(June 25, 2015) Art’s Alive is back for its 15th year with more than 75 artists selling their wares and a range of activities for the entire family to enjoy at Northside Park on 125th Street this weekend.
The fine arts event will include food, music, beer, wine and children’s activities in addition to providing a serene setting with 58 acres surrounding a lagoon at the north Ocean City park on Saturday and Sunday.
“Art’s Alive has grown in several ways. We added additional live music, changed the caterer to offer new menu selections and there will be several new vendors in attendance,” said Frank Miller, special events director for the Town of Ocean City. “Enjoy free activities all around the park and our newest addition is the Art League of Ocean City will be selling wine and craft beer on site.”
From drawings and sculptures to jewelry, mixed media, ceramics, fine wood and photography, the show brings a variety of works by artists from 10 states including Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia and Florida.
“There is something for everyone. Northside Park provides a great backdrop for viewing and purchasing unique work,” said Brenda Moore, special events coordinator for the Town of Ocean City.
Linda McAdams, from Mantua, N.J., will be selling two-dimensional, mixed media works of photography and painting.
“I have a nice following in Maryland and Delaware,” McAdams said. “The coastal work I do is a good fit for art shows along the beach and I am always well-received.”
Sculptor Scott Hornbaker comes all the way from Saint Mary’s, Ga. to bring handcrafted metal art including shepherd’s hooks, dragonflies, plant stands and other garden sculptures to the resort.
“This is my first time at the Art’s Alive show and I had heard it was a great show from a fellow artist, so I decided to apply. I am really looking forward to participating,” Hornbaker said. “My items are my own designs and are quite unique.”
Another newcomer to Art’s Alive, Paul Treadway, of Millsboro, Del. is “a fine artist who has taken the pencil to its highest level.” His art career began more than 50 years ago and he started out in black and white graphite with a focus on wildlife portraiture.
In the last year, Treadway has started to experiment with colored pencil and was awarded the best emerging artist in Delaware by the Rehoboth Art League in 2014.
“I decided to show my work in Art’s Alive to try and broaden my base of possible clients for my current work and future commissions,” he said. “I am self-taught, very concerned with detail and love North American wildlife.”
Treadway is currently illustrating a children’s book about the adventures of a squirrel named “Frisbee,” whose author has been rescuing squirrels, nursing them back to health and releasing them back into the wild for more than 25 years.
“The fact that these are all artists participating and not a resale of manufactured products is a unique quality of this show which should be appreciated by everyone,” said Harry Dill, a fine wood artist from Rehoboth Beach, Del. “The variety of arts and crafts displayed insures that everyone will find something to their liking. It also affords an opportunity to talk with the various artists on a face-to-face basis and thereby understanding and appreciating the time, skill and talent which is involved in their creations.”
Dill creates planters made out of driftwood and then he attaches Tillandsias or air plants after polishing and carving animals into the wood. Shells, glass globes, sea urchins and reclaimed wood may also be infused into his work.
“They make nice gardens for your home and I will also burn the heads of birds into the wood, which can have plants attached to them,” Dill said. “Some of my planters can be hung on the wall or in a window while others are created to be placed on a table or shelf.”
He began making planters about four years ago at the age of 72 and thought if it cheered him up, perhaps it would do the same for other people.
“My goal is to bring sunshine and happiness into the lives of the people who purchase my planters,” Dill said. “I enjoy helping adults and children who are interested in trying to grow the air plants themselves.”
In addition to selling their works, artists will compete in 12 juried categories at Art’s Alive. The winners will be presented with ribbons and more than $5,000 in cash prizes at an awards reception Saturday night at the Art League of Ocean City on 94th Street, Moore said.
Awards include Best of Show, Mayor’s Choice Award, People’s Choice and six Judge’s Choice Awards.
Attendees can stop by Artists Café for crab cakes, fish tacos, hand cut fries, beer battered cheese dip, smoked brisket and more, which will be provided by Sobo’s Catering from Salisbury.
“Stop by and enjoy many of their unique menu items,” Moore said.
Maui Wowi will be back to cool visitors off with its fresh smoothies and the Art League of Ocean City will offer craft beer and wine to purchase for the first time.
“It’s a unique experience and typically it’s not aloud, but for the first time this year as you peruse the different vendors and their art, you can also walk around the lagoon with beer or wine,” Miller said.
In addition to browsing artwork and enjoying food, Art’s Alive visitors can listen to live music from Janet Spahr and her handpans, which provides audiences with a soothing and tranquil experience. Also, Mystic Warriors will be entertaining crowds both days with their Andean music infused with guitar synthesizers, drums and bass.
There will be free art activities for children including soap carving, painting and beading.
About 10,000 people are expected to come out this weekend to enjoy Art’s Alive events.
“The arts community in Ocean City is flourishing,” said Jessica Waters, communications manager for the Town of Ocean City. “Whether you are an art lover or not, Art’s Alive offers an outdoor, open air environment for people who want to enjoy scenic views while browsing a variety of unique exhibits.”
The Art’s Alive official merchandise tent will provide guests with a piece of the event to take home, such as T-shirts, jackets, baseball caps and pins.
“Art’s Alive is the art show that has something for everyone,” Waters said.
Check out the fun this Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on 125th Street at Northside Park. Art’s Alive will take place rain or shine.
