BAAC Art Fair to feature 50 local artists

Thirty years, 50 artists and eight hours: This is the Bloomington Arts Fair on the Square.

The Bloomington Area Arts Council will play host to the annual event from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday in front of the Monroe County Courthouse.

Arts Fair on the Square runs in conjunction with Taste of Bloomington, an event that offers sampling opportunities from more than 35 local and regional restaurants, special music and children’s activities. Together, the Bloomington Arts Festival and Taste of Bloomington draw cultural tourism to downtown Bloomington.

The festival is celebrating its 30th anniversary and will take place in the heart of Bloomington, with artists known both nationally and locally. Adam Nahas of Cyclops Studios and wire-wrapper Kathleen Clausen will be performing special demonstrations.

“I do what I do because it feels natural and right for me,” Nahas said about his work. Nahas is a recent graduate of the IU studio art program. After his 2007 graduation, Nahas worked for White River Foundry owner and artist Mark Parmenter.

Following a few years of training, Nahas has assumed the responsibility of workshop manager of White River Foundry and opened Cyclops Studios in Bloomington.

“The deeply rooted passion for my art and my craft is in my blood, and it fuels my heart,” Nahas said. He will perform all day at the festival.

Emily Wilson’s work will be presented alongside Nahas’. Wilson is a self-taught artist from Toledo, Ohio, whose work consists mainly of acrylics and mixed media. Her extreme close-ups of flowers can be loosely likened to those of famous southwestern artist Georgia O’Keefe, but with a much warmer, colorful feel.

Wilson has appeared at the festival in past years, and this year the Bloomington Area Arts Council nominated her on its website as a “Featured Artist of the Week.”

Fine art and a Kids Kraft Korner as well as live demonstrations will be showcased at this year’s Arts Fair on the Square, including belly dancers from Different Drummer, Bloomington Community Band, Windfall Dancers and The Silk Road Ensemble.

The Silk Road Ensemble consists of a number of internationally renowned performers and composers. These artists hail from more than 20 different countries worldwide and have produced five albums. The ensemble has created a diverse range of musical multimedia projects and has performed in Europe, Asia and North America.

— Nona Tepper