In spite of curtains of rain, gusting winds and tornado watches the day before, the opening day of the 15th Annual Sebastian Riverfront Fine Art and Music Festival Saturday was sunny and beautiful. Traffic brought U.S. 1 to a standstill and by midday it took a full hour to drive from the south end of Indian River Drive to find parking. Some folks hoofed it from about a mile away. Exacerbating the parking issue, Friday’s downpour had muddied up about half the park’s south-side grass field, rendering it “unparkable.”
Once in it was great! Hundreds of people filled the sidewalks along Indian River Drive and the north edge of the park; everyone doing the “step, step, stop” maneuver though the slow-moving crowd as they peered into white-topped tents placed side-by-side on either side.
There were 130 artists displaying their works this year, plus several food vendors and information tents. Live music filled the air, accompanied by the tantalizing aromas of popcorn and sausage and pepper sandwiches. In spite of the damp grass in front of the stage, several determined couples were inspired to dance by the country-twangy stylings of The Cheyenne Band.
The diversity and quality of the art was impressive and the artists themselves were quick to credit Festival Director Lisanne Robinson, an artist herself. Bonnie Eastwood said she has displayed her hand-painted gourd baskets at the festival “for so many years. This is always a great show. Why? Because it is run by an artist!”
Holly Hambrick of Ormond Beach displayed her fanciful, colorful mixed media works at the festival for the first time. “I love this,” she declared. ”It’s so relaxed. The committee has been so helpful, and so enthusiastic. They make it easy.”
Said Robinson: “It is different when artists run the show because we understand what it’s about. Other art shows are about the event, about the sponsors. I make sure my artists’ needs are met. I pamper them. Many of them are good friends.”
She had high praise for the stalwart city workers who pumped out 18 inches of water that had covered much of the show grounds on Friday. “They were spectacular!”
Around 1 p.m. virtually every tent had a nice handful of people browsing, and artists were answering questions about their media, their inspirations and their prices.
“That’s really bizarre!” declared a pretty lady glancing into a particular tent. She wore aqua shades and sported a neat blonde and purple bob. “I love bizarre!”
There was something for everyone’s taste – paintings, carvings of pelicans on posts, hand-painted wooden eggs, cozy knitted mohair hats and shawls, pottery, jewelry, clothing, leather goods and fiber art.
Aimee Dieterle had traveled from Melbourne to show her bright acrylics at the festival for the first time. Metal sculptor Ron Lemoie delighted passers-by with his sassy little fish trio playing banjo, bongos and accordion.
Jack Hall, who favors the humble Three Blind Mice in many of his fanciful works, casts them in bronze and places them on old roller skates, flat irons, door hinges and other unorthodox rodent vehicles. Lorri Honeycutt sculpts tiny clay people, juxtaposes them with tomatoes, celery, watermelons, and then photographs them, with humorous, charming result.
Weather notwithstanding, the festival was another well-run, well-attended success and a nice fluffy feather in Sebastian’s cap.
