21st Annual Art Fair Spins with Success

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Children create art at the “Art Lab Outside” tent.

The Mulvane Art Museum’s Mountain Plains Art Fair had their 21st annual event June 1 and 2 on Washburn University’s Union Lawn. This year’s theme was “Spin with Art.” There was a wide variety of art on display that was also available for purchase.

Two visiting jurors, Jon Keith Swindell, a Professor of Sculpture from the University of Kansas, and Ron Michael, Curator at the Birger Sandzen Memorial Gallery from Lindsborg, Kan., announced at 3 p.m. on June 1 the winners of the Art Fair in three categories:

Best 2D Design : Cally Krallman from Topeka, Kan. (Painting)

Best 3D Design: Kristen Haug from Silver Lake, Kan. (Jewelry)

Best of Show: Judith Eastburn from Des Moines, Iowa (Photography)

On Sunday, there was a drawing at the information tent for four different prizes including

a 2013 Art Fair T-shirt, an Art-O-Mat Token to buy art, a one year individual membership to the Friends of the Mulvane Art Museum and garden pinwheels.

“We’re really pleased with the turnout,” said Carrie Riordan, Chair of the Art Fair and Vice President of the Friends of the Mulvane Art Museum, “Lots of art is being sold, the weather has been great, and everyone feels the art fair is a great success.”

Children of all ages enjoyed making crafts of all kinds at the “Art Lab Outside” tent. They spent a lot of time visiting all the many fun activities including a temporary tattoo station, pinwheels, painting a mural, making sculptures out of recycled materials and making their own toolbelts out of paper tool stencils and putting them on a paper “toolbelt” that they can tie around their waist with yarn.

“We’re celebrating the same types of creative art activities at the art fair as they can experience year-round in the Art Lab,” said Kandis Barker, Curator of Education for the Art Lab.

There was art of many types of multimedia artwork for everyone such as jewelry, photography, ceramics, glass, sculptures, paintings, fiber art, and so much more to choose from.

The Washburn Art Student Association had a tent featuring art from many of Washburn’s Bachelor of Fine Art Students like ceramics by Tony Hurt, senior, jewelry by Becky Amentrout, freshman, and paintings by Brielle Underhill, senior in Art History, Ryan Caldwell, senior and vice president of WASA, and Asha Slack, senior in Art Education, and president of WASA.

Musical entertainment was provided by Pastense, The Wrights and Kenny Smith on Saturday, and Pastense and Bridges on Sunday. Food vendors had anything from shaved ice to barbecue.