Craft Fair And Hands-On/Demo Tent To Be Part Of Taste Of ArtWeek - Apr 27

Taste of ArtWeek, a kick-off celebration to Franklin ArtWeek, will be held on Saturday, April 27 from 4:00 - 8:00 PM. The festival will include food trucks, live performances, a craft fair, and a hands-on crafts and demo tent on the Franklin Town Common, as well as a beer and wine garden and fine art exhibition at Hayward Manor, and is intended to give attendees a "taste" of what ArtWeek is all about.

The Craft Fair and The ArtWeek Experience Pavilion, showcasing demos and hands-on crafts, are free and require no ticketing. The Craft Fair will showcase 30 booths of handmade items from Massachusetts-based artisans, and will include such diverse offerings as pottery, jewelry, home décor items, specialty foods, accessories, fine art, and more. Only locally, handmade crafts were allowed in to the juried exhibition.

"We hand-picked each vendor and are so excited to bring new and fresh talent into Franklin," says Craft Fair organizer Kaye Kelly.

Chinese brush painting and calligraphy

The ArtWeek Experience Pavilion offers opportunities for festival attendees to participate in art creation. A variety of live art demonstrations and workshops will be offered, including one on Chinese brush painting and calligraphy by artist Jack Zhao. Zhao will demonstrate his unique combination of Chinese calligraphy mixed with more modern illustration using ancient brush painting techniques. He will then hold several short workshops for attendees to try their own hand at brush painting.

acrylic tree painting

Artist Chris Lamb Toubeau will lead festival-goers in a series of short hands-on workshops in acrylic tree painting, and Sue Sheridan will explain the elements involved in watercolor painting, followed by a demonstration. Illustrator and artist diNo will offer a crowd-sourced spin art project, an animated mandala app project, and a demonstration of his illustrative style. Attendees can also watch Erin Dart create watercolor and pen and ink paintings of wildlife. The New England Lace Group will be in the Pavilion showing the art of bobbin lace making, a way of creating handmade lace, with the opportunity for people to try their hand at this historically-significant art form.

watercolor and pen and ink paintings

In addition, a section of the Pavilion is being sponsored by Senate President Karen E. Spilka as The Family Creative Corner with free crafts for kids. These include a bookmark-making craft hosted by the Franklin Public Library, spring ornaments and magnets hosted by Lifelong Learning's Solutions Program, pet tattoos and coloring pages hosted by Leashrly Life, pinwheel-making hosted by the MetroWest Visitors Bureau, and a table with origami folding using old book pages that is being done by students from Benjamin Franklin Charter School as part of a capstone project, which will also raise funds for both literacy and art charities. Also in the tent will be Sandy Fun Sand Art, where kids can make a sand art bottle for a nominal fee.

"The Pavilion gives attendees an opportunity to not only meet various types of artists, but to create art as well, allowing them to experience different mediums. We’ve never done anything like this in Franklin. The ArtWeek Experience Pavilion is going to make this a one-of-a-kind festival in New England, " organizer Kelly goes on to say.

Taste of ArtWeek is being organized by the Franklin Cultural Council, in partnership with Random Smile Project charity. Proceeds from the event will benefit both organizations. 

For more information about Taste of ArtWeek, or to purchase tickets for the food trucks and beer & wine garden, please visit www.randomsmile.org/festival. 

Sponsors for Taste of ArtWeek include Mass Vacations, the MetroWest Visitors Bureau, the Mass Cultural Council, Dedham Savings Bank, Dean Bank, Middlesex Savings Bank, La Cantina Winery, Dean College, Liberty Realty, Allegra Printing, and Senate President Karen E. Spilka's office.