This past weekend I had the privilege of attending the Clothesline Festival at the Memorial Art Gallery in Rochester, New York. This was my second year at this creative festival. I loved seeing copious amounts of art, ceramics, photography, quilt work, hand made clothing, jewelry, food and various other expressions of creativity.
Some brief bullet-point facts of the Clothesline Festival:
- The first festival was in 1957
- Back in the day, art was exhibited with clothespins on clotheslines. Today, each artist has their own tent to display their work.
- More than 400 artists were exhibiting their art
- An estimated 5,000 people attended the festival Saturday which is a third of the attendance from opening day last year. The weather is to blame for the lower numbers.
It was raining, windy and it was chilly but I didn’t care. I had been looking forward to this festival all summer for many reasons. I love art. Its a beautiful medium of expression and creativity. I also really enjoy talking to artists, hearing stories of why and how they created something a certain way, and seeing an extension of that person through their art.
Below are photos of my favorite exhibitor’s art at the Clothesline Festival:
Vintage Soul:
This gorgeous jewelry is handmade by Pamela Nakoski. I met her last year at the 2011 Clothesline Festival and was very excited to see some of her newest work this year. Pamela takes vintage and antique pieces of jewelry and collages them together into stunning pieces of one of a kind collectable jewelry.
My favorite pieces of Vintage Soul this year were the collar necklaces that she made from old collars, elegant beads and pins. Pamela also makes velvet cuffs and charm bracelets, seen below. Jewelry is available to purchase on her website. If you love unique jewelry, definitely check out Vintage Soul!
Mark Klammer Pottery:
What I really love about Mark Klammer Pottery is a combination of the gorgeous range of colors he offers as well as the sophisticated design of each piece. Mark Klammer Pottery is collectible and functional art meant to be appreciated on a daily basis. I use the mixing bowls (seen below) on a regular basis. My husband and I have started a Mark Klammer Pottery assortment of our own which we thoroughly enjoy both on display and practical use in the kitchen. I’m excited about next year’s festival so we can add to our collection!
Dick Kane Paintings:
Dick Kane Paintings is a another exhibit that I was so happy so see again this year at the Clothesline Festival. He is a local Rochesterian artist who paints a variety of scenic images. What I really like about his work is I am drawn into an illustration and see myself as one of the subjects. His artwork is very pertinent to me because I can relate to sitting outside a cafe in the summer, leaving a theater at night after a show, or sailing on the lake. To me his art is beautiful. Each scene stirs my imagination and allows me to be inside the memory of the painting.
“Summer Morning on Park Avenue, Rochester, NY.”
“A Carefree Morning on the Lake”
“The Eastman Theatre”
Please understand that these are photos of card prints and do not do the original work justice. Do yourself a favor if you are ever in the upstate New York region, take a day trip to Dick Kane’s home studio and gallery in Rochester, New York. He does not have a website but you may email him at dkanestudio@aol.com to make an appointment.
Happy Friday!
Maggie
