Artists from Puerto Vallarta, elsewhere to grace festival
The 21st Port Clinton Art Festival will offer juried art this weekend as it always has, but this year it also includes six international artists from Puerto Vallarta.
A gift sculpture by Octavio Gonzalez of a whale and calf will be dedicated at 11 a.m. Saturday in the park area on the west side of the Metra railroad tracks just south of Central Avenue.
The Port Clinton Art Festival itself is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday and will offer 260 artists selected from more than 1,000. Artists will sell ceramics, watercolors, paintings, sculptures, photography, jewelry, and other media.
The day includes live musical performances on five stages, participatory artistic experiences, food and a live glass-blowing studio demonstration by Daniel M. Marder of the Making Glass Studio of Highland Park. Two dozen local young adults and artists associated with 60035 Gallery in Highland Park will be selling their art too.
The Festival will be in the center of the business district at Port Clinton Square in the 600 block of Central Avenue between First and Second streets.
“I think it’s excellent this year,” said organizer Amy Amdur. “It’s a real cultural celebration.”
She said in addition to all the other events occurring around the Art Festival itself, she will have on display in front of the fountain at Buhai Plaza huge animal sculptures brought in by an artist from Santa Fe. She described them as an “exciting” exhibit.
Sister Cities member Richard A. Wolfe said the unveiling of the city’s newest sculpture was timed to coincide with the presence of artists from Puerto Vallarta. Whale artist Gonzalez will show his bronze sculptures inspired by the Pacific Ocean; Ada Colorina will display her canvas paintings of the people, nature and village life of Puerto Vallarta; and, Ireri Topete Grafica will show her color portrait photography.
Also present will be: Xavier Niño Solorio with black and white metaphorical photography; Javier Niño Rodriguez with murals; and, Jorge Lopez Ávilia with whimsical oil finger paintings.
Wolfe said, “There are a lot of people who like Mexican art.”
Port Clinton Art Festival will include two Illinois artists. Jim Badish, of Lincolnshire, will show his bronze sculptures of wild animals; and, Roberta Elliot, of Cobden, Ill., south of Carbondale, has cast iron functional fireplace sets and furniture.
“Everybody is welcome to come. This is the first gift unveiled from a foreign city in Highland Park. This is permanent,” Wolfe said. “This is whales for everybody.”
A larger version of this same whale and calf is on display in Puerto Vallarta at their marina. Wolfe said all visitors to Puerto Vallarta know the whale sculpture and miniatures will be sold during the Port Clinton Art Festival. In recent months, the whale has been undergoing a protective treatment from winter weather at the Public Works Department.
For the 30-person delegation of artists, visitors and city officials from Puerto Vallarta, the weekend is a series of special events and dinners. They are the guests of members of the Sister Cities Commission, will have dinner with Larry and Abbie Block of the Highland Park Strings, at Bertucci’s Steak & Seafood in Highwood, and with Sister Cities Commission member Juan Montenegro. They also will enjoy an evening at Ravinia Festival Park.