Fine Arts Festival Comes to Scarsdale

Scarsdale Village was an art lover’s dream on Saturday, June 19 and Sunday, June 20 when it hosted the first Scarsdale Fine Arts Festival.  Approximately 90 international artists exhibited their work, which included:  sculpture, painting, photography, jewelry, fiber and ceramics.  The festival featured an array of artists who differ in their media, styles and background.

One of the exhibitors, Julia Gilmore, a painter from Toronto, Canada,  uses oil paint on a black canvas and palette knives, rather than brushes.   She prefers to begin with a black canvas because it automatically feels “full”, and she feels that empty space on a white canvas appears unfinished.  Gilmore says of her work, “I paint simple everyday life because I find beauty everywhere.  I paint what I know.”  Her paintings are representational images with a strong use of color.  She utilizes the still life format, often found in traditional paintings, with a contemporary flair. Gilmore is represented by U.S. galleries and her work is featured in a number of private and corporate collections.

 Another artist, Peter Stolvoort, is inspired by his surroundings.  Originally from Holland, Stolvoort currently lives in a coastal town in Virginia on the banks of the Chesapeake Bay.   Stolvoort paints landscapes, including seascapes.   For his work, Stolvoort likes to walk near his home and create rough sketches. Upon returning to his studio with the sketch he utilizes a technique he calls “mind mapping”; he draw on his memory of the scene– including his emotions and observations. Stolvoort often will construct a poem at this time to better capture the emotion of the experience.  He then begins the painting process.  He begins with a rough outline on the canvas and then pours paint onto the canvas. Stolvoort says, “with my paintings, I try to convey an emotion, a moment in time, a feeling, and/or a memory.”

Sculptor Nnamdi Okonkwo displayed his large bronze sculptures at the show and told us that one of his large works will be installed this week in Manhattan on Fifth Avenue where it has been selected to stand in front of a high rise condominium building in Harlem called “Fifth on the Park.”  Originally from Nigeria, Okonkwo has a degree in painting and was recruited to come to the United States to play college basketball for BY-Hawaii. In Hawaii healso  obtained a BFA in Sculpture.  He now works full time in his studio in Fayetteville, Georgia. You can learn more about his work on his website.

Acrylic sculptor Michael George pours and cast colors into his medium to create vibrant works. He was on a nationwide tour and headed from Scarsdale to California.  Watch a video explaining how he works here.

 Paul Shatz traveled to Scarsdale from Charlestown, South Carolina where he takes striking black and white photographs of Southern landscapes.  View his work at: http://paulshatz.com/index.html

Other artists hailed from closer by.  Jeweler Deborah Armstrong designs and produces sterling silver and 18K gold jewelry, some embedded with colorful gemstone accents.  Her work is worn by well-known women like Halle Berry, Jennifer Connelly, Faith Hill, Diane Sawyer, Sharon Stone and Vanessa Williams.  Armstrong in based in Greenwich, CT and you can view her work here.

 The event was produced by Paragon Art Events in conjunction with the Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce. The event drew a crowd to Scarsdale Village and offered a unique opportunity to meet and learn from artists about their work and their process.  The artists, themselves, also benefited from the chance to display their work and gain exposure. Bill Kinney of Paragon was pleased with the turnout and sales and hopes to repeat the show next year.

Some were not pleased with the results of staging such a large show on Father’s Day weekend.  Several retailers saw their weekend business plummet, as residents were unable to park and purchase gifts for dads and grads.  In addition, display tents blocked some store windows and doors, making it difficult for customers to see or gain access to retailers.  Chase Park was not utilized, and perhaps placing exhibitors in the park, rather than the street, could alleviate some of the problems in the future.

Lewis Arlt, President of the Scarsdale Chamber of Commerce conceded that the show layout was not optimal and that the beautiful weekend weather may have actually hampered attendance as residents opted to play golf, go to the pool or travel. For next year, they plan to, “put booths back-to-back down the center of Spencer Place, removing the issue of booths being in front of businesses. This will give visitors to the community visibility to both the merchants and the art patrons simultaneously. For 2011, we will consider options for a different date, most likely one in May.”

However, in his words, “the quality and professionalism of the show was exceptional, far exceeding our expectations. In talking with Paragon, reports from the artists indicate that even with the hot and humid weather producing light crowds, those coming to the event bought artwork. Two dimensional work and sculpture were especially well received. Advertising brought people to Scarsdale from NYC and distant parts of Westchester and Connecticut. One of the sculptors made a delivery of three big pieces to a private residence in Westport on Saturday evening. Another indication was overhearing people on the streets calling family and friends on their cell phones describing the beauty and quality of the work, encouraging them to come to the event.”

According to Arlt, “Our goal is to run a smooth event that is positive for all, and obviously avoiding last minute changes contributes to success. If we can increase awareness, good will and purchasing power to the village, we will have served the Chamber of Commerce's mission statement well.”

This article was written by Julia Morris with photographs by Dana Salzman. Both are students at Scarsdale High School.