Patti Battin was working on the design for the 2009 Silverton Fine Arts Festival poster last fall when she learned longtime Silverton woodcrafter Tom Allen had been diagnosed with advanced cancer.
“It was an easy decision to honor Tom by remembering him with the poster design. Tom was an important part of this community,” she said. “I had the opportunity to work on a couple community projects with him and I was always impressed by his creativity, his skills, his generosity and warmth. He never said ‘no’ to volunteering on my community projects.”
Allen, who died in November, was a huge supporter of the art festival and a big part of Lunaria, said Julie Huisman who is co-chair of the festival along with Anne Barber-Shams and John Labovitz, so it only seems natural to honor him this year.
“Tom just loved everything that he did. His work is all over the place. He was so full of life and was a kind and generous person who was very involved with the arts,” Huisman said.
Hours for artists and food booths are
10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15,
and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16.
Entertainment is 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday and 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Sunday. www.silvertonarts.org/festival
For nine years, local artists and community members have worked together to host the Silverton Fine Arts Festival. They invite community members and visitors to stroll through Coolidge & McClaine Park and visit the more than 80 artists. There also are food and wine booths along with hands-on activities for children, art demonstrations and entertainment. Visit the festival’s second annual juried fine arts and crafts exhibition called “Wonders of Nature,” featuring original artwork about nature.
The Silverton Fine Arts Festival “is a natural activity for artists to share their work with the public and the arts festival is a delightful invitation to celebrate beauty, ingenuity and the work of skilled craftsmen and women,” Battin said.
With its Douglas fir and oak trees, Huisman said the “park is a fabulous location for the festival. It’s calm and peaceful. Visitors like the relaxed atmosphere and the fact they can visit with the artists. The artists like the show because we treat them so well.”
“It is a really happy and fun place to be,” she said.
