YWCA's River Front Art Festival Kicks off Summer

Annual event traditional start of summer festival season

June 12, 2005
By: Stephen Kent

The summer festival season kicked off this weekend with the YWCA's annual Riverfront Art Festival. As if to emphasize that SUMMER is here, the temperature and humidity were both on hand. Fortunately, the almost daily thunderstorms of the past week heldoff for the event and it was just hot, not wet.

This year's festival featured many returning artists plus some great new ones. A favorite of everyone was caricature artist Chris LaPorte. There was always a line of subjects waiting as well as an audience just watching the image appear.

Chris LaPorte draws young Parker Botwright.

Where adults as well as kids had their caricature drawn, it seemed that only the kids wanted their faces painted. There was always a line waiting for this great fun.

Jacquelyn Baker paints Maylen Herman

Kristen Walker paints Jordan Marr

Among the new artist this year was "Dog Gone Good Rugs", aka Bob and Nancy Beagle of Millington, Michigan. Bob says that the couple got into weaving after retiring several years ago. They purchased a loom and began to enjoy it. From there it just sort of took off. Bob says the couple now own six looms of various sizes and have been selling their woven works for several years.

The rugs being shown are made from upholstery fabric cut into narrow strips and unraveled at the edges. Bob says that they purchase the left over fabric in hundred pound lots. He has a barn full just waiting to be used!

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Colors abound in fabric, flowers and paint.
Annie, Morgan, Molly, and Allison a bit shy about having their picture taken!	17 month old Evan Linkowski has seen about all the art he can take in one day.
Cup by clay artist Denise Kleiner of Blue Heron Pottery, Otisville Michigan.	Yard ornaments by Accent Iron Design of Bay City.

Pottery by Judy Merckling of "Earth Hand & Wheel", Brighton Michigan

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For more information about the YWCA or the Riverfront Art Festival
contact the YWCA at 989-686-4800.
Or visit the YWCA web site at www.bayywca.com.

MyBayCity.Com's archives include articles on the2004,2003, and 2002 festivals.