Still going strong after 67 years, top local artists featured
By Lele Galer, Columnist, The Times
The highlight of art this week is the 67th Annual Chadds Ford Art Show this Friday and Saturday, March 11-12. Chadds Ford Elementary School will host the Chadds Ford Art Show and Sale which provides a unique platform for Chester County artists to show both traditional and contemporary art work that are being created in our area. Proceeds from the art sales go to support educational programs and projects at the award winning elementary school.
Co-chair Maggie Niemkiewicz said, “This year’s show is exciting because we not only welcoming back many good friends but we are also introducing more new artists than ever. This is an event that could not happen without the tremendous support from the Chadds Ford Elementary community, without the dedication of the parents and teachers we could never execute this event year after year. Betsy Wyeth started this event 67 years ago and it is with great pride that we keep this event alive.”
Patch of Gold by Shawn Faust, one of the many artists exhibiting at this weekend’s Chadds Ford Art Show & Sale.
From the opening night of the Chadds Ford Art Show, Friday March 11, 7-10pm, it is an art show packed with artists, press and art lovers, there to enjoy the art, complimentary live music and delicious donated food presented on art palettes by kind-hearted volunteers.
More than 70 jury selected artists exhibit artwork in the main exhibition hall, including featured artist Helena van Emmerik-Finn and donating artist Mary Styer Holton. Helena is an award winning artist pastel artist and Mary is an impressionist painter who is donating the lovely painting “Rosa” to the raffle this year.
Celebrated artist Shawn Faust is one of the show’s most successful returning artists. He painted “Patch of Gold” for this year’s show and said that he is “so looking forward to this year’s show!” In an effort to make the show new and interesting every year, more than 15 new artists were also added to the show, including renowned artist John Suplee who will be showing several of his large painted works for the first time.
This year’s show within a show, “The Salon” highlights the contemporary sculptural works of 5 Chester County women artists in “Forces of Nature”. Curated by Lele Galer, the Salon show includes exciting works by Helen Mason, Jill Beech, Meghan Bergman, Lele Galer and Katee Boyle.
Boxes by Katee Boyle, will be part of the Salon show “Forces of Nature” at the Chads Ford Art Show and Sale.
On Saturday, after the big opening night, there will be several unique happenings to broaden the artistic experience. From 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. local artisans will sell hand crafted jewelry, wooden items and much more in an artisan market in the front hall area. At 12noon and 2pm guides will take visitors for a free informative tour of Chadds Ford Elementary’s enviable art collection that spans the decades of the the Brandywine Tradition. At 11am on Saturday, visitors are encouraged to tour the show with Lele Galer and the Art Show Chairperson, chat with the artists, and look at the artwork in terms of it aesthetics and artistic intention. While you may choose art to look great in your home, it makes it even more compelling when you know more about the work and the artist who made it. This is a wonderful show that everyone in the family will enjoy, and is a great fund raiser for educational programs at the elementary school.
Another interesting show this weekend is “Wine, Women and Song” which is an art show and poetry reading, presented by RCWA, The Regional Center for Women in the Arts. Galer Estate Winery will host the art show of ten women artists throughout the weekend, culminating in an artist reception and poetry reading on Sunday from 3-6pm. Proceeds from the art sales will benefit The Great Dames organization which is a philanthropic women’s group which funds opportunities to empower women and girls in need.