For more information, call the Ocean City Recreation & Parks Department at 410-250-0125.
The fine arts event will include food, music, beer, wine and children’s activities in addition to providing a serene setting with 58 acres surrounding a lagoon at the north Ocean City park on Saturday and Sunday.
“Art’s Alive has grown in several ways. We added additional live music, changed the caterer to offer new menu selections and there will be several new vendors in attendance,” said Frank Miller, special events director for the Town of Ocean City. “Enjoy free activities all around the park and our newest addition is the Art League of Ocean City will be selling wine and craft beer on site.”
From drawings and sculptures to jewelry, mixed media, ceramics, fine wood and photography, the show brings a variety of works by artists from 10 states including Maryland, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Virginia and Florida.
“There is something for everyone. Northside Park provides a great backdrop for viewing and purchasing unique work,” said Brenda Moore, special events coordinator for the Town of Ocean City.
Linda McAdams, from Mantua, N.J., will be selling two-dimensional, mixed media works of photography and painting.
“I have a nice following in Maryland and Delaware,” McAdams said. “The coastal work I do is a good fit for art shows along the beach and I am always well-received.”
Sculptor Scott Hornbaker comes all the way from Saint Mary’s, Ga. to bring handcrafted metal art including shepherd’s hooks, dragonflies, plant stands and other garden sculptures to the resort.
“This is my first time at the Art’s Alive show and I had heard it was a great show from a fellow artist, so I decided to apply. I am really looking forward to participating,” Hornbaker said. “My items are my own designs and are quite unique.”
Another newcomer to Art’s Alive, Paul Treadway, of Millsboro, Del. is “a fine artist who has taken the pencil to its highest level.” His art career began more than 50 years ago and he started out in black and white graphite with a focus on wildlife portraiture.
In the last year, Treadway has started to experiment with colored pencil and was awarded the best emerging artist in Delaware by the Rehoboth Art League in 2014.
“I decided to show my work in Art’s Alive to try and broaden my base of possible clients for my current work and future commissions,” he said. “I am self-taught, very concerned with detail and love North American wildlife.”
Treadway is currently illustrating a children’s book about the adventures of a squirrel named “Frisbee,” whose author has been rescuing squirrels, nursing them back to health and releasing them back into the wild for more than 25 years.
“The fact that these are all artists participating and not a resale of manufactured products is a unique quality of this show which should be appreciated by everyone,” said Harry Dill, a fine wood artist from Rehoboth Beach, Del. “The variety of arts and crafts displayed insures that everyone will find something to their liking. It also affords an opportunity to talk with the various artists on a face-to-face basis and thereby understanding and appreciating the time, skill and talent which is involved in their creations.”
Dill creates planters made out of driftwood and then he attaches Tillandsias or air plants after polishing and carving animals into the wood. Shells, glass globes, sea urchins and reclaimed wood may also be infused into his work.
“They make nice gardens for your home and I will also burn the heads of birds into the wood, which can have plants attached to them,” Dill said. “Some of my planters can be hung on the wall or in a window while others are created to be placed on a table or shelf.”
He began making planters about four years ago at the age of 72 and thought if it cheered him up, perhaps it would do the same for other people.
“My goal is to bring sunshine and happiness into the lives of the people who purchase my planters,” Dill said. “I enjoy helping adults and children who are interested in trying to grow the air plants themselves.”
In addition to selling their works, artists will compete in 12 juried categories at Art’s Alive. The winners will be presented with ribbons and more than $5,000 in cash prizes at an awards reception Saturday night at the Art League of Ocean City on 94th Street, Moore said.
Awards include Best of Show, Mayor’s Choice Award, People’s Choice and six Judge’s Choice Awards.
Attendees can stop by Artists Café for crab cakes, fish tacos, hand cut fries, beer battered cheese dip, smoked brisket and more, which will be provided by Sobo’s Catering from Salisbury.
“Stop by and enjoy many of their unique menu items,” Moore said.
Maui Wowi will be back to cool visitors off with its fresh smoothies and the Art League of Ocean City will offer craft beer and wine to purchase for the first time.
“It’s a unique experience and typically it’s not aloud, but for the first time this year as you peruse the different vendors and their art, you can also walk around the lagoon with beer or wine,” Miller said.
In addition to browsing artwork and enjoying food, Art’s Alive visitors can listen to live music from Janet Spahr and her handpans, which provides audiences with a soothing and tranquil experience. Also, Mystic Warriors will be entertaining crowds both days with their Andean music infused with guitar synthesizers, drums and bass.
There will be free art activities for children including soap carving, painting and beading.
About 10,000 people are expected to come out this weekend to enjoy Art’s Alive events.
“The arts community in Ocean City is flourishing,” said Jessica Waters, communications manager for the Town of Ocean City. “Whether you are an art lover or not, Art’s Alive offers an outdoor, open air environment for people who want to enjoy scenic views while browsing a variety of unique exhibits.”
The Art’s Alive official merchandise tent will provide guests with a piece of the event to take home, such as T-shirts, jackets, baseball caps and pins.
“Art’s Alive is the art show that has something for everyone,” Waters said.
Check out the fun this Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on 125th Street at Northside Park. Art’s Alive will take place rain or shine.
For more information, call the Ocean City Recreation & Parks Department at 410-250-0125.