2nd Annual Clara Brierly Festival of the Arts

You Can't Stop Art!

The 2nd Annual Clara Brierly Festival of the Arts overcame storms, flash floods, heat indexes in the triple digits and a brief period of temperatures in the 60s (what can we say - it's Missouri!) in order to be another ARTASTIC event. Even with these challenges, our crowds grew, our artists were happy, our performers were exceptional and our attendees happy they came. The BBQ was tasty, the beer cold and the art and the performances held something for everyone.

The Downtown Peculiar Arts & Culture District (DPACD) worked very hard to ensure this year's festival was even more artmazing. Our artists were diverse with everything from metal sculpture to fabric art; poetry to pottery; painting to prints; jewelry to wood art; photography to Native American art and more! We even had work by local TV celebrity, Jesse Beck. The talent show was a hard one to judge with so much talent. Our stage performers throughout the weekend ranged from gospel with Tim's Chop Shop to Irish band Kelly, from internationally known Flamenco guitarist Ron Radford to old time rock 'n roll with Blue Moon Entertainment and who can forget Curly or Native American flute player Terry Whetstone? The pickers' tent was the place to be both nights with pickers who joined to play together to the delight of those who brought their lawn chairs and tapped their toes. LMS Wine Creators were on hand for a wine tasting on Saturday night. Sunday dawned to the first annual Peculiar Run Walk for the Art Walk (watch to see what piece we add to the art walk in the next few months). The young and the young at heart were encouraged to art up the streets with sidewalk chalk and their imaginations.

Mark your calendar NOW for next year's event on June 10-12, 2011 - you won't want to miss it!

Financial assistance for this project was provided by the Missouri Association of Community Arts Agencies and the Missouri Arts Council, a state agency, with Challenge America funds from the National Endowment for the Arts, who believes that a great nation deserves great art.

Erlene Flowers and Carolyn Hull	Norma Marshall in her booth	Checking out the art
Some of Amy Boden's work	Terry Whetstone paints & plays	Megan Jameson at her booth
Blue Moon Entertainment	Ron Radford	Four legged festival goers
Spontaneous street dancing	Wine tasting with LMS Wine Creators	Pickers' Tent Sponsors
Crossing the finish line	Run Walk family	Enjoying the morning
And they're off	Hi Martha!	Wood artist Steve Miller
Getting her art on	Face art	Terry Whetstone
Mens Overall winner with his original, pit fired award	Artful medals	Breaking for kettle corn
Silversmith Tony Kriz setting up	TV Celeb also an artist	Artist Sheri So can't help but doodle
Steve Reddell metal sculpture	Steve Gouge aka Curly