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At the Lewiston Art Festival.
At the Lewiston Art Festival.

Art Festival (crowd) returns to Lewiston

by jmaloni
Mon, Aug 16th 2021 09:00 am

As evidenced by the throngs of people entering as and slightly before it began this past weekend, the Lewiston Art Festival was sorely missed.

One of Western New York’s showcase competitions, the event returned to Center Street after being canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. More than 125 artists participated, and had work viewed by thousands of spectators. The happening also included live music, food vendors and information on Lewiston’s history, its service clubs, and 2022 bicentennial birthday.

The Lewiston Art Festival was presented by the Lewiston Council on the Arts. Creators participated in seven categories: painting, photography, graphic arts, sculpture, mixed media, artistic crafts (ceramics, wood, fiber, glass) and jewelry. College Alley presented a platform for the next generation of artists, while Hennepin Park was transformed into an Iroquois Market, which LCA stated “brings to life the rich culture of our Haudenosaunee friends and neighbors.”

Scenes from the Lewiston Art Festival.

This year’s competition winners (one per category) included:

•Best of Show: Laura Gardner, “Lavender Fields & Carcassonne,” oil

The artist was making her debut at the Lewiston Art Festival after looking for the right event to make her New York introduction. Gardner is online at www.lauragardnerfineart.com.

•Michael McMahon Memorial Award: Fritz Raiser, “Chance the Rapper,” watercolor

•Painting: Kelsey Merkle, “Poppies,” oil resin

•Photography: Ann Peterson, “Hope Lisbon Portugal”

•Graphic arts and drawing: Jim Greenwald, “Great White Buffalo Ice Wine”

•Sculpture: Mary Clause, “Passenger Pigeon Passage,” beadwork

•Mixed media: Pamela Harris, “Artist Book,” handmade journals

•Artistic craft (jewelry): Patricia Cancilla, “China Rose Necklace”

•Artistic craft (other/ceramic, wood, metal, fiber, etc.): Jamie Gilbert, “Wedding Vase,” beadwork

•Best booth display: Diana Hydock, booth No. 604

•“Chalk YOUR Walk” Competition:

√ Best of Show (selected by judges), Julia Williamson

√ People’s choice (determined by Facebook “Likes”), April Radder

√ Honorable mention (age 10 and under), Amelia Casale

More Scenes from Lewiston Art Festival

Lewiston Art Festival first-place winner (sculpture) Mary Clause. (Submitted photo)

“Chalk YOUR Walk” winners Amelia Casale and Julia Williamson. (Submitted photo)

The DiCamillo Bakery team with its signature cannoli and ice cream cookie sandwiches.

Casa Antica had its signature rice balls for sale.

Lewiston will celebrate its 200th birthday in 2022.

The Como Deli squad was out offering pizza bread and a new steak roll-up.

Photo by Wayne Peters

Photo by Wayne Peters

Village of Lewiston Trustee Claudia Marasco called the Art Festival “fantastic” and “amazing.”

“They came, they saw, they bought, they ate – it was amazing,” she said at Monday’s municipal board meeting. “It never stopped all weekend. The most beautiful weather ever. Everybody was smiling. You could see people walking Center Street from the end all the way up to Eighth Street carrying big pieces of canvas artwork; many people with bags in their hands – they had been to the clothing stores. Every store was doing (well). When I stopped in to talk with them, they were beaming. It wasn’t just the vendors on the street that were making the money, it was our own businesses that need it so desperately. A few of them said this one is the best in all the times that they’ve been trying to have the festival.

“Really, a home run.”

Deputy Mayor Vic Eydt noted people came to Lewiston from as far away as the Carolinas, Florida and California.

“It was incredible,” he said.

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