Birthday party for the artist: Big show to celebrate Will Vawter

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Will Vawter’s painting “Winter Quiet” will be on display at the TwentyNorth Gallery during the artists’ reception, on loan from David Spencer. submitted

GREENFIELD — Hancock County Arts is pulling out all the stops to celebrate the 150th birthday of Greenfield artist Will Vawter.

As press time, more than 124 entries have been submitted by 47 artists for a juried show.

It’s up to artist Alan Larkin, who was selected as the juror for the 2021 Will Vawter Art Exhibition and Sale, to select the pieces for the show. The stakes are higher than ever this year with a best of show award of $1,000, $600 for first place, $400 for second, $200 for third, an artists’ choice award (selected by the artists who entered) for $200, and six judge’s awards at $100 each.

The gala celebration begins Friday night at the TwentyNorth Gallery at 6 p.m. with an artists’ reception in the Gallery, located at 20 N. State St. Entertainment will be provided by Jeff Kinder and Sherrie Davis from the blue grass group Nebo Ridge, who will perform from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. An original Will Vawter painting, “Winter Quiet,” will be on display courtesy of David Spencer.

The awards and prizes will be presented at 7 p.m. in a tent at the North Street Living Alley, 35 W. North Street.

On Saturday, the party continues as the artist awards tent becomes the art project tent with opportunities for creativity all day.

Artist Sandy Hall has contributed some fun to the party with a 42-inch square painting of a birthday cake. Guests are invited to use finger paint to “light the candles” by pressing a painted finger into paint and then just above one of the 150 candles on the cake.

Everyone is invited to participate in free rock painting. The activity will be set up on the picnic tables with an assortment of brushes and paints available to all. Painters may take their rocks with them or lay them at the base of Andrew Hem’s “A Barefoot Boy Mural” across the parking lot from Lincoln Square Pancake House on Main St.

Beginning at 10 a.m., artist Abby Apodaca will lead a workshop to create a sunflower-painted canvas bag. At 11 a.m., visitors can make a glass mosaic board with Jen Ramo. At 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., artist Carol Barrett will lead back-to-back workshops to paint a bird house, followed by workshop to create glass bead garden totems. All workshops are $10 to cover the cost of materials.

And don’t worry, refreshments will be part of the festivities. The ever-popular Cajun Boiler will be on hand with lunch food available for purchase. At 1 p.m. purchase a birthday celebration cupcake from Donita Willis for $1 to celebrate Will Vawter’s birthday.

In addition to art and food, singer/songwriter Haley Jonay will perform from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. in the North Street Living Alley. Jonay’s latest single, “I Dream About You,” was released on May 22.

The TwentyNorth Gallery will offer some extended hours during the run of the Vawter show. Typically open from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the gallery will be open from 4 to 7 p.m. on Friday, June 18 and 25, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 12 and 19.