This year marks a very special year for the Fayette, Ala., Arts Festival. We will be celebrating our 40th Anniversary. The Arts Festival is a juried arts and crafts show with cash awards that feature fine art, folk art and crafts divisions.
The Festival is an opportunity for artists to exhibit and sell their work just as it was when it first started out 40 years ago. Many of the old favorites are returning to this anniversary Festival, such as John Tilley with his watercolors; Duane Larson with his beautiful hand-carved and painted birds of Fayette county and Tupelo wood; Missy Miles with her sculpted, carved and painted gourd art; Carl Porter with his original mud paintings; Jack Pair with his birdhouses and bird feeders; Larry & Peggy Lovett with their wood toys and needlework; Jackie Williams with his 3-D paintings; Ron Morris with his beautiful pottery; Jim Weaver with his folk art acrylic paintings; Karen Thompson with her hand painted Christmas ornaments and bible verses on canvas; Frank Williams with his clay and mixed media compositions; and Dale Abercrombie with his wood carvings and turned hollow forms. SHE-SHE, folk artist from Birmingham; Paul Yerby, oil and acrylic painter from Berry; Pat Tekulve, mosaics from Hanceville; Abbie Wilbourne, mosaics and painter from Niceville, Florida; Niki Hollingsworth with her 'special monogramming' art; and Carolyn Lockhart with her hand-painted clothing; just to name a few talented artists from the past that are returning to celebrate with us.
With the big response to the "anniversary early bird special," we have had to revamp the lay-out of the Festival to accommodate the demand. This anniversary celebration makes this year even a better Festival with all of the new and talented artists and craftsmen who are coming. Delores Cerecke from Attalla will be bringing her stained glass art. Wind-chimes made from found materials, such as kitchen utensils will be brought by Linda Holt from Birmingham, Alabama. Mary and Bill Braswell from Stone Mountain, Georgia will be sharing with us their talent for making fauxstone Garden Cottages. Phyllis Cox from Ethelsville will be selling her glass and mixed media paintings. There will be oil and watercolor paintings by Joye K. Jenkins from Jasper. Two friends from Calera will be displaying together — gourd art by Teresa Wamble and Karen Stephenson with her fused glass. There's one type of folk art that I've never seen before and excited to say that it is coming to the Festival this year. The new and different design is framed 3D Pasta art by Vernon Spicer from Selma, Alabama. One of our own will be displaying for the first time, Jane Cotton with her beautiful copper enameled and bead jewelry.
These are just a few of the artists that we are expecting on September 12th. There will be so much more to please all types of observers and buyers. Mr. Jackie the Choo Choo Conductor will be there all day to take people of all ages on train rides around the park or to drop you off at your car. Of course, the petting zoo sponsored by Troop 45 will return for the children's enjoyment.
The 6th annual Arts Festival t-shirt will be on sale the day of the festival for $15 for Small thru XXXL. In keeping with the anniversary celebration, we are featuring Lois Wilson on the Festival t-shirt. Because of her generous art donation of 110 pieces in 1969 and Mr. Jack Black's support, the Fayette Art Museum was started. There will be several of her pieces featured on the shirt.
Food vendors promise everything from Fried catfish to funnel cakes — including hamburgers, hot dogs, barbcue, and snow cones, just to name a few. Plan to have lunch at the Arts Festival.
There will be continuous local entertainment for festival goers to enjoy from 9-4 on the Main Stage. Variety is the key here, featuring many local soloists and groups. Eric Willingham, from Fayette Middle School will begin the entertainment at 9:00 a.m. He sings beautiful patriotic and gospel music. New this year will be Shannon Knight in concert following the awards ceremony at 12 noon.
There is NO charge for the festival, only a $2 parking fee per car. The Fayette Boy Scouts assist with the parking. There will be a FREE shuttle in the park sponsored by Northwest Alabama Mental Health.
Kid's Place promises to be better than ever! Ron Morris, art instructor at Bevill State Community College has professional artists and trained volunteers to give FREE art lessons to the children, age preschool to 12 years. There will be tie-dyed t-shirts, printmaking, Clorox painting and new to the festival this year will be 'wire art'.
The Fayette Art Museum Board of Directors are volunteers who work hard each year to plan, organize, set up, manage and clean up for the Arts Festival. The Board of Directors has been very fortunate to have many wonderful talented people willing to serve over the past 40 years and to whom I would like to say "Thank you" for all you have and continue to do in support of the Fayette Art Museum and Arts Festival. Also, the Museum and Festival could not have done all that it has over the past 40 years without the support of our past and current city government. They have always been supportive and willing to help in every way to keep the Museum for the city. As Mr. Jack Black, founder and director for over 35 years, once said about the Museum, "It is Fayette's best kept secret".
We hope that everyone will come out on September 12th to spend the day under the trees at the park enjoying live entertainment, great food and beautiful art! For any information about the Festival call the Museum at 932-8727 or email us at fam@watvc.com.
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