Festival 2009

By Ann Nichols

annsnichols@aol.com

For the 46th year, the Creative Arts Guild in Dalton, Ga., is offering art lovers an opportunity to view and purchase fine art and crafts.

The two-day event, Festival 2009, will be held Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 20 in the guild's facility at 520 W. Waugh St. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday.

Festival 2009 is divided into two components -- an indoor juried exhibition and an outdoor artist market.

The indoor juried art exhibition is on display in the guild's main gallery this week. Approximately 150 pieces are on view in the mediums of oil, watercolor, acrylic, photography, wood, jewelry, mixed-media, screen printing, digital drawing, graphite, pastel, collage, pottery, fiber, concrete sculpture and pen-and-ink.

New to this portion of Festival is a $600 cap on the prices of the artworks.

"Everything is priced at $600 or less in recognition of the current economy," said Terry Tomasello, director of the guild. "Artists were also encouraged to submit work with realistic content."

Jurying the indoor show is Margaret Morrison, artist and professor at the University of Georgia. Cash awards of $2,350 will be designated.

Ms. Tomasello selected five artworks that are her personal favorites.

* "Indecently Despaired," a screen print by Tyanna Buie, attracted her attention because the image of a floating blue dress suggests emotional emptiness.

* "Ron Lockett in Blue," a metal sculpture by Chris Beck, is constructed of blue-colored, recycled metals that create a shingle effect.

"I believe this is a statement about Ron Lockett, the outsider artist, and speaks to the roughness of the materials and recurring themes many outsider artists utilize," said Ms. Tomasello.

* "Flawed to Perfection," a turned-wood sculpture by Eric Urban, illustrates how an imperfect piece of wood can be transformed into something beautiful.

* "Time Stands Steel," an assemblage by Ned Albright, combines found objects.

* "Transition," a color photograph by Seth Thompson, depicts a ferry full of colorful empty seats. Ms. Tomasello feels that the photograph illustrates that transition does not always mean a "rich-filled moment" but can be lonely, empty and vacuous.

Festival 2009 begins Friday evening with a patron preview party at 7 p.m. Tickets are $45 per person and give attendees "first-pick" at purchasing their favorite artworks. An open bar and heavy hors d'oeurves will be provided by 10 Dalton restaurants. Dress is business casual.

On Saturday and Sunday, the indoor exhibit and the outdoor artists booths are open to the public, free of charge.

About 50 artists will be exhibiting on the lawn outside the guild. In addition to the artists market, there will be hands-on activities for children, continuous live music and food vendors.

The guild, 520 W. Waugh St., is open 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday with special festival hours 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 20. For information, call 706-278-0168.