Photo Memories of the Paso Arts Fest 2011-2015

Paso Robles Festival of the Arts Reborn as Paso Artsfest

My earliest memories of the Paso Artsfest were during the period when it was called the Paso Robles Festival of the Arts. In 2014, it changed its name to the Paso ArtsFest, and so it remains. The arts festival changed its name to tie it more closely to Studios on the Park, its parent organization. Although the Main Event is in the Park on Saturday, a good part of it can be found across the streets at Studios on the Park.

Festival of the Arts, 2012,  Sand Sculpture, © B. Radisavljevic

Outside in the park, there seems to be music and activity everywhere. The music pulsates around you and your eyes are tempted to move in all directions because there is so much to see and do. Across the street at Studios on the Park, the mood is more like that of an art gallery and workplace, which it is. The music is quieter and more soothing. At least it has been very time I've been there. It's a great place to retreat from the bustle of activity in the park and visit with resident artists in their studios.

Here are a couple of shots of the 2012 Festival of the Arts within Studios on the Park. There's plenty to see, but it's more peaceful -- not to mention cooler.

Studios on the Park, 2012, Studio Exibit of Caroly Braun's Pastels,  © B. Radisavljevic

Studios on the Park, 2012, Studio of Laure Carlisle and W.B. Eckert,  © B. Radisavljevic

The photo above is history, since  Laure Carlisle is no longer a resident artist. I thought Bill Eckert was also gone, but he's back on the list, so he must have returned. Resident artists always seem to be coming and going, so there are always old friends and some new people to meet. 

Festival of the Arts Memories and Photos, 2011 and 2012

The festival has changed a lot over the years. Some of my favorite exhibit events, like the musical petting zoo, appear to no longer be participating, but at least there will be a Hands-On Percussion activity. You can see  the complete Musical Petting Zoo, and other popular 2012 activities in the children's zone about halfway through this video. I suggest you watch it full screen. 

You can see and and hear an overview of the 2012 Festival of the Arts in this Walk Through the 2012 Festival of the Arts.  It includes both photos and videos. 

One thing I missed last year was the environmental zone. Although I never did see how it was connected to the fine arts, I did enjoy the chance to see the birds of prey and the native plants up close. Photos below are labeled with year taken.

 Below is one photo from the Native Plants exhibit. It was here, at the previous year's exhibit,  I discovered one of my favorite reference books, A Californian's Guide to The Trees Among Us, after taking a guided tour of the trees in the park with the book's author, Matt Ritter. Several books about native plants, including the trees, were on display both years. 

Native Plants Exhibit, Festival of the Arts, 2012, © B. Radisavljevic

Below is a kestrel from an exhibit of birds of prey. I believe it was sponsored by Airstrike Bird Control, a service for natural control of birds that attack vineyards.

Kestrel, Festival of the Arts, 2011, © B. Radisavljevic

Here's a peregrine falcon chick from the exhibit. It had been rescued. 

Peregrine Chick, Festival of the Arts, 2011, © B. Radisavljevic

For more memories of the 2011 festival, check my  blog post written right after it: Paso Robles Festival of the Arts 20911 has Left the Park, but not My Heart

Paso ArtsFest 2015

I had health issues last year that kept me from spending my usual full day at the ArtsFest. As it turned out, it didn't matter. Some of my usual stops had been dropped from the exhibitors. One was the previously mentioned Musical Petting Zoo. It was a wonderful way for children to get a hands-on acquaintance with most common musical instruments. For 2016 it appears it will be replaced by an all percussion version. Meanwhile, come along as I try to find it last year: My Search for the Musical Petting Zoo at the 2015 Paso ArtsFest

I did find one activity that I had never noticed at previous festivals, but maybe it's because I'd skipped two years. Here's a photo of the Paint Pyramids in 2015.

