A few days before the 43rd Santa Fe Spring Arts Festival opened,medians were dotted with little white markers designating vendor space. Large tents in public spaces and dozens of port-a-potties appeared. After 5 p.m. on Friday, the eve of the event, vendors streamed in to set up tents and displays for the weekend festival that was expected to draw crowds of 100,000.
Photo--Kana Handel, whose “Many Moons over the Prairie,” was chosen as the poster for the festival, depicts a Chagall-esque horse carrying a child and offers a message of hope—that the horses will be on Paynes Prairie for many moons.
The estimated 200 vendors included artists from the region and state artists, as well as others from the East Coast, New England, the Great Lakes and Colorado. They brought jewelry, glass orbs, oil paintings and photography of landscapes, sculptures in stainless steel, copper or stone, woven shawls and musical instuments.
The crowds arrived along with platoons of strollers. Shorts and tee-shirts. Tattoos. Flip flops and Birkenstocks. Everyone enjoyed the festival in a special way.
Father to son, "Look at the horses and flowers."
Mom about son, "I think he's more concerned with staying on the line [of the road]."
Kids in general (voices rising), "I want MORE ice cream."
The Gainesville Community Jazz Band played wonderful music (all that was missing was the dance floor). The nearby Thomas Center also had live music (jazz and blues) as well as children’s art and games.
I was tempted by so many things--a small landscape by Eleanor Blair, or photography by John Moran, Dick Cunningham and Richard Auger. But like many other passersby, I began to wilt in the 80-plus-degree heat and sun.
But what was missing? Pets! Pets were not allowed at the festival.
Here, children's art is displayed.
The festival ends today at 5:30 p.m. The tents will come down, the merchandise loaded and streets cleaned. . . . Let’s hope the vendors made good sales, and Gainesville continues to be known for its support of the arts.
For more information on the festival, visit here
For more on artist Kana Handel, visit
I love a good art fair, or even a bad one sometimes. An excuse to get out of the house and get lost in a crowd. It's great to find those creative pieces. Another way to see the world!
ReplyDeleteI love a good art fair, or even a bad one sometimes. An excuse to get out of the house and get lost in a crowd. It's great to find those creative pieces. Another way to see the world!
ReplyDeleteI love a good art fair, or even a bad one sometimes. An excuse to get out of the house and get lost in a crowd. It's great to find those creative pieces. Another way to see the world!
ReplyDeleteWe have two art fairs in Gville--fall and spring. The fall fair allows pets and is in the historic downtown. This one is just a couple blocks north of the downtown. Both are good, and lots of people come out.
ReplyDelete