October Art Fest
Imagine Art pulled out all the stops for this one! With Halloween still a week away, IA used their new digs to conjure up fun, food and art to celebrate their new studio space with an Open House. From 10am-2pm on Saturday, October 23, they befriended and entertained their Old West Austin neighbors, as well as visitors finding them for the first time.
Families with kiddos, friends, the curious, young and old alike showed up. On top of everything else, St. Luke United Methodist Church was having a pumpkin patch sale. Truly, it was a community spectacle.
The free face-painting was a big hit, as were the kids’ games and other activities: chalk art on the basketball court, sugar skull art, studio tours, clay workshops, painting exhibitions, and art sales. Art was everywhere!
To escape the carnival atmosphere and get to the Halloween snacks, the Fellowship Hall was the place to go (and see more art--especially the $5 ceramic bowls). But once word got out, the hand-made bowls attracted art lovers looking for a great deal. And folks couldn’t buy just one, not at those prices.
Original artwork on paper by Imagine Art artists were also for sale. A wire rack near the end of the hall held them all. The $5 bowls were set on a long black table in the middle of the room. Canvases showed on the walls and all around the hall. Two glass cases held Larin Harp’s fleet of ceramic autos and planes.
Mystery Box door prizes and consolation prizes, mainly packs of art cards, were given away. Everyone went home a winner. To win one of five Mystery Boxes, a person had to guess the Ace from 7 cards. The very first contestant of the day selected the Ace of Spades, and the last Mystery Box was awarded in the final 15 minutes of the Open House.
Imagine Art’s tour de force was on full display during the event. With all that sold in the exhibition hall, plus what the artists peddled in the studio, it made for a profitable event for artists and Imagine Art. No doubt, artists and their patrons will be looking forward to the next open house.
No event at Imagine Art would be possible without the dedication and hard work of AmeriCorps Members, IA staff, volunteers and sponsors: OneStar Foundation and the City of Austin. Thanks to all.
Many thanks to AmeriCorps Member Madison Bennett, who photographed the event and contributed her photos to this blog.
