Art show just around the corner
courtesy photo
An acrylic painting by Sandpiper member Nancy Zadra titled, “Just Beautiful - The View From JB Drive,” fronts the 42nd annual Sandpiper Art Festival poster, and is for sale at Sandpiper Gallery.
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POLSON — In conjunction with the car show, the 42nd annual Sandpiper Art Festival takes place on the Lake County Courthouse lawn Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The outdoor event is organized by members of Sandpiper Art Gallery. The actual gallery, at 306 Main Street, will also be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., where the original oil painting gracing the 2013 festival poster will be for sale.
So far, 80 vendors have sign up, but festival chairperson Paula Craft expects at least 90 vendors by show time.
“The show takes place in a beautiful shaded place, with good food and entertainment and plenty to see,” Craft said.
For car enthusiasts, it’s a cool and different environment from the Cruisen By The Bay car show on Main Street.
“Old cars are a creative endeavor, and we can show (car show participants) some of the other creative outlets,” Craft said. “There’s stuff to look at made by local people who are so creative.”
Fourteen of the vendor booths are local artists and members of the Sandpiper Art Gallery cooperative; they include painters, photographers and woodworkers.
“Sandpiper member Joanne Simpson is once again returning with her remarkably detailed watercolor paintings,” Craft noted.
Because the show is juried, the quality of work is very high, according to Craft.
Twenty-two new vendors join the show this year, including several new painters and photographers, a fused glass artist, woodworkers and two bronze artists along with other artisans.
“We are pleased to have AM Stockhill join us with her multi-media paintings. Another exciting new vendor creates artisan pieces from old record album covers. John Peterson is returning with his spectacular paintings of western scenes,” Craft added.
Popular items include hand made jewelry and affordable paintings.
Food and local entertainment rounds out the event, which serves as the Sandpiper’s main source of funding for operations. The event also funds scholarships for Lake County graduates who attend art school at the college level. The co-op granted five scholarships this year.
Vendors are charged a small fee to participate and also donate a percentage of their sales to the cooperative.
“Sandpiper is one of the oldest arts cooperatives in the nation, certainly the oldest in the state, right here in Polson,” Craft said.
For more information about the art festival, call (406) 883-5956.
Entertainment schedule:
10 a.m. – Great Scots Pipes and Drums open the festivities
10:30-11:30 – Polson Paddle Wheelers (square dancers)
11:30-12:15 – Ladies of the Lake Oriental Dancers: Delores Palmieri,
Deborah Raunig, with Nick Palmieri on guitar
12:15-1 p.m. – Flathead Flute Choir: Margery Christensen, Kathy Quist, Libby Smith, Connie Carte, Donna Rowold, Michael Kramarczyk
1:00-1:45 – Eccentric Ms: Karla Martinson on vocals, guitar; Margery
Christensen on flute; Jean Stromnes on violin.
1:45-2:30 – Polson Linedancers
2:30-3:15 – Cathy Gillhouse, harpist; Donna Rowold, flute
3:15-4:00 – John Davis, vocals and guitar; Margery Christensen, vocals and flute.
