The 4 Bridges Arts Festival, now in its 11th year and produced by the Association for Visual Arts, will be held Saturday and April 17.

Last year's event drew more than 18,000 visitors, and Jerry Dale McFadden, festival director, expects the 2011 event to attract even more attendees.

"I think that everyone who comes out this year will see why 4 Bridges was voted one of the Top 100 art fairs in the country for 2011," he said. "The reason is because we have some of the most exciting festival artists from all over the country exhibiting with us."

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Of the 700 applicants, only 150 artists were chosen. Media represented include fiber, painting, glass, photography, jewelry, furniture, sculpture and mixed media.

Coming from Austin, Texas, is photographer Lorri Honeycutt. Her macro photography is created by incorporating small figures into whimsical settings. For example, "The Martini Family Reunion" shows tiny people gathered around life-size olives and martini glasses.

"My goal is to make the viewer think and then smile," she said.

Amy Flynn of Raleigh, N.C., will be bringing her "fobots" - found-object assemblages that resemble robots. She says her artworks combine her two passions - robots and haunting flea markets.

Amber Mahler makes sterlingsilver jewelry using the lost-wax casting technique. Nature inspires her, and she uses rhythmic repeating patterns, textures and shapes to reveal the inner workings of a plant.

"The seedpods, flowers, buds and branches in my botanical series are collected from walks in the woods near my home," said the North Carolina artist.

McFadden added, "Nashville's letterpress printmaker guru Bryce McCloud is planning to set up a press and let people pull their own prints in his booth this year. That will be tons of fun and a great introduction for some into the printmaking process."

In addition to the artist booth component of 4 Bridges, there will be a kids art tent with hands-on activities led by trained art educators. This area is free for children.

The culinary arts will be celebrated with the "Art of Cuisine." Food offerings by Yellow Deli, Good Dog, FoodWorks, Niko's, Sluggo's North Vegetarian Cafe, Penn's Concessions/Mayfield Ice Cream, Taco Mamacita, The Terminal, Blacksmith's Bistro & Bar, Market Street Tavern, Greenlife, Aretha Frankensteins, St. John's Restaurant, Back Inn Cafe, Rembrandt's and Blue Plate will be available in this portion of the festival.

The event will be held in the First Tennessee Pavilion, 1826 Reggie White Blvd. Entrance fees are $7 for one day, $10 for both days and free for visitors under 18. Hours are 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. For information, call 265-4282 or visit www.4bridgesartsfestival.org.

Email Ann Nichols at annsnichols@aol.com.