ESSEX JUNCTION — The Champlain Valley Fair is jumping to life this Aug. 28 through Sept. 6 with live artist demonstrations and community exhibitions.
This year’s show consists of three main sections: the Essex Art League, general entries and featured artist Lauren McCabe. The Essex Art League and McCabe will both offer live demonstrations of processes like print making, carving and painting for fairgoers to observe.
McCabe, a current student at the Art Institute of Chicago, began her studies as a photographer. Branching out across mediums, her show in this year's fair will consist of a series of prints where she carves images into blocks of linoleum and transfers the image to paper.
McCabe said she has long been inspired by windows. She was not always sure how her fascination with windows would inspire her art, but has since settled on collecting photographs to translate into her printmaking.
“I have been creating window art where I’m mostly engaging with the idea of participation versus observation,†McCabe said. “How windows allow us just to observe the world rather than being a part of it.â€
Essex Art League is a non-profit organization of artists who display art locally. For its 50th anniversary, the Essex Art League was the fair's featured artist. In years since, the artists have had their own section in the art building consisting of watercolors, oils, acrylics and other varied mediums not part of the juried competition. A dozen art league members will exhibit their craft, some carving wooden birds, some painting and producing fine art in their demonstrations.
Dave Dall, art department superintendent for the Champlain Valley Fair the last four years, said his vision has been to transform the fair to a more traditional museum or gallery presentation.
He has tried to accomplish this through designing the exhibition to have an open flow of visitors with islands of art that allow people to move through the gallery. The exhibition has also changed from fabric walls to painted white walls like a visitor might find at a museum.
“What we’re striving for is the right balance between judged art presentation and gallery for professionalism,†Dall said. “Because these folks work really, really hard on their art, and it would be really nice to have it presented in a way that represents the work that they put into it.â€
Typically, Dall and his team receive nearly 500 public art submissions. They spend a week hanging it. The art is juried in categories such as black and white photography and My Best Shot. While some of the categories remain the same each year, new ones this year include “Haunted,†“Just Desserts,†Pop Art†and “Under Water.â€
“I often have an idea in my head of what a category might mean, but it might mean something completely different to other people,†Dall said. “It’s a lot of fun to see how they interpret the categories, and it’s a lot of fun to see what stuff comes in. A lot of the artists I’ve known for a long time now. It’s just interesting to see them as they grow and as they submit new things.â€
Dall said the department accepts nearly all submitted art unless it is “deliberately offensive.†A second reason artwork may be denied is if the art team is unable to hang it. Pieces must be able to hang on a wire or be able to be outfitted to hang on a wire.
The free online entry deadline to submit art is open now until Aug. 20, at which point there is a $5 entry fee at check-in until Aug. 23 when submissions close. Entry drop off is in the Blue Ribbon Pavilion on Aug. 22 and 23 between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
The reception for the art show on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 6 p.m. Dall said the reception is a great opportunity to meet the artists, learn more about the pieces and discover who the prize winners are. The gallery is free to enter and open the same hours as the fair.
