Inaugural ArtFest a masterpiece

Monday, May 11, 1998 | 9:42 a.m.

HENDERSON -- As musicians and singers performed live on the Henderson City Hall steps, their voices carried over the canopies of artists and food vendors that spilled onto Water Street. Residents and tourists strolled along the street admiring, purchasing and contemplating the diverse artwork.

"What a great idea," one woman said to her friend. She admired the colorful, crumpled hats that children and adults were making out of painted paper bags to wear around Henderson's first ArtFest.

The Rad Hatter Tea Party, an Art in Motion event, was held near the area set aside for hands-on children's crafts. Grocery bags were turned upside down, rolled up and crumpled into form-fitting floppy hats on which each participant painted their individual designs.

The Saturday and Sunday event featured paintings, sculptures, ceramics, fiber and jewelry displays -- the creations of 150 professional artists from across the nation.

At the other end of Water Street, a steel-drum band out of Seattle played its rhythms to a responsive audience of toe-tapping families and friends. The ArtFest music included a wide range of styles -- rock, reggae, country, classical, even the mystic flute sounds of the Andes.

The artwork and household decorations were just as eclectic: Southwest paintings, Impressionist oils on canvas, light-switch plate covers made of rusty metal and clear-coat sealed, religious paintings, wooden and metal decorative art, blown glassware, wooden lawn furniture and colorful pop art were also for sale.

Priscilla Draper, an artist from Scottsdale, Ariz., said she did fine art before creating what she calls "3-D humorous art."

The artwork, made from common household materials and finished with resin, reflected popular American culture. For example, on display was a grocery bag spilling colorful store- bought food items lacquered, hanging and ready to sell.

"Anything with food sells," Draper said. "I started with junk food because that's what Americans relate to."

Another work, called the "Domestic Queen," is a 3-D portrait of a '50s housewife with pink curlers, a pink coat and cat glasses to match, holding a bucketful of Comet and Brillo pads, with a copy of Good Housekeeping tucked in back.

"They all have themes because that's what people can relate to," Draper said.

Another Arizona artist, Su Lach from Apache Junction, expands beyond traditional oil on canvas. She paints portraits and still lifes on collected antique furniture.

"This is more adventurous," she said.

A wooden chest with a portrait of Mexican painter Frieda Kahlo and her husband, Diego Rivera, a Mexican muralist, was for sale. Behind the chest was a square kitchen table, painted red-and-white-checkered with Aunt Jamima holding a plate of steaming pancakes.

The ArtFest was sponsored by the city of Henderson and produced by The Events Group Inc.

Cindy Herman, recreation coordinator for Henderson's parks and recreation department, said the city had been planning the ArtFest for a year and a half.

Herman said she traveled to La Jolla, Calif., and Scottsdale and Tempe, both in Arizona, to do research. She then contacted Frank Maguire, president of The Events Group Inc., who invites the artists and arranges the layout of the event.

"One of the biggest things was convincing people to come to this area," Maguire said, adding that they were reluctant because of Las Vegas' image.

But Maguire said the response was good, and he expects the Henderson event to expand each year now that the artists know there is a market in the valley.

"For a first-time show, it's excellent," he said. "The artists are doing well with their sales."

Valley residents were just as interested in the food and music as they were the art. Some said they were there just to walk around, see the sights and eat fish tacos, mesquite-grilled ribs, pizza and beer-battered onion blossoms.

"Everything's catching my eye, mainly the food," said one Henderson resident who brought his three Sno-cone slurping grandchildren.

Henderson resident Phyllis Winter, who moved here a year ago from New York City, was walking to her car toting a wood-carved painting she had just purchased at ArtFest.

"I think it's great," Winter said, referring to the festival. "We came here to look around. The artists are wonderful. I'd like to see it happen more. A lot of people are moving here with disposable incomes who need to fix up their homes."