NEWS
What does it take to execute a major event such as the Windsor Fine Arts Festival?
Volunteer coordinator Kay Drake, left, and Windsor Fine Arts Festival Event Coordinator Lesa Hansen check the list of more than 100 volunteers who will assist with various jobs during the upcoming festival on Aug. 6 and 7 at Boardwalk Park.
Don Reichert/For the Beacon
"It takes a lot of planning, coordination, financial investment, partnership and cooperation from town governments, and a good board of directors who are visionary with good business sense. One more key element is that you need committed and dedicated volunteers to make an event like this successful," said Don Reichert, president of the Windsor Fine Arts Festival.
"Frankly, we could not undertake such a large event without the help of volunteers."
That will be the case again this year as about 105 volunteers dedicate their time and talents to assist in a number of tasks for the upcoming Windsor Fine Arts Festival on Aug. 6-7 at Boardwalk Park.
About 60 fine art artists will converge on Boardwalk Park on Aug. 5 to set up booths for the show and sale that is free and open to the public.
Last year's inaugural festival was assisted by 82 volunteers who helped with a variety of jobs including, helping participating artists with setting up booths, handing out event programs to patrons, offering golf cart rides to and from Boardwalk Park, assisting with artist registration, answering general questions, handing out bottled water to artists, assisting with parking and directing traffic, helping with first aid needs and assisting with other general needs.
Kay Drake is the festival's volunteer coordinator. Anne Marie Romme is the assistant volunteer coordinator.
"So far, it has been a challenging but very rewarding experience," Drake said. "A lot of people have volunteered to step up and help. This being my first year, I am really looking to a fun and rewarding weekend."
Lesa Hansen, festival's event coordinator, had high praise for the volunteers.
"Last year's festival went above and beyond our expectations," Hansen said. "The volunteers were so helpful and caring. The artists were so appreciative and couldn't say enough about the help they received from the volunteers,
"The enthusiasm from last year's show helped increase the number of volunteers for this year. People have just wanted to step to the plate and help which has made mine and Kay Drake's job a little easier."
Every person from last year's show volunteered on their own accord. Because they had a positive experience last year, the majority will return for this year's festival, including several groups and organizations, Hansen said.
Members of the Windsor High School football team are volunteering this year, too. They will help with the cleanup at the conclusion of the festival.
Windsor High School freshmen will be available throughout the festival to keep Boardwalk Park clean by picking up and removing trash while some Windsor High School senior girls will assist with the set-up and cleanup at the Creative Kids Arts Show reception at the Windsor Community Recreation Center.
Windsor Charter Academy middle school students also will be on hand to help, and will carry water to artists . Timberline Windsor Church will provide volunteer help wherever needed. Members of the Windsor Kiwanis Club will assist getting patrons to and from Boardwalk Park with golf carts.
The 100-plus volunteers will be easy to find. They will be decked out in hot pink T-shirts. The festival begins at 10 a.m. Aug. 6 and continues to 6 p.m. The hours Aug. 7 are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There also will be a beer and wine garden run by the Windsor Rotary Club along with live instrumental music provided by local amateur and professional musicians. All proceeds from the beer and wine garden will go back to the Windsor Rotary Club. In addition, there will be several local food vendors with a variety of food and soft drink choices.
The Clearview Library District, a partner in the festival, will conduct a variety of on-hands art educational events for children. The library district also will have a chalk art activity for all ages. The Clearview Library District’s bookmobile will be present at the festival.
The Windsor Fine Arts Festival is free and open to the public.
Creative Kids Art Show to unveil artistic talents of local youth
By David Persons editor@windsorbeacon.com
Jim Porth believes it’s important for his children to be involved in many different activities.
Focusing on academics is at the top of the list.
But, he also wants his children to develop other interests.
“From a creative perspective, we think it’s important to be balanced in your life, academically, athletically, dancing, whatever,” Porth said.
That’s why he’s been supportive of his daughter, Karee, and her interest in art.
“She took to it really quick,” Porth said. “She always loved to doodle ... from the first time she took up a crayon she showed ability to put something good down on paper.”
Karee, now preparing to be a sixth grader this fall at Windsor Middle School, is doing a lot more than just putting nice things down on paper.
She’s developed a skill at drawing that has not gone unnoticed by her art teachers at Mountain View Elementary.
Just how far Porth has developed as an artist will be on display this summer as two pieces of Porth’s work will be on display and then juried as part of the Creative Kids Art Show at the Windsor Fine Arts Festival on Aug. 6-7 at Boardwalk Park.
