Page 8A
Friday, October 4, 1996
Bird's EyeView
Artists' contributions are planted in Lawrence, creating a rich
HARVEST OF ARTS
Story by Stephanie Fite
Photos by Pam Dishman
s the summer heat gives way to the crisp autumn air and tree leaves burn with majestic reds
and golds, wheat is planted in western Kansas and the arts are harvested in Lawrence. Harvest of Arts is a citywide festival and is the largest collection of art events in Lawrence.
with more than 25 events scheduled. For the last five years, Harvest of Arts has brought together local artists who perform for the public or display their art through out Lawrence. It is financed by local businesses and private donors. The festival is held off of campus to emphasize the unification of the city.
Ardys Ramberg, Harvest founder, said she had created the show to pull Lawrence artists together as a community and to showcase the breadth of music and art in Lawrence.
"It is the creative sharing spirit that presents the art as the gift of life," Ramberg said. "I wanted to have people who care about art, participate in it and share it with other people."
The show will culminate on Saturday and Sunday with the Harvest of Arts and Celebration of Cultures Festival at Buford M. Watson, Jr. Park, Seventh and New Hampshire Streets.
The Celebration of Cultures has combined successfully with Harvest of Arts, said John Wysocki, program coordinator and treasurer. The weekend festival will be in the train park, Seventh and Kentucky streets. On one side of the park, artists will display paintings, sculptures, prints, jewelry and pottery, while diners can choose from German, Pakistani, Brazilian, Middle Eastern, Vietnamese and Chinese food near the park's locomotive.
The downtown window displays in more than 60 Lawrence shops are one example of the community pulling together, Ramberg said.
"We feel strongly about being involved," she said. "Someone has to come up with the money and we are proud to be able to provide the help."
Angie Hawkins, manager of the Glass Onion Cafe at 624 W.12th St., said supporting Harvest of Arts helped businesses to become more active in the Lawrence community.
By combining Harvest of Arts with Celebration of Cultures, Velasco said,the festival offers an broad overview of different aspects of life.
"I enjoy seeing them together," she said. "This is an opportunity to see everything as a part of everything else."
A new event this year is a project called ebb + flow and the purpose is to explore time and environment. The project will be displayed between noon and sun down tomorrow.
Maria Velasco, assistant professor of art and co-organizer of the project, said it was an exploration into time-based art and how it
Wysocki said the celebrations were a success.
"This is our gift to the community," he said. "The celebration strives to bring together and represent all that is unique about the arts in Lawrence and encourages everyone to express their artistic abilities and cultural heritage. It directly benefits you and is open to anyone who wants to share." Rambert agreed.
affected the body and the environment.
"The Harvest is mainly supported in the hearts and minds of the people who participate," Ramberg said.
The collaborative nature of the Harvest of Arts festival is epitomized in the name, which came as a suggestion from one of Ramberg's friends. However, the spontaneous nature of the name does not describe the more than 1,000 hours of work and all of the volunteers it took to put the festivities together.
"It is to remind us that art is a part of our life," she said.
"It takes an inexhaustible amount of effort, time and energy," Wysocki said. "When you see the events or art work in the windows, you pick up on how talented this community is."