SCENIC MERCHANTVILLE, NJ HOSTS CRAFTS & FINE ART FESTIVAL

 
13th ANNUAL FESTIVAL SCHEDULED FOR MAY 17 & 18, 2008

MERCHANTVILLE, NJ – “Merchantville offers a quality of life that attracts an eclectic mix of residents and merchants who have contributed to the aesthetic of the town. Our Crafts and Fine Art Festival is embraced by this community because the standard of work we offer is representative of the same high standard we’ve helped establish for Merchantville,” offered Russ Loue, resident and director of Merchantville’s North 13 Collaborative Gallery. On May 17th and 18th this juried Festival invites those appreciative of fine art and crafts to take in its stunning display of furniture, jewelry, ceramic arts, painting and wearable fiber to name but a few of the categories open to artists’ submissions.

Festival hours are 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM each day. Admission is free.

Maintaining such a high standard falls to the Festival’s jury of arts and design professionals who review applications from across the country. “Artists from the region looking for customers who respect quality have found our Festival an ideal venue,” explained Betsy Bernhardt, owner of Earth Tones, a fine arts and crafts gallery, and a member of the jury vetting the artists’ applications. “We’re offering an experience that is quite different from what one might find at their local ‘crafts fair’. Artists we select offer work simpatico with the standards that have made this town such a special place. What we strive for is a seamless transition for guests who venture beyond the Festival area and take in the sights of Merchantville.”

Merchantville's annual event boasts some of the region's most talented artists and crafters. Among those artists exhibiting works for sale:

• Potter Glenn Hudson based in Woodlynne, NJ;
  
• Jeweler Nancy Irons who hails from Audubon, NJ, and;
  
• Pen and Ink artist Ramona Maziarz who makes her home in Middletown, DE
  

Visitors will find 80 artists offering their work for sale along Merchantville’s Centre Street, closed to vehicle traffic for the festival, located in the heart of this enchanting borough. Stroll among the exhibits while enjoying live music performances and alfresco dining. Those who amble away from the exhibit area will appreciate Merchantville’s landscaped gardens, beautifully restored homes, and unique shops and art galleries.

STUDENT ARTIST CERAMIC MURAL
Young artists from Merchantville and the surrounding area are now developing a theme and creating the fired ceramics for a tile mural set for installation the weekend of the Crafts and Fine Art Festival. Coordinated through Merchantville Elementary School, with art teacher Patrice LaJunesse and the Parsons Center for the Arts, students will work under the guidance of a professional artist to develop the concept, interpret it in the mosaic tile style used for the mural and prepare the individual tiles required for the design. Visitors to the Festival are invited to watch as the students realize their vision when the work is installed May 17 & 18.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The public is invited to visit www.merchantville.com or e-mail artsfestival@merchantville.com for additional information on participating artists.

ABOUT MERCHANTVILLE
Merchantville, New Jersey distinguishes itself as a walking community. A shade tree town of classic architecture, offering lovely examples of restored Victorian, art deco, and art nouveau homes and buildings along with a growing business district. Merchantville combines the small-town feel of yesterday with the modern conveniences of today. This historic municipality offers an arts center, Holiday House Tour, a nationally recognized Classic Car Show and Garden Tours among other attractions. Located just 10 minutes from Center City Philadelphia, Merchantville is easily accessible from most of the Northeast's major cities.

Don’t miss the chance to experience one of America’s most intriguing towns and browse through superior crafts and fine art from the region’s most talented artists.