 Paint Pyramids, Paso Artfest 2015, © B. Radisavljevic

What is your favorite memory at the Paso ArtsFest or any other Festival of the Arts? Is there any exhibit you especially look forward to or miss now? Please share in the comment box below after the sharing buttons. This last photo is just the right size for Pinterest.

Note: This post is now historical. The art festivals in the park have been discontinued. Studios on the Park could not keep sponsoring them. 

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January 15 is National Hat Day: Fashion and Function

January 15 is National Hat Day. Since I was born in the 1940's in Southern California, hats were only part of my life on special days like Easter Sunday, or, later on if I visited the snow in the mountains. On Easter Sundays, women wore hats to be fashionable and traditional. When I wore a hat in the mountains it was functional in keeping my head warm.

People in California, except in some of the cities, dressed pretty casually, and most of the time we did not need hats to keep our heads warm. We needed them more often to keep the sun out of our eyes and prevent sunstroke and sunburn. The picture above was taken one year at what was then the Paso Robles Festival of the Arts, now known as the Paso Arts Fest. If you click on the photo to see it full size, you will see that many of the people working on the sand sculpture and those around them are wearing hats. Most of these hats are more functional than fashionable.

The basic function of a hat is to cover the head and protect it from excessive heat or cold. Most of the following photos were taken at the Festival of the Arts, an outdoor event in Paso Robles at the end of May. It's usually very warm, and many of us are outside for most of the day. That's why many of the vendors, artists, and attendees wear some sort of hat to protect them from the sun. I went through my files to show you some the hats worn by people I had photographed for other reasons. Perhaps you've met some of these people, many of whom are artists. I'll identify them if I can. I can't see the name tag on this artist. It appears her hat is the type that keeps the head warm. She is participating in the Plein Air Quick Draw which starts at the very beginning of the day. The artists only have a couple of hours to finish their paintings.

Next we have Anne Laddon, without whom we would not have Studios on the Park or the art festivals in Paso Robles. She has lots of help, but she got the ball rolling and does a lot of the work. I had to look at a few more photos to be sure this was Anne, since her face doesn't show here. She is also working on a Quick Draw painting.  I chose this view because it shows off her hat, which is both fashionable and functional.

John Partridge is teaching a watercolor workshop in this photo. I was watching his demonstration.  You can see John's paintings hanging in public places all over Paso Robles. He paints a lot of the most historical and famous places in the city.  His hat serves well to keep the sun out of his eyes.


Julie Dunn, on the right, is one of the many artists exhibiting her art in the park. I liked her hat. Like Anne's it's both fashionable and functional.  It does a good job of shading her face and protecting her head from the heat.

I'd like to show you a couple of other men who were at this event wearing hats. The first is a model for one of the plein air artists during the Quick Draw. I believe the finished work had the word "Cowboy" as part of the title. Do you like his hat? I don't have his name. You can click the photo to enlarge it for a better look at his hat. I didn't crop for just the hat because I just couldn't leave the tree out of the picture.

Larry Kappen is another plein air artist participating in the Quick Draw event. The years I took these pictures, the Quick Draw paintings were auctioned off on the steps of the old Carnegie Library at noon to help support the arts and selected city projects. I like Larry's hat. 

All but one of the hats shown here do a good job of keeping the sun off the faces of the ones wearing them. I have a sun hat I love, but I didn't like the only photo I had of myself in it. It has a drawstring to keep it on my head, since I often walk where it's windy. Without the drawstring, I would have already lost my hat several times.

HAT: HOPE IS AN APPLE BLOSSOM

I also made myself a hat at Zazzle to memorialize my apple tree that died. If this kind of trucker hat is enough protection for you, or if you want to make a personalized design and choose your colors, Zazzle is the place to choose or create a hat.  There are many styles to choose from now, not just the basic style above. Pick any style and add your own image and / or words, or use the search box in the upper right corner to find one of thousands of already created hats on any topic you can think of -- humorous, political, scenic -- whatever you want to express. 

