Art’s Alive made big comeback this year

Local art lovers turned out in force for Art’s Alive 2021.

Almost 1,100 people attended the four-day event in Maple Hall Nov. 5-8. This was the 36th annual show since Black Swan Café owner Martin Hahn, Art Hupy and a group of artists that included Ed Kamuda and Michael Clough held the first Art’s Alive in the Gaches Mansion in 1985.

Since then, the show has been organized by town merchants, the La Conner Chamber of Commerce and the La Conner Arts Commission.

“The town literally rescued the show,” said Sylvia Strong. She directs the La Conner Arts Foundation, which now produces the show under a contract with the town and with some funds from hotel-motel tax revenues.

“The only real change is on paper, because the same group of people has been doing this for a long time,” she said. During her six years as curator, Strong has focused on recruiting well-known local artists for the Invitational Show and hosting “a fabulous art reception.”

Bowing to pandemic protocol, a food-free artists’ meet-and-greet replaced the usual reception. Still, visitors were hungry for art. “People were really glad to have the show back,” she said.

By Sunday afternoon, almost 20% of the 40-plus pieces in the upstairs Open Show had been sold. Downstairs, the twelve invitational artists had sold from one to as many as nine of their works. In all, sales at this year’s show reached about $50,000. Artists receive 60 percent of a sale; 40 percent remains with the Foundation to use for future events and arts scholarships.

Three pieces in the Open Show earned People’s Choice awards. The top vote getter was “Misty Morning” by Lynn Zimmerman, winning first place and a $150 award. Second place went to Craig J. Barber for “Two Trees One Slough.” Tracy Pegg’s painting “Exhale” received third place.

“Lots of paintings were sold,” said councilperson John Leaver, liaison between the Town and the Foundation, “and other than not being able to drink inside, there were no hiccups. Overall, it was a popular event that went well.”