The Vernon Labor Day Festival of the Arts encouraged the community’s creative spirit. With several free art booths and demonstrations Sept. 2 and 3, the town allowed kids and adults to create or observe the creation of art of all styles, from pet portraits to abstract circles.
Sandy Hatfield, a senior of Jennings County High School and member of the National Art Honor Society and the Academy of Fine Arts, headed the development of three of the booths as her senior project for the Academy of Fine Arts. The booths included the creation of tissue paper art, marker designs on foil and colorful, repetitive circles (Kandinsky circles).
Because of the simplicity of these activities, even young children were able to create happily while older children and adults were still given a broad enough spectrum to be interested. Participants, especially children, seemed excited about the opportunity presented to them.
As a young girl doodled on foil, she remarked, “This is so cool! I never get to create like this at home. We don’t have Sharpies.”
Those helping Hatfield with this project include her art teacher, Karen Chilman, fellow members of the National Art Honor Society and her mother.
In addition to Hatfield’s booths, festival attendees also were invited to create and paint their own drums — which were later used in a drum circle — watch artists paint or perform and listen to live music. The festival not only displayed many aspects of the local arts, but encouraged its growth and illustrated its importance.