Do you have a suitable hat to protect you from the sun? Or maybe you still need a warm hat during this cold  winter. Amazon has a great hat selection. You can use the handy search bar to find just the right one to meet your needs. If you need a hat for a man, or a winter hat, just change the search term.

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The Simple Pleasure of Playing in the Sand

Professional Sandcastles at 2015 Paso ArtsFest

It seems everyone loves the pleasure of playing in the sand. In this post I will return to the Paso ArtsFest of 2015, to the middle of Pine Street next to the park where all ages are playing in the sand. The photo below shows the pros -- the ones who brought all the sand boxes and who build spectacular castles.

Sand sculpture is definitely an art, as anyone who has ever tried it knows. I've often wondered how it feels to build a magnificent sand castle, and then have to tear it down to take it somewhere else and start over, or to build on the beach and walk away, either watching as the tide comes in and the waves knock it down, or just knowing that will happen when you are gone.

Children and Sand Just Go Together

Children aren't thinking about what will happen to their creations at the end of the day. They are in the present. Kids are content with the simple pleasures of experimenting with the sand. They feel its texture as they run their hands through it. They see the impressions left as they use shovels and other provided tools, as well as hands and feet, to mark the sand. Adults stand by to make sure they don't throw the sand at each other - to keep peace in the sandboxes.

These children can see the sand castle being built a few feet away from them, but they see no need to imitate what the adults are doing. They are perfectly content to just enjoy the sensations of the sand as they touch it and any discoveries they might make about how it responds to their touch. They are enjoying the now, free from the pressure to build something just because someone else is. They can follow where their imaginations lead.

Give your own children the pleasure of playing in the sand this summer. You may even want to join them. Here are some great sand toys and tools to make it even more fun.

 John Deere 15 Dinosaur Sand Claws Beach Toy Set for Kids with Bucket, Shovels, Rakes & 7 Shape Molds Bo-Toys Beach Sand Toys Set in Zippered Bag Castle Bucket, 15 Piece Beach Toy Set for Kids,Big 28 Pcs Sand Play Set with Models and Molds,[Castle+ Animal + Tool, Colorful]

& 

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Barbara, Paso Robles, USA

Today is Theme Day for City Daily Photo bloggers, and the theme for this month is "Stylish." As I was strolling around the Paso ArtsFest last weekend, I was fortunate enough to run into Cinderella, sitting in her coach, while Prince Charming was testing to see if she was the owner of the glass slipper that belonged to the beautiful girl he had danced with. What could be more stylish than the marvelous coach? Who more stylish than Prince Charming? I can't see clearly what Cinderella is wearing, so I don't know if she's dressed for the ball or for her hard labor at home.

Of course, this scene never appeared in the real story, since the coach was long gone and back to being a pumpkin before the prince found the girls of his dreams back among the cinders at home.

See what bloggers in other cities of the world considered stylish. 

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Lynn Kishiyama at the Paso 2015 Artsfest

During the Paso Artsfest I looked for Lynn in her studio at Studios on the Park, but she wasn't there. Instead I found her next to her exhibit out in the park,  as part of the Main Event. It wasn't easy to photograph the exhibit without people blocking it, but they moved back so I could get a clear shot. Lynn herself, front left, seems to be looking at something I can't see off to the side. I'm wondering what she saw that I missed.

To better understand the story behind Lynn's work displayed here, see the related article below. To enlarge the photo, just click it.

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My Search for the Musical Petting Zoo at the 2015 Paso ArtsFest

I love the PasoArts Fest, but this is the first year I've been able to go. I had to skip its inauguration last year because I had just had foot surgery and couldn't do the walking. I have, however been a fan of the Paso Robles Festival of the Arts since I became aware of it in 2010 and was amazed at the production it was in 2012. I captured as much of it as I could then in photos and on video. The photo on the left shows an entrance to the exhibit area for the Paso ArtsFest this year, 2015.

