The Art Of Attending The Arts Festival
June 11, 2010
I may have only been in Pittsburgh for a few years but I’ve already learned that if there’s going to be a drought in the region, it’s not going to happen until after the Three Rivers Arts Festival.
If the anecdotes and personal experience are any indication, rain and art go together like French fries and salad: they don’t really belong in the same spot, but they also kind of add something to one another.
This is the first time I braved the gray skies and headed to the Point for this year’s Arts Fest (by the way does anyone know when the fountain will be open again? Comment back and let me know. I miss the rainbows).
We bought this from Studio D Art. It will look lovely in my new bathroom.
As a frequent craft/art/anything show attendee I was delighted by the selection and the caliber of craftsmen. From high-end, “I think I might buy this $8000 sculpture for my law firm’s front foyer” pieces to objets d’art that might fit in with the average Joe’s décor and budget, we had a great time mentally redecorating our house. We even bought something unique for a bathroom renovation that otherwise would be straight out of the Home Depot flyer.
Running until June 13 and with a rotating selection of artisans, there’s still time to check out the festival. With most of the booths on concrete, you also have the option of staying out of the mud if a Woodstock-like celebration in front of the music stage isn’t your idea of a good time. If that is your idea of a good time, check out ThePittsburghChannel.com weather pages and the festival performance schedule to get your dancing in the rain on.
Speaking of the rain, I loved the fact that the little kids over in the creative activity section didn’t seem to notice the waterfall from the sky because they were too busy enjoying the junior drum circle in the shadow of the Community Mandala made from recycled materials.
If you are taking the kids, or just want to prepare for maximum artistic enjoyment, a few tips…
1. Bring a change of shoes/clothes for any members of your party who might melt down when their feet start to prune from wet weather. Even if you leave it in the car, it’s going to make the trip home much more enjoyable.
2. When using an umbrella, please be aware of people who are taller than you. It’s tough to appreciate the awesome art with a metal spoke in the eye.
3. Respect the work. I heard more than one artist grumble when a shutter-happy passerby took photos of their paintings/pictures without permission. If you ask nicely, it might not be a problem. But remember: this stuff is their livelihood and many artists have spent multibucks on copyrights for their images. And some exhibits are certainly not meant for a hands-on experience, so watch the kids and yourself.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to figure out how to fit a whimsical sculpture of a flying cow in a ballet skirt into my living room.
