Art in the Park in Blowing Rock Saturday

Concert in the Park on Sunday

Baskets by Jean Yao will be at this weekend’s Art in the Park in Blowing Rock on Saturday, August 15, at the American Legion grounds. Photo submitted

The 47th season of Blowing Rock’s Art in the Park continues on Saturday, August 15. One of the High Country’s premier arts and crafts events, Art in the Park features nearly 100 artists in media that ranges from wood turning to oil painting in a show at the American Legion grounds in downtown Blowing Rock from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Admission to the show is free, and a trolley runs from the Tanger Shopping Center or the Food Lion Shopping Center to take you downtown.

Returning to the August Show will be several of this year’s Art in the Park award winners, including Kathy Wolfe, June’s Award of Distinction winner. Wolfe is quickly becoming an Art in the Park favorite with her scanned images of fruit, flowers and other objects. Obyana Ajanaku, last July’s Award of Excellence winner, will return with his handmade jewelry. Basketmaker Jean Yao will also be at this month’s show. Yao has won many awards at Art in the Park over the years. All of Yao’s baskets are made with hand-selected palm fronds and are one of a kind.

Last year’s September Award of Excellence winner, Nancy Strailey, is more than excited to be there again. Strailey is a unique colored pencil artist who draws based on her experiences in Africa. Often, she draws on paper that she makes herself and incorporates bits of plants, fiber and even dung collected in Africa. Another Honorable Mention winner returning to the show is Susan Cowan-Welch, here for the first time in the 2009 season. Cowan-Welch’s hand-dyed and quilted ladies’ clothing has been well received at this year’s shows. The items include vests, ponchos, ruanas, coats, scarves and bags. Wall hangings are also featured in her booth.

“My three rules of good fiber design are appropriate use of fabric, attractive lines and simple construction,” Welch said. “I use weaving, quilting, knitting, beading, dyeing, felting and appliqué in my work.” Many of the artists have won prizes in other shows as well and are members of such associations such as the Southern Highland Craft Guild.

On Sunday, August 16, the Concert in the Park series will feature the Pipes and Drums of the Grandfather Highland Band at 4:00 p.m. at Memorial Park. Founded in 1974 by Agnes MacRae Morton and Harvey Ritch, the band has more than 30 members from four states. The host band of the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games in Linville, the Highlanders wear the MacRae tartan in honor of Morton. The Highlanders have been the Southern Pipe Band Champions for three years in a row and have held this distinction many times since they first captured the championship in 1976. The Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce, Bob Hess, CPA and private citizens sponsor Concert in the Park.

For more information, call the Blowing Rock Chamber at 828-295-7851.

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