I've developed a knee problem, but still decided to attend the ArtsFest this year to check it out, even though I couldn't stay more than an hour. I expected it to be bigger and better than ever, and I immediately tried to find my favorite attractions. One of those is the Musical Petting Zoo. Traditionally, this has been an exhibit of a wide variety of orchestra instruments. Children were allowed to come and try them out. It's an exhibit I could always find by the sounds. I couldn't find it.

I looked for the 12th Street ArtsFest booth where Norma Moye usually welcomes everyone and it wasn't there. I discovered it was closer to Carnegie Library this year. Norma and the other ladies checked the map and directed me the Musical Petting Zoo, I couldn't see it where  I'd been told it was. I couldn't even hear it.

Add caption

I finally asked people in the booths surrounding its supposed location. Finally someone told me they had cancelled at the last moment. I was directed instead to this booth, which I had seen coming in right where the the Musical Petting Zoo usually is. It seems they were filling in.

I went back to the booth and saw that the children were having fun making music there, as well. Maybe they will have a chance to experience the orchestra instruments again next year, but this year they are having a more cross-cultural experience.

I somehow missed the environmental exhibits this year if there were any. I was hoping to find the Airstrike Bird Control Booth I've enjoyed in the past, but if it was there, I didn't see it. Perhaps there was just not enough room for the non-art exhibits this year.

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Sculptures by Central Coast Artist Vel Miller

I first met Vel Miller at the Paso Robles Festival of the Arts in May, 2012. The park was an overwhelming exhibit area and I was trying to see everything in the park and at Studios on the Park. Across the street at the same time, Phantom Project 2, the largest indoor exhibit to hit Paso Robles, was at the end of its exhibit period. I had managed to see that a few times before the Art  Festival started. In the midst of all that was happening, it's amazing I even discovered Vel Miller's exhibit. I'm so glad I  did.

Vel Miller's tags on her art read "Western Interpretations." She is interested in creating art that people will connect to emotionally, as well as aesthetically.  The booth pictured above is part of her 2012 display. In my more thorough article, A Walk Through the Festival of the Arts, 2012, I have a video of the sights and sounds of the festival. One of the scenes in it is a quick look at some individual pieces in the Vel Miller exhibit that shows them a bit more clearly and features some I didn't here.

Vel has created many works featuring horses and Native Americans, as you can see in these photos. She has won over 40 awards for her work. She has also taught oil painting for ten years. Her work is displayed in museums and galleries in many countries.

Therefore, it's no surprise to me that when the City of Paso Robles wanted a special monument in front of the Police Department, in 2000 it commissioned Vel Miller to create it. "Reward for Valor" shows a fire fighter handing a baby to a police woman. It now belongs to all of us in Paso Robles, and it's there for all visitors to the city to enjoy. Find it on 10th Street, near the corner of Park. Next time you are in Paso Robles downtown, pause and take a good look at it.

See more of the Paso Robles Art Scene on my Pinerest Board. Just click below.


Follow Barbara Radisavljevic's board Paso Robles Art Scene on Pinterest.

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One of the Most Painted Buildings in Paso Robles

I have seen a lot of businesses come and go in downtown Paso Robles, but Bistro Laurent has been here almost as long as I have. It is on the corner of 12th Street and Pine across from the park.

It is a great favorite of the Plein Air Quick Draw event artists in the morning in the park during the Paso ArtsFest. Each of them has a couple of hours to paint something they can see from the park or the streets bordering it. Someone paints Bistro Laurent almost every year. I imagine it is chosen because of its style and its contrasting colors, as well as its location.

At noon all the paintings in previous years have been are auctioned off to support the arts and other local causes. I think new events have been added this year and another auction may replace this. More information on the 2015 event is available on the Paso ArtsFest website. Take my visual tour of the 2012 Festival of the Arts to experience the scope and variety of this event.