Montclair Fine Arts Sidewalk Festival

Montclair Fine Arts Sidewalk Festival

June 28-30, 2013

38^th annual event features more than 80 artists, The Tasting Experience with beer and wine, an Aquatic Graffiti Project and more

Oakland, Calif. —The Montclair Fine Arts Sidewalk Festival celebrates art in the outdoors when more than 80 artists from the Bay Area and beyond will be displaying their wares against the scenic backdrop of Montclair Village and the Oakland Hills. Presented by the Montclair Village Association, this free festival is set to take place Friday and Saturday, June 28 and 29, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, June 30 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This year’s featured artists include:

Bryan Goldenberg

Studio: Oakland

Medium: Glass

His Art: Hand-blown glass

Creative Process: “There is nothing I enjoy more than blowing glass. The continuing emerging quality that occurs in my pieces is the use of color and clean lines. My designs now take form as functional vessels, such as bowls, vases and platters. Aesthetically each piece can stand-alone or become part of a larger cluster of pieces. May each of my pieces give you as much pleasure as I have had in creating them for you.”

Jeannie Haydon

Studio: Oakland

Medium: Sterling silver and mixed metal jewelry

Her Art: Jewelry

Creative Process: As a child Jeannie made small figurative sculptures out of aluminum foil. This was the beginning of a life long affinity to metal and its properties. Since 1980 she has explored a vast variety of metal techniques providing a personal palette for her current work. Jeannie’s work is elaborate — she solders many pieces together to create detailed, textured geometric pieces that are often kinetic. Influences ranging from Asian art, modern architecture and the work of Alexander Caulder result in a unique look that is innovative and beautiful. Inspired by the world around her, Jeannie’s jewelry reflects the past while embracing the contemporary.

Barbara Lee

Studio: Oakland

Medium: Photography

Her Art: Landscape, nature and travel photography

Creative Process: “As a photographer, I am interested in the patterns that occur out of randomness, and the tension and harmony that often co-exist in any natural scene. As I wander through the woods, hike up a mountainside, walk across the desert, or just stroll down any city street, I look for visual snapshots that capture these elements in a way that will bring the viewer into that scene, to see what I see, to stop and to really look.”

Another artist participating in the Montclair Village Fine Arts Sidewalk Festival includes Jack Durnford from Hood, California, who creates sustainable art by using up to 80 percent recycled materials. He has been using recycled material for the past 10 years and recently embarked on a two-year project, named the Aquatic Graffiti Project, in which he’ll be placing his art in bodies of water and having short performance art displays. Jack’s artwork will be floating on display for the month of June in the pond of Montclair Park, located at 6300 Moraga Ave. on the north side of Interstate 580 in Montclair.

Montclair Village Tasting Experience

As a featured addition to the Montclair Fine Arts Sidewalk Festival, Montclair Village will host The Tasting Experience on Saturday, June 29, from 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. The event will showcase tasting booths from more than 20 artisan wineries and craft breweries, as well as a music stage, community and select vendor booths, and a kid’s activity space.

Admission to The Tasting Experience is free; craft beer and artisan wine tasting takes place from noon – 4 p.m. and is $30/person or $50/couple, which includes a commemorative glass for each paid ticket holder.  Beer and wine by the glass also are available for the duration of the event. Proceeds from the event will go towards community improvement projects by the Montclair Business Improvement District, a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to public safety, and beautification efforts.

The Montclair Village Fine Arts Sidewalk Festival takes place in the Montclair business district on Mountain Avenue at LaSalle, off highway 13, between Park Boulevard and Thornhill Drive. The Oakland Tribune is the print/online media sponsor of the event. For more information, contact the Montclair Village Association at (510) 339-1000 or Pacific Fine Arts Festivals at (209) 267-4394, www.pacificfinearts.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/PacificFineArts and on Twitter: @PacificFineArts.