The Vero Beach Art Club finally caught a break this year for its Under the Oaks Fine Arts and Crafts Fair at Riverside Park, after having been challenged in recent years by COVID and Mother Nature.
“The weather’s been absolutely fabulous. You know, last year we had all four seasons in three days. We started with a day in the 40s, we had a day in the high 80s and we had a hurricane in the middle of it. But right now the weather is fabulous,” said Alicia Quinn, UTO co-chair with Adam Conard.
Roughly 210 artists from around the country were juried into the three-day show, which draws the best of the best in a variety of mediums, including oils, watercolors, acrylics, photography, graphics, sculpture, glass, jewelry, pottery and woodworks.
“There were many new artists, younger artists. We brought in a good 20 or 25 younger artists, and at least 30 who have never been with us before, which is great,” said Quinn.
As is tradition, 15 percent of the exhibitors juried in were VBAC members.
Additionally, Quinn said, “We had a full complement of sponsors back for the first time in a long time. So that’s been a big change this year.”
The VBAC also provided space in trade to various local arts nonprofits such as the Cultural Council, Vero Beach Museum of Art and Vero Beach Film Festival.
“Everything has been wonderful. The artists are delighted to be here. They all say this is their favorite show. They love being outdoors under the oaks in this beautiful setting. And the patrons are wonderful,” said Quinn.
“The new artists have said, ‘I’ve been trying to get in this show for years,’” said Quinn, adding that they are known for providing the artists with a daily breakfast.
“Wild Thyme Catering does a delicious catered breakfast for the artists every morning, right on site in our food court. He does a wonderful breakfast with eggs, French toast, juice, fruit parfaits and fresh fruit,” said Quinn.
“We have a fabulous committee of 15 people plus our president and the office manager.
And so the 17 of us work all year on this.
“Some of them start working the minute this ends, and others do theirs in the last two months. They all have jobs and they do them beautifully.
“We opened successfully with everything in place. The city has been so cooperative, too.”
This year’s trio of judges were artists Nancy Baur Dillen, a retired Eastern Florida State College art professor; Audrey Hope, a visiting assistant professor of art at Rollins College; and Tom Joule, director of the Boca Raton Museum of Art School.
The awards were announced at the Saturday morning breakfast.
Photos by Joshua Kodis
