GREENFIELD — It’s not every day local artists get a chance for tens of thousands of people to view their art, yet such is the case when the Riley Festival brings over 65,000 visitors to downtown Greenfield each fall.
To capitalize on the crowds, Riley Festival organizers host a fine arts show in the Twenty North gallery at 20 N. State St. each year to coincide with the festival.
Artists dropped off their watercolors, oil paintings, acrylics and more at the gallery Wednesday, Oct. 4 in hopes that their works would be viewed and potentially purchased during the four-day festival, which kicked off Oct. 5 and runs through Oct. 8.
Each year’s fine art show theme coincides with the Riley Festival theme, which is based on a James Whitcomb Riley poem each year. This year’s theme is “Nine Little Goblins.”
Artists could enter up to four entries in fine arts show in the areas of watercolors, oil paintings, acrylics, charcoal ink, pencil graphics and prints in four age categories: children 6-9, 10-14, 14-18 and adults.
Submitted works could be of any type, but must incorporate the festival theme to be considered for awards in the theme category.
The fine arts show pieces aren’t the only ones guests can enjoy at the Twenty North gallery during the festival.
Hancock County Arts, the nonprofit which runs the gallery, hosts a Members Only show through which Hancock County arts members are invited to display their best works during the month of October each year.
“There’s no set theme. We just invite our members to bring their best work and hopefully get some exposure,” said Hancock Arts board president Alice Hedden.
Awards are given for the show’s best two-dimensional and best three-dimensional work, as voted on by gallery guests.
Hedden said October is always a fun time at the downtown art gallery, which enjoys extra exposure thanks to the fall festival and the Riley Festival fine art show.
Rhonda Cook, who is coordinating this year’s fine art show, expressed thanks to Hancock County Arts for allowing the show to take place in the gallery for the second year in the row. The show was previously held at Bradley Hall Events Center next door, but having it at the gallery allows art lovers to enjoy two shows in one, Cook said.
Hedden agreed.
“We love having both shows here and seeing the new faces who pop in. It’s always a good combined effort between the Riley Festival and Hancock Arts,” she said.
While the Riley Festival fine arts show is not limited to Hancock County residents, Cook said it’s a great way to showcase local artists.
“There’s just a lot of passion and a lot of talent here, and the show is a good way to show it off and get to see what people are capable of doing,” she said.
Awards in various categories will be presented to the fine arts show winners at 3 p.m. Oct. 8 at the Riley Festival entertainment stage, including cash awards for youth sponsored by the local Psi Iota Xi sorority.
Hedden said the arts council promotes itself and local artists throughout the annual festival by reserving two booth spaces right in front of the art gallery, which sits in the heart of the action at 20 N. State St., between Main and North streets.
This year council members are selling art kits and Christmas decorations depicting the Hancock County courthouse.
The gallery will be open each day throughout the festival, where guest are invited to vote for their favorite pieces in both the fine arts show and the members-only exhibit.
Guests are also encouraged to check out a literary piece on loan about James Whitcomb Riley.
While the Riley Festival fine art show is only on display throughout the festival, the gallery’s Members Only show will be on display throughout October.
For more information, visit HancockCountyArts.org.