Porth’s work won’t be the only local work to be juried. As many as 100 pieces of elementary school art (and a couple sculptures by Windsor High School students) will be part of the Creative Kids Art Show.
“The (Windsor) school district is committed to the fine arts as quality education,” said Windsor School District Superintendent Karen Trusler. “But, this is the first time we have been a part of a community art show. To have the kids work juried by other artists is a wonderful opportunity.
“This will help us to showcase some of the fine things that are students are producing.”
Trusler said each elementary school art teacher was allowed to submit one piece of art per classroom, per grade, along with some selected sculpture work by Windsor High School students.
Trusler said the task of selecting the best work was difficult for the art teachers.
Linda Orlich, an art teacher at Tozer Primary School, agreed.
“It was excruciatingly difficult,” Orlich said. “There were so many good ones.
“I began to hang the kids work in the hall and I would sample any warm body that came by. It was hard for me but it was fun getting other people’s opinions.”
Despite the challenge, Orlich said the opportunity to show off her students talent was what she kept in mind.
“I think this (show) will help people to understand why art is so important in schools,” Orlich said. “And, there is such a connection between the arts and academic achievement.”
Karee Porth says she has learned a lot about what it takes to be a good artist.
“I have learned if you work hard, some good thing may come out of it,” she said philosophically.
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The Clearview Library District once again to partner with Windsor Fine Arts Festival for its 2nd annual event.
The library district is expanding its participation for this year's festival, which will be held Aug. 6-7, by offering several family-oriented activities.
Due to last year's success, the library district will again feature the Picture America experience for children. The library district received a special collection of high quality prints through a grant from the American Library Association and the National Endowment for the Humanities.
On display will be a collection and compilation of American masterpieces.
Landscape artist Deborah Jansen will conduct free painting sessions Saturday and Sunday during the festival. Participants will be able to learn about history through hands-on painting. All of the pieces that are created will be celebrated through a display and reception at the Windsor/Severance Library throughout the month of August.
The library district will also conduct a chalk art activity during the festival. Everyone is welcome to participate. Each participant will be given a patch of sidewalk on which to create their own unique piece of artwork. Chalk creations will be judged at 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The Clearview Library District Bookmobile, nicknamed BoMo, will be available throughout the two-day festival. It will be located next to the sandy beach by Windsor Lake. Patrons can see collections of fine art, check out a book, and get a personalized tour of the bookmobile. Those who stop by will receive a coupon to a local business.
"We love the partnership with the Windsor Fine Arts Festival in that it supports art in our community," said Erica Rose, the Outreach Manager for the Clearview Library District.
"Last year's festival was awesome with so many people attending," Rose said. "Literature and art are so similar and a compliment to each other. It was so great for the library to participate by exposing us in a non-traditional way. Our staff felt so much energy as the experience was exciting for all."
Hillary Dodge (middle), from the Clearview Library District, will be providing children's art projects, similar to this one, as part of the library's activities during the second annual Windsor Fine Arts Festival at Boardwalk Park on August 6-7.
Don Reichert/For the Beacon
Hillary Dodge, a Windsor-Severance Library staff person, was very involved in conducting activities during last year's festival. She echoed many of Rose's feelings for the arts festival.
"We were honored to be a participant in last year's festival and even more so this year," Dodge said. "The festival exceeded our expectations for a first year show.
"It was fantastic to see art in our own community. Art is an expression of creative energy. Creativity, imagination, and energy are paramount as it applies to art. We expect this year's festival to be even better."For the library's participation, we are expanding our activities that will include the Picture America, chalk art, the bookmobile and a children's art show."
Rose and Dodge reiterated that the library is a strong supporter of art in the community. They pointed out that the arts festival is a wonderful opportunity for families and individuals to participate in art and enjoy the fine artwork of many accomplished artists from around the United States.
Area artists to showcase their work at
Windsor Fine Arts Festival
Northern Colorado Art Icons
Bob Coonts (Left), Gary Hixon (Right)
Reprinted with permission from the Windsor Beacon
Bob Coonts and Gary Hixon, two close friends and long-time icons in the Northern Colorado art community will be among the field of nearly 60 fine art artists taking part in the second annual Windsor Fine Arts Festival.
The two-day affair, which will be held at Boardwalk Park, will take place Aug. 6-7.
