Located alongside the Ohio River and throughout its historic district, the fourth annual Rising Sun (IN) Festival of Fine Arts and Crafts will showcase artists and craftsmen from across the U.S. The event is free and open to the public.
Over forty artists working in various mediums will display their fine arts and crafts on Sat., Sept. 15, from 10:30am-7:00pm, and Sun., Sept. 16, from 11am-4:00pm. Artists will compete for over $8000 in awards.
“I’m excited about this event,” said Kendal Miller, freelance public relations spokesperson for this year’s festival. “This is a juried and judged festival, so expect to find high-quality pieces on display and available for sale.”
Wug Laku, a self-proclaimed “artist, entrepreneur, impresario, and activist” will be this year’s judge. Luku began his artistic career as a commercial illustrator, later tiring of “continually saying what someone else has to say.” In his quest to find his own voice, he discovered other channels for his talents including photography, home lighting, wood boxes, and furniture.
Luku’s resume includes a long list of founding memberships in numerous galleries and art organizations such as The Coalition of Indianapolis Artists, the Glendale Mall Artists’ Cooperative, and Art in Hand. He is also an active volunteer with many organizations including the Indiana Arts Commission and ArtsWORK Indiana, and owns wUG LAKU’S STUDIO & gARAGE in Indianapolis.
"I'm intrigued by the range and quality of the work submitted into this year’s festival. There's something for everyone—from urban to country, from funky to refined. I'm looking forward to spending a day in Rising Sun with all of this art,” Laku said.
Along with viewing fine arts and crafts in a scenic locale, visitors can enjoy live entertainment including: Jamonn Zeiler, acoustic guitar and vocals on Saturday morning, and Kristi Kruer, ukulele and vocals that afternoon. Ron Whitney (Ihrig) performs contemporary piano music Sunday morning, while Rob McAllister, acoustic guitar and vocals is scheduled in the afternoon. Magic Mike will be delighting attendees with balloons and magic on Sunday.
Food will be available, along with wine tastings provided by Crescent Street Brewery, Powers Winery, Fiekerts Homestead Wines, and other local favorites. Non-juried artists, food vendors, and non-profit organizations will also be participating.
“Rising Sun is a picturesque little town filled with talented local artists,” Miller said. “Showcasing an event of this quality incorporating regional and out-of-state artists only adds to the excitement and creativity. I’ve seen photos of the work of the participating artists—they’re spectacular."
Artist Denny Wainscott of Frankford, IN, has juried into the event for a third year, having won a Best in Category and a Best of Show in previous events. He has won awards in the Western Design Conference in Jackson Hole, WY; Talbot Street Art Festival in Indianapolis; and Best of Category five years in a row at the Indio, CA, Southwest Art Show.
“The Rising Sun show is the only Indiana show that I am doing now,” Wainscott said. “It's a very nice show and is very artist friendly. It’s a beautiful venue for both artists and art lovers.”
The fourth annual Rising Sun Festival of Fine Arts and Crafts is sponsored by the City of Rising Sun, Friendship State Bank, and the Rising Sun/Ohio County Tourism Commission.
For more information, contact the Rising Sun/Ohio County Tourism Commission at 888-776-4786 or e-mail info@risingsunartfestival.org.
Additional information is available on the risingsunartfestival.org website. View work of the juried artists on the Rising Sun Festival of Fine Arts and Crafts page on Facebook.
Contact Information
- Downtown Rising Sun, IN
- 120 Main Street, Rising Sun, IN 47040
- 888-776-4786
Event Time
- Friday, September 14, 2012
- 8:00 PM
Price
- Free