Bigger and Better; Austin ArtWorks Festival to host record number of exhibitors, representing multiple forms of media
Published 8:42 am Wednesday, August 1, 2018
- As rain clouds begin to move in, Zumbrota artist Christopher Beebe paints the Paramount Theatre from afar last year at the Austin ArtWorks Festival. Herald file photo
The Austin Area Commission for the Arts announced that this year’s Austin ArtWorks Festival, held Aug. 25-26 in downtown Austin, will feature 67 exhibiting artists. This is a 20 percent increase from 2017 and a record high since the festival began in 2012.
Of the 67 exhibiting artists, 47 are based in Minnesota. The others come from Iowa, Wisconsin, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska, Missouri, Tennessee and Florida.
This year’s Austin ArtWorks Festival will feature 67 exhibiting artists. Photo provided.
The artists were invited to exhibit after completing an application process that involved a brief biography, description of materials and techniques used in creating the artwork, a list of honors and awards and images of their artwork. Three jurors, all artists, reviewed the applications and scored them based on quality, originality and impact. Invitations were issued based on the scores.
Sixty percent of the chosen artists have exhibited at the Austin Artworks Festival in the past, including photographer Thomas Keller, who has exhibited at every Austin ArtWorks Festival since the event began in 2012. Twenty-seven are first-time exhibitors. Eight of the exhibitors currently offer work for sale in he Austin ArtWorks Center retail space.
Scott Schmidt is one of several returning artists who will be exhibiting artwork at the 2018 Austin ArtWorks Festival. Photo provided
The exhibitors represent 16 media: ceramics, glass, jewelry, mixed media, painting, photography, sculpture, textile, wood, digital media, drawing, print making, stone, basket weaving, illustration and rug weaving.
The Austin ArtWorks Festival is funded by the Minnesota State Arts Board, Mayo Clinic Health Systems in Austin and Albert Lea and individual donors.
For more information, call 507-434-0934.
