Living Life Abundantly

The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival is one of the many juried craft shows out there, but it is one event that I personally help at organizing. Every year, we receive more than six hundred aspiring applications for a spot in the festival. These craftspeople are then required to submit three slides of their pieces, along with one slide of their area.

Once all applicants have submitted these requirements, our qualified jurors are shown every artist’s slides simultaneously and without knowing the names of the artist. They will then choose the lucky 200 who will be accepted to the exhibit proper. There will be various awards, such as Best of Show, Awards of Distinction, Excellence, Merit, and Honor. In the interest sustaining familiar faces, the winners from the immediately preceding year will be exempt from the jurying selection.

There are a variety of categories in which the craftsperson can compete. These include the field of ceramics, drawing, fiber, leather, glass, jewelry, mixed media, oil paintings, photography, graphics design, sculpture, watercolor, and woodworking. Collectively, the price total to be given away amounts to $25,000.

I am very pleased and proud to say that The Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival is among the top fifty Fine Arts Shows that are held in the nation, according to Sunshine Artist Magazine. With honor such as this, we will strive to continue to bring you excellence and promise to bring you the best event we can.

Are you a student of the arts willing to gauge your skill with the best among them? Then go and apply for the juried Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival! If you’ve applied and failed before, don’t let that discourage you! You’ve had a year to improve on your portfolio, and your chances could only grow each year!

Fresh off the 18th Annual Arts and Crafts Festival just a couple of months ago, and our stalwart event organizers are already hard at work over at the Oak Valley Plantation organizing the 19th festival for the following year. They already have a date for it, and it is scheduled to happen on the weekend, specifically from March 20 to 21, 2010. Like always, we start at 9 in the morning, and end at dusk.

Admission hasn’t changed since the event two months ago. Kids from 13 above are to be charged five dollars, while children below that can get in at only two dollars each. Children younger than three are given free admission, but do take care of them while inside; we expect a large group of participants. And of course, all proceeds will be used for the preservation and maintenance of the Oak Alley Plantation, a National Historic Landmark.

There will be about 170 booths, and each of them have passed through a jury of very high standards that come from all over the states. Some have hailed from as far out as Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and Tennessee; while others will be closer as Mississippi, Florida, Texas, Alabama, Arkansas, and of course, our very own Louisiana. Each of these participants will bring with them items they have crafted themselves, and pit their skills and talents against other talented artisans.

You will be able to see unique items like the mixed media 3-D art, Louisiana Mud Paintings, pen and ink drawings, watercolor masterworks, copper fountains, sculptures and handmade pipes be available on display, and if you wish, you may purchase them. There will be handmade creations available, of course. You can have fun shopping around for jewelry, clothing, home accessories and accents, furniture and toys. All will be of the highest quality that you have come to expect at a juried craft show.

On the topic of expectations, the festival will surely meet yours when it comes to wholesome fun-filled activities for everyone. See your kids have fun at the pony rides, have animal interaction at the petting zoo, get their faces painted at the face painting booths, and sand art. You won’t see a boring moment at the Oak Valley Plantation Arts and Crafts Festival!

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Presented by the Ethnic Heritage Council, the 19th Annual Cultural Crossroads Festival will occur at the start of the month of November 2009. This will be held at the Crossroads Bellevue, at ME 8th at 156th Ave. NE in Bellevue. The festival will feature the best ethnic entertainment, as well as a craft show and an international bazaar, as well. Getting in is absolutely free of charge.

There will be a multitude of cultures that will celebrate the world of entertainment; annually, about forty ethnic music and dance performances are scheduled. There are some performances this year which are courtesy of the Academy of Cuban Folklore and Dance, Enzian Schuhplattler for German traditions, Joyas Mestizas representing Mexican culture, the Bokreta Hungarian Dance Ensembleand to name a few. On Friday night, everyone will tango thanks to lessons given by Patty Leverett and Greg Thompsen. The House of Tarab performs traditional Arab music on Saturday nights.

This event has so far maintained its spot as the most popular event in the annual calendar or Crossroads fairs and festivals. Twenty booths abound in the area, representing Africa, Asia, Europe, South America and North America. In turn, each of these booths feature both imported and handcrafted treats from all over the world.

Bring you kids along, too! They won’t be bored at this event, as there’s a lot of exciting activities geared specially for them. The most interesting would be the Lego display; a showcase of models made from Lego bricks that represent the culture of many nations. And another exciting event for the kids would be the “Folk Art for Kids”, which is a coloring activity just right for the little ones!

Remember, the Cultural Crossroads will take place just as November begins. I will personally be at the craft shows, experiencing the cultures of many nations through their art. So that’s it; and I’ll see you there right after Halloween!