Art and the Vineyard
Presented by Maude Kerns Art Center
The Maude Kerns Art Center is proud to present the 36th annual Art and the Vineyard Festival on Thursday through Saturday, July 4 – 6, on the banks of the Willamette River at Alton Baker Park in Eugene. Eugene’s Active 20 – 30 Club joins with the Art Center on July 4th to present Independence Day fireworks at dusk. The Art and the Vineyard Festival is a benefit for Maude Kerns Art Center, supporting the Center’s year-round Exhibits and Education programs.
It’s Art! Art! Art! at the 2019 festival. This year’s Artists’ Marketplace showcases painting, jewelry, photography, printmaking, ceramics, fiber, glass, metalwork, wood, mixed media, and specialty crafts by 92 artists from nine states. An impressive forty-three artists are new to the Festival, including Crestview, Florida artist Ralph Sharp, who creates sculptures, wall pieces, and fountains from copper; Salem, Oregon photographer Ron Wolf, whose subjects include landscapes and backstreets, out-of-the-way alleys, and gardens in the U.S. and Europe; and Shizuko and Toshi Shichishima, from San Rafael, California, a husband and wife team who create traditional Japanese ceramics that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Hours of the Artists’ Marketplace are 11:00am – 8:00pm all three days of the festival.
In Art For Your Garden, twenty-six artists show a variety of artwork for outdoor display and use in a bucolic setting of native plants and flowers provided by the featured nursery, Pierce Street Gardens. Garden art includes metal sculpture, furniture, planters, urns, tiles, birdbaths, fountains, bird feeders and houses, wind chimes, and more. Hours of Art For Your Garden are 11:00am – 8:00pm daily.
Special Attractions includes several new highlights in 2019: a “Plein-Air Paint-Out,” a non-competitive celebration of the artistic community featuring artists painting on site July 6th; the work of two installation artists, M.V. Moran and Lisa Todd, displayed on the festival grounds; and artist panels, discussions, and demos. In addition, the Art Center’s Ceramics Cooperative, Club Mud, exhibits and sells the work of its member potters. Oregon Authors’ Table showcases books by Oregon authors, who will be present at selected times over the three-day festival to discuss their work and autograph books.
Youth Art Arena & Stage: Young artists are invited to participate with their families in art activities offered in the Youth Art Arena by local community organizations all three days of the festival. Art activities and entertainment for kids and families are provided in this area of the festival. The Youth Stage offers a variety of entertainment, including dance, theater, and music provided by Ballet Folklórico Alma de México, Hosanna Dance Studio, Singing Heart Choir & Hummingbirds Girls Choirs, Hosanna Dance Studio, Buck and Elizabeth, Akiko & Hawaiian Dance Group, Harmony Roadhouse Music Studios, Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art Dragon Puppet Theatre, Brass OPS 234th Army Band, and EUG Art Parade.
Oregon wine and wine tasting has always been an integral part of the Art and the Vineyard Festival. The Wine Court, which this year features 16 wineries, is a great place to relax, meet friends, and purchase wine by the glass, bottle, or case. Enjoy a delectable array of the area’s finest flavors from barbeque to Asian cuisine at the International Food Court.
Entertainment on the Main Stage takes place all three days of the festival. Performing on July 4th is the High Street Band, the perfect party band to lead into the fireworks. They entertain with swing, Motown, 70’s-80’s-90-s dance hits, R & B, funk, and rock n’ roll. Headlining on July 5th is Red Bird, from Portland, playing blues, jazz, soul, and Americana. Lead singer and songwriter Bre Gregg has been compared to such greats as Bonnie Raitt and Amy Winehouse. And on Saturday evening, July 6th, festival goers can enjoy the Halie Loren Band followed by Eugene’s own Sugar Beets, whose high energy sounds include bluegrass, folk, and pop.
Hours for the Art and the Vineyard Festival are 11:00 am through the fireworks on Thursday, July 4 and 11:00 am – 9:30 pm on Friday and Saturday, July 5 and July 6. Tickets for the Art and the Vineyard Festival are available at the gate or online at www.artandthevineyard.org. One-day general admission (15 years and older) is $7. A 3-day general admission pass is $15. One-day general admission for youth (ages 6 – 14) is $3. Children under 6 are Free. Parking is $5. The Center for Appropriate Transport provides Valet Bicycle Parking at the DeFazio Bridge entrance for those cycling to the festival.
For more information, contact the Art Center at 541-345-1571, or visit www.artandthevineyard.org.
