Art Festival features lots of hands-on opportunities

By Dixon Bledsoe

When John Labovitz was asked to create the poster for the eighth annual Silverton Fine Arts Festival, the local photographer envisioned taking photographs of local artists working in their medium.

“We are known as an arts town and even though we have a great selection of local and regional artists, I thought about highlighting some of our local artists,” Labovitz said.

It became clear to him that the nature of most art, and the majority of art done here, is done by hand, he said.

“I thought of portraits, but experimented and liked the close-up and detail of artists’ hands working with their tools,” he said.

Labovitz designed the poster for the Silverton Fine Arts Festival on Aug. 16 and 18 at Coolidge & McClaine Park. He photographed the hands of Julie Huisman working in ceramics, Marcella Gentzskow in calligraphy, Ann Altman in acrylics and Ken Altman making violin bows.

Ann Altman, festival co-director with Huisman, said she thinks Labovitz’s poster captures the feeling of things done by hand.

She also feels the festival “is a great mix of local and regional artists. We have a lot of new artists this year, and a more international variety of foods. We also love our sponsors and don’t go anywhere without them.”

The Silverton Fine Arts Festival drew close to 15,000 people last year. It features 87 art booths ranging from jewelry to pottery and glassworks to fiber art. There will be hands-on demonstrations in the park’s pavilion, including Ben van Overeem demonstrating airbrush techniques, Gregg Sheesley making dioramas, Barb Dahlum painting and Linda Hendrickson doing tablet weaving and split twining.

There also is a kids’ stage with dance, music and drama workshops by Silverton’s American Academy of Performing Arts Center.

Visitors may park their cars in free parking areas and take a free shuttle to the park at the Safeway, 301 Westfield St., The Oregon Garden, 879 W. Main St. and Roth’s Family Market, 918 N. First St.

“The affect of the combination of music, art, great food, and an incredibly beautiful location is magical,” Altman said.