature art event, “It’s been great and there were tons of helpers here to help me move things around and set up,” he said.

Festival goers will have plenty of original works to choose from today as 75, Fine Art Booths open up on Saturday from 10am to 8pm and again on Sunday from 10am to 5pm.

Four stages of live music played throughout the day will culminate tonight with a rockin’ performance from The Rocketboys on the Eric Stein Stage at 8:30pm.