An art-filled and fun fall season
After a slow-ish summer season in Old Town Bluffton, suddenly there’s a whirlwind of excitement and activity! I cannot speak for the other shops, but at La Petite Gallerie, gone are the lazy days of families and couples on vacation, looking for an air-conditioned diversion from the beaches, pools and hot summer sun. Now the visitors are more serious shoppers and new-to-the-area customers looking for original and unique art to fill their Lowcountry homes.
The biggest excitement so far this fall was the nine-day Historic Bluffton Arts and Seafood Festival, now in its 21st season spearheaded by our local Rotary Club. Most pertinent to the Old Town galleries was the local art first Sunday which features artists at our shops and galleries, and local independent artists set up in tents in grassy Martin Park. This year was a bit of a wash-out with persistent rain in the afternoon. The park artists did their best to keep dry while passersby stayed under umbrellas. At La Petite Gallerie our outdoor guest artists powered through and sales were brisk until the rain finally made it impossible.
Local non-profit Bluffton Self Help held a bang-up Sips and Seafood fundraiser at Hewitt Oaks on October 17. La Petite Gallerie’s Sue Grilli was the featured artist, creating a beautiful and collaborative painting raising money for the live auction.
The final Arts and Seafood ‘Street Fest’ weekend was picture perfect with lovely sunshine and balmy temperatures. Artists from across the region and beyond lined Calhoun Street with tents featuring pottery, woodworking, metalwork, funky sculpture, and paintings. The event brought over 20,000 people to town. Visitors were overheard saying it was the best selection of festival art they had ever seen – very gratifying to hear for the artists displayed on the street! As always, the food trucks and booths featuring local cuisine were popular, with long but fast-moving lines, and delicious fare.
As a long-time vendor at the Arts and Seafood Street Fest myself, the preparation and set up is still a challenge – last minute painting, varnishing and framing, plus the labor of the tent and paintings transport – but as always, the event itself makes it all worthwhile. The excitement, positive feedback from visitors, new and old friends stopping by, an amazing myriad of dogs accompanying their people all made for an exhilarating weekend for the tent artists.
Meanwhile, down Calhoun Street at La Petite Gallerie, our gallery artists were hopping. Guest artist Joey Taylor was turning pots and wowing visitors as he demoed at his wheel. Our jeweler Patricia Mothershead was delighting with her latest pieces. Lisa Grady’s oyster shell creations and Gary Alexander’s metal sculptures were on display in fine fashion. Gallery artist Bill Winn did a painting demo on Saturday – finishing up with a stunning sunset piece at the end of the day. Artist Jane Capraro instigated two giant abstract paintings on canvas, inviting visitors to add their marks to the pieces – a wonderful collaboration of splashy color and movement. Please stop by the gallery to see the end result. Artist Sanders Black debuted an over six-foot hammerhead shark sculpture, and Mary Burrell showed her skill with graphite pencil to admiring visitors. Wally Palmer and friends kept toes tapping with live music.
I heard from other shops and galleries that the weekend was a great success as well. Our Bluffton Rotary should be lauded and thanked for putting together yet another fun and busy festival, introducing crowds of folks from far and near to our not-so-small-anymore town. Be sure to come again next year!
Marching forward we are looking ahead to lots more activity with strolling, shopping, sipping, and dining events between now and the upcoming holidays.
Murray Sease is an artist at La Petite Gallerie, 56 Calhoun Street, Bluffton, SC. lapetitegallerie.com.
