Fantasy fairies hide along the pathway in Ruidoso's Two Rivers Park
Magic wands, tiny houses and whimsical fairies add fun for the young at village park
- A teacher and a graphic artist teamed up to create the fantasy
Walking along the Two Rivers Park trail, a slight breeze blowing across the Rio Ruidoso, visitors may be startled to see a trout jump out of the water and riding on his back, the smallest of folk fairies.
They may think their eyes are playing tricks, but in the world of the forest and ferns, they may have just spotted Stromi Current and his brown trout Salmo. Stromi is one of 10 fay that have taken up residence at the Two Rivers Park in Ruidoso.
These are not ordinary fay. These fairies have come to be stewards of the forest surrounding the Ruidoso River-and they have brought their magic with them.. Among them are Sprawl, Flurri, Aspen Amarania, Briar Oak, Sade Showers, Airyn, Luna Kuu, Stromi Current, Whismie and Willow. Each fairy has its own special job to do within the forest and each one has its own home hidden among the trees, bushes, flowers and river along the trail.
Last year, local artists, Karl Wenner, a teacher at the Hondo Valley Public Schools, and Katelynne Sherrell, a Las Cruces graphic design artist, teamed up with the staffs of the Ruidoso Parks and Recreation and the Ruidoso Valley Chamber of Commerce to bring them to the village.
Sherrell created and designed original art for each fairy. Help with name inspiration came from Kimmie Cherry, while Wenner designed and constructed individual domiciles for each one.
The Ruidoso River fairies are friendly. They want residents and visitors to stop by their homes to welcome them. For this reason, Wenner and Sherrell mapped the locations of each dwelling. Maps can be located at the beginning of the Two Rivers Park river trail.
if visitors are out and about on a midsummer night's eve, advise them to head over to the Two Rivers Park river trail, grab a map and follow the white magic wands to the homes of the village's river fairies.
Knock softly on the door, gently open it and a friendly fairy will greet them. Don't forget to find all ten.