VERO BEACH – Larger than normal crowds flocked to Under the Oaks at Riverside Park Saturday to the wonderment of several artists stationed around the art show.
“It’s spectacular,” said Vero Beach Art Club president and artisan Sue Dinenno of the day’s crowd, estimating it at about 30,000 by mid-day.
“The people made up for it today,” she added, referring to the rains Friday that kept the art show from opening as planned. “That’s the nature of the beast,” said Kansas-based artist Rollin Karg of outdoor art shows.
He, too, noted that the crowd seemed to be larger than in years past and said it could be a sign of the economy’s recovery.
Seasonal residents Mike and Doreen Trucano, who stay in Vero Beach but call Minnesota home, said they have come to the Under the Oaks show for the last 15 or 20 years. The Trucanos purchased a metal and glass suncatcher-type object.
“I don’t really know what it is,” Mike said, though they already know where they’ll hang it – on a fan in Vero Beach and then out on their deck in Minnesota.
“We don’t have enough walls,” he added. “We don’t have enough money” either.
Doreen said she’s never disappointed in the art show.
“It has good variety and great quality,” she said.
“It’s the best setting,” Doreen added, looking out at the trees providing shoppers with ample shade.
The Trucanos attend numerous art shows but by far Vero Beach’s Under the Oaks is the best, they said.
“There’s no better quality,” Doreen said. “It’s our favorite.”
This is the 59th year for the highly regarded show and its superior status is maintained through its stringent rules and quality control.
An extensive jury process whittled the prospective artists down to about one-third of the 600 artists who had applied. Under the Oaks features one-of-a-kind works in a variety of mediums, including oil, acrylic, watercolor, pottery, creative crafts, pastels, sculpture and jewelry. About one-quarter of the artists are Vero Beach Art Club members, there are a few other local artists and the rest are from out of town.
The show runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, after having run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and being rained out Friday.
