PORT NECHES — Amanda Adams and Sarah and Max Cropper wanted to get out and enjoy the fantastic weather on Saturday, so they made a first-time visit to Art Walk on the Avenue on Port Neches Avenue.

“We want to support local businesses. We’ve been doing a lot of window shopping,” Adams said.

The street was lined with different vendors and attractions and several artists showing their creations.

One artist that really stood out was Caylee Mercer, a second-grade student at Ridgewood Elementary in Port Neches.

She’s been painting since age 4. Her art teacher, Herb Kreutzer, of Kizmet Art Studio, draws an outline of the picture and Caylee fills it in with paint.

Her mother, Chrissy, said Caylee takes her time when she paints, but the results stand out.

“She does it really slow,” Chrissy said. “She quit dancing to focus on art.”

She likes to paint pictures of birds and other nature scenes. Her first painting was of a baby unicorn.

“It came out great,” Caylee said proudly.

She keeps the originals and sells the prints.

“People kept asking to buy her paintings. We sell all the prints and make enough to pay for her art classes,” Chrissy said.

So far she sold seven prints.

Her next painting will be of a “really, really fluffy chicken,” Caylee said.

She has a hairy chicken and Chrissy said its hilarious looking.

Caylee would like to keep at this and be an artist when she grows up.

Caylee’s next-door neighbor at the art walk, Elizabeth Bibb, has been painting since she was 12 years old.

She also owns Angel’s Florist in Silsbee and she finds painting to be the most relaxing thing.

“I’m not happy when I’m not painting. When I grow up, I want to be an artist,” she said laughing. “I make the time to paint on Sunday after church. It’s my day to relax and be creative.”

Bibb likes to paint a variety of things — landscapes, portraits, florals, she even paints on mailboxes and clay pots.

“Paint whatever you want to. I paint everything,” she said.

Julie Graham and Ashley Van Haberbeke started Ju Ju’s Custom Crafts in Groves just this past summer.

They make signs and other custom crafts.

Graham said Pinterest helped a lot in getting them started.

“I’ve always had a creative side. I got it from my mom and dad. I started this June. I was laid off and I needed some way to make some money.”

She added business at the art walk on Saturday had been “really good.”

David Ball: 409-721-24