Hixon, a Fort Collins resident, owned and operated Gary Hixon Interiors from 1976 to 2008. His interior design business was considered one of the most prominent in Northern Colorado. He also did interior design work in the Denver area as well as Arizona and New York.
After his retirement from interior design in 2008, Hixon opened up Gary Hixon Design, a custom jewelry business. His jewelry business specializes in searching and finding natural items such as fine stones, shells, and glass. He even found some abalone to assemble.
Each handpicked piece is hand-crafted and designed into necklaces, earrings, pendants, and bracelets.
“After retiring from the interior design business, I got the idea of going into the custom jewelry business from my wife, Carol Ann, who enjoys wearing fine jewelry,” Hixon said. “She encouraged me to start my own jewelry business which I pursued. I’m now having the best time of my life.”
Both Gary and Carol Ann have been strong supporters of the arts, both musical and visual.
Gary has been past president of the Fort Collins Open Stage Theatre, Canyon Concert Ballet Company, supporters of the Museum of Contemporary Art and wearable visual art for the Fort Collins Lincoln Center.
Carol Ann has been involved in innumerable art organizations including serving as business director for the Fort Collins Symphony.
“We feel strongly about supporting fine art,” Gary Hixon said. “It is so much a part of our life. We strive to the best of our ability to educate and entertain in promoting fine art. It allows us to continue our philosophy of art and stay involved in the art community.”
Hixon is not only a fine art participant in the Windsor Fine Arts Festival but also serves on the Board of Directors for the organization.
Coonts, also a Fort Collins resident, is a mixed media artist whose focus is painting in acrylic, pastel and watercolor.
From 1973 to 1994, Coonts owned and operated a creative and graphic design business in Fort Collins – Bob Coonts Graphic Designs.
Coonts graduated from Colorado State University with a degree in art concentrating in design and painting. He was an affiliate faculty member in art at CSU from 1971-2003.
Reprinted with permission from the The Fort Collins Coloradoan
Fine day for art in Windsor - Talent showcased at Boardwalk Park
By Sara Watkins Sara, Watkins@coloradoan.comWINDSOR – Boardwalk Park was dotted with white tents and plenty of art Sunday for the final day of the first Windsor Fine Arts Festival. About 70 artists showcased their work in the juried show on the banks of Windsor Lake.
"I think the show is beautiful, it reminds of the Cherry Creek Art Festival," said Nomie Ketterling of Eaton. "There is a lot of variety, there is a very good selection. It is beautiful; every corner I pass is one more; wow."
Dan Cooper, a retired artist from Fort Collins, said, "The artwork is beautiful. There are some really qualified people here. There is some really top-end stuff here now. It is really, really good." Festival-goers made remarks about the quality of the work, ranging from photography to jewelry to oil painting to metal and stone work. The festival was not only for adults. There was face painting, the swim beach and a playground for children to enjoy as well.
"I like the jewelry and the paintings. I think the art show is good," said Anuja Gore, 10, of Fort Collins. Her 15-year-old brother, Ashay Gore, said the art show was "pretty cool." "There are a lot of unique pieces here; a lot of people have done different the things and are really creative," he said. "This is a very family-friendly park because you have the beach and the playground. It is a good location and helps the show," said Lana Kaberline of Windsor.
"I think that there's a lot of people in Windsor that have artistic talent, so I think it helps them so that they can display what they do and share what they do locally," Kaberline said. Jessica Nix of Windsor said the show was a good draw, bringing people in from out of town. "It helps local businesses," she said. Many agreed the arts festival should become an annual event.
Karen Bailey, an artist from Fort Collins, said, "The turnout has been great. It is beautiful, nice and breezy. We will definitely be back." Her husband, Barry, is a photographer and reported strong sales, Bailey said. Cooper said first-year shows can be challenging until word gets around. But if artists don't see good sales, they won't be back, and the quality of art can quickly go downhill, he said.
"There is a bronze metalsmith here now saying that he is selling out of a lot of the pieces ... so he has to work very hard to make pieces for the bronze show. That indicates to me that there are great sales happening with the high-end artists," Cooper said. The idea for the festival was born by a group of area artists who traveled great distances in the past to attend fine-arts shows. They got together and decided Windsor would make a perfect setting for such an event. "The planning for the fine-arts festival actually started about two years ago," said Don Reichert, the president of the board of directors for the festival. "Our goal is to bring art culture and art awareness to the community of Windsor and all of Northern Colorado."
This story was published Aug. 2, 2010 in the Fort Collins Coloradoan.