“Fall For Art” Festival
September 11 & 12

by Chris Gustin

What happens when you combine a county rich in artistic heritage with a church fellowship that wants to integrate the arts into the life of the church?

An opportunity for visitors to “Fall for Art” and for artisans to display their work in a beautiful outdoor setting.

The Brown County Presbyterian Fellowship will sponsor the first “Fall for Art” 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, September 11 and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday, September 12. This coincides with Art Renaissance weekend in Brown County.

The Presbyterian Fellowship recently purchased the former St. Agnes Catholic Church and its inaugural festival was “Spring for Art,” which was held in May. Based on the success of that venture, the church hopes to make the spring and fall festivals yearly events in Nashville.

“We want to stimulate the renewal of the artistic heritage of the county, celebrating and recognizing the artists, building on the county’s unique past, but also moving to develop an adventurous future,” says Donna Ray, festival chairman.

The fellowship will provide spaces for the artists to exhibit inside the fellowship hall and outside in the large, lower parking lot under a big tent or in their own setups. The exhibition space is free to the artists inside the hall, but a small fee will be charged for rental of the large tent and tables.

“We provide a non-commercial venue for the display and appreciation of artistic work, a meeting place for all the arts, musical as well as visual, a place to enjoy without pressure to buy or to sell,” Ray says. “Many artists do not have galleries to show in…we are the ‘Art Colony of the Midwest.’”

courtesy photo

The events provide a showcase for the work of artists and musicians.

Many of the visual and performing artists who exhibited in the spring event will be returning to “Fall for Art” along with some new faces, voices, and artwork.

The artisans expected to exhibit are:

Fiber–Barb Brooke Davis, Chris Gustin, Cathy Hendrickson, Charlene Marsh, Linda Sage;

Glass–Ryan Hoffman, David Martin, Michael & Jennifer Burt;

Holography–Rob Taylor;

Jewelry–Gloria Johnson, David Griego, Linda, Joshua and Trisha McCulley;

Painting and Drawing–Aileen Bolton, Connie Brorson, Anna Cassiday, Dick and Wilma Crowley, Dixie & Dick Ferrer, Shelley Frederick, Sandra Gray, Sally Greeno,

Paul Hendrickson, Judith Klein, Sally Kriner, Noreen Mara, Amanda Mathis, Linda Meyer-Wright, Mike Miller, Margaret Mowery, Clenna Perkins, Jacqueline Phillips, Fred Rigley, Donna Sattler, Maphajean White

Photography–Brooke Yarber, Susan Showalter,

Stephen Cale;

Ceramics–Pryde Bayliss, Amelia Stamps;

Sculpture–Bill Root;

Woodworking–Craig and Dawn Trent.

Musicians scheduled to perform in the outdoor amphitheatre at the festival on Saturday are: John Whitcomb, guitar; Nashville Saxophone Company; Mack Jump, guitar, and Steve Mara, bass; and Brown County Community Choir and Dixieland Band.

Sunday’s entertainment includes the Eastridge Family Gospel Band and Hickory Wind Bluegrass.

In the event of inclement weather, the musical entertainment will move into the log chapel next to the fellowship hall.

A children’s art experience and refreshments will also be available.

“We think we have a basic format that will enliven the community’s enjoyment of the arts and the artists’ opportunities for expression and exposure,” Ray explained. “We want to do it because we consider Brown County’s artistic heritage to be a unique gift of God to our community.”

The Brown County Presbyterian Fellowship is at 602 St. Road 135 North. For information, contact Donna Ray at 812-988-9261 or the fellowship at 812-988-9764.