Local artists discuss their crafts

Artists throughout Bloomington are preparing for the Fourth Street Festival of the Arts and Crafts, which will take place Saturday and Sunday. For these artists, the festival is more than just a showcase of their talent; it is a way to share their love of art with the community.\nLocal glass works artist George Zajicek grew up watching artists bevel glass in his father's glass store in Chicago. He makes vessels from fused glass, which is formed in a kiln. Some of what he produces is functional; some is not. \n"Art is supposed to be nonfunctional, and craft is supposed to be functional," he said. "But the line has been blurred for years."\nBloomington, Zajicek said, is an under-rated arts town, but the Fourth Street Festival of the Arts and Crafts draws a lot of people who appreciate the quality of life.\n"This is a Midwestern, small-town mecca for art," he said.\nMost of all, Zajicek said he thinks art is a way of rejuvenation. \n "When you love your work, time and all the negativity in the world is forgotten. You're too busy with your work. \n"I'm 63," he continued. "But I feel 18. If anything has given us youth, it's the ability to be creative."\nRuth Conway is a potter who grew up in England. She also draws great enjoyment from her work, though she takes a very functional view. \n"I like to make things that people can use. I like to think that it's something that people grab for in the morning." said Conway. "That's my idea of a successful pot."\nConway started taking pottery classes because she couldn't buy a teapot to her satisfaction in the United States. "It took me two years to learn how to make a teapot," she said. "And I've been making them ever since."\nLook for Zajicek, Conway, and their wares at the Fourth Street Arts Festival this weekend.