Artists to show their
work, schools, community to benefit
By Jenny Jones
Summer
Reporter
Artists from across the country will be displaying
their artwork in this year's 'Round the Fountain Art Fair.
The art fair will be held from 9a.m. to 4p.m.
Saturday outside the courthouse in downtown Lafayette. It is free
and open to the public.
Attending this year's festival will be 102 artists
offering many different types of artwork, such as paintings, drawings,
glassware and photography.
"Given the number of artists and the range of
work everyone should be able to find something they like," said Graeme
Reid, member of the art fair committee.
Along with selling their work, the artists participating
in the fair will have the chance of becoming cash winners in a judged
contest.
If their work is chosen, the artists will be
awarded one of numerous cash prizes ranging from $200 to $1,000.
In addition to awarding prizes to the artists,
the art fair committee will also be giving the money it has earned
from donations, fair entry fees and booth rentals back to the community.
"Everything we get we put back out," said Gail
Gettings, secretary of the art fair committee.
The money obtained during the fair's first 25
years went towards renovating the county's courthouse. This year,
as it has the last two years, the money earned will go towards the
continued maintenance of the courthouse and the five art departments
of the local high schools.
The art departments are usually short of money
and the teachers usually end up paying for supplies out of their own
pockets, Reid said.
"If we don't have the money for something we
just do without," said Terry Jackson, art department specialist at
Jefferson High School. The money granted to the schools will go towards
equipment, such as supplies and books, he said.
Reid said, "The level of talent here is really
quite exponential and deserves encouragement."
Last year the art fair committee distributed
$1,500 to each of the high schools. "We certainly appreciate it,"
Jackson said.
Besides giving out funds to the local high schools,
the committee will also select one work of art from the 'Round the
Fountain Art Fair to add to the collection displayed inside the courthouse.
• The art fair will be open rain or shine.
