1st Annual Fine Arts & Crafts Market in Ellicottville
1st Annual Fine Arts & Crafts Market in Ellicottville
Tri-County Arts Council and the Local Rotary Team Up to Bring Market to Ellicottville
A work done by Sean Huntington. Photos / Tri-County Arts Council
For some, Labor Day weekend is the unofficial end of summer; the last chance to have a big get-together with family and friends. For others, Labor Day weekend means “new school year eve,” a feeling that typically brings more joy to parents than their school-aged children. The first Labor Day came about due to the effort of trade unions and the labor movements around the turn of the 20th century. While the American workforce may look much different today, we still set aside this day to recognize the efforts of hardworking Americans across every industry and trade. This Labor Day weekend, make plans to visit the 1st annual Ellicottville Fine Art and Craft Market to meet local artists and fine craftspeople whose work plays a crucial role in promoting creativity, diversity, and economic growth in their communities.
On Saturday and Sunday, September 2nd and 3rd from 11:00am-5:00pm, the Ellicottville Fine Art and Craft Market will be set up on the lawn of the 1887 Building on the corner of Washington and Jefferson Streets. Tri-County Arts Council Executive Director Paula Bernstein said, “We wanted to try something new in Ellicottville,” though the event does have some history in the village. “Fall Festival was originally put together as an art festival. We wanted to bring that back and have this be a juried art festival.” All participating artists and craftspeople have been selected for this event, as their work was carefully reviewed by the TCAC. While some artists are TCAC members, others are people in the community whose work the TCAC has come to know and love.
Participating artists and genres include the following:
• Painting – Jud Brown, Robin Zefers Clark, Denise Drummond, Theresa Heinz, Sean Huntington, and Mikel Wintermantel
• Photography – Michael Weishan
• Fiber – Eileen Weishan
• Sculpture – Lisa Conn
• Jewelry – Bonnie Hedden and Kaylee Taylor
• Wood/sculpture – Keith McKale
• Mosaic/Glass – Michelle Hoff
• Pottery – Pam Gifford, Ed Green, and Peter Midgley
Bernstein said that interested artists and craftspeople can still apply to be part of the event. Contact Sean Huntington, TCAC Exhibitions Coordinator & Media Development, at sdhuntingtonartscouncil@gmail.com.
The event is a collaboration between the TCAC, the Ellicottville Chamber of Commerce, and the Rotary Club of Ellicottville. Bernstein, who is president of the Olean Rotary Club and the new assistant area governor of the Olean and Ellicottville Rotary clubs, was inspired to bring the three organizations together for this new event. “When we came up with this idea at the TCAC, I just thought it would be so wonderful to have the Rotary onboard,” she said. “It’s important to have the community behind the event, and it’s always nice to have ‘boots on the ground,’ in the Rotarians.”
John Weismantel, Rotary Club of Ellicottville president, was thrilled with the idea and very receptive to Bernstein’s proposal that the organizations work together. “We work really closely with the Rotary Club of Olean,” he said. “They’ve been really supportive of the events we’ve done, like the Tuscan Moon event, and we support their annual golf outing. We’re the only rotary clubs in Cattaraugus County, so we work together quite a bit.”
Weismantel, former assistant area governor, explained that Rotarians will be providing overnight security for all of the vendor booths from Saturday night into Sunday morning. Throughout the weekend, the Rotary Club will also have an informational booth set up and will be selling concessions, including hot dogs, soda, water and more. “With this being a first-time event, we’re hopeful to build on this,” he said. “Ellicottville is the perfect venue for an event like this. I encourage everyone to come out and give their support to the arts council and the participating artists.”
Bernstein is excited for the event to showcase the range of talent in the tri-county region (Allegany, Cattaraugus, and Chautauqua counties). “We have so many talented artists and craftspeople, and this event gives us that 100% visibility to every person who will be there that weekend so we can showcase the absolute creative beauty that we have in this region,” she said. “I’m hoping to have this become a stand-alone event in Ellicottville, just like Ellicottville has so many other weekends of annual events, like Jazz & Blues and The Taste, which just finished. We would like to grow into something like that for Labor Day weekend to become part of the community of Ellicottville.”
There is no charge to attend the Ellicottville Fine Art and Craft Market, and the event will be held rain or shine, as participants will be prepared with tents. To participate, become a sponsor, or learn more about the event, visit https://www.tricountyartscouncil.org/ellicottville-fine-arts/.