Creative space: Owensboro Art Guild hosts 3rd annual Downtown Fine Art Show

Jul. 16—Artists and art lovers lined the sidewalks of Saint Ann Street alongside Fetta Specialty Pizza & Spirits on Saturday as the Owensboro Art Guild held the third annual Downtown Fine Art Show.

Selma Wiesenberg, treasurer of the Owensboro Art Guild, said the turnout was surprisingly strong given the forecasted rain.

"It has been going great, and we've had very few no-shows, so we have a lot of artists here," she said. "I'm glad to see a lot of people coming out."

Approximately 35 artists set up for the event, Wiesenberg said.

"Owensboro has a tremendous artist population, and I don't think the people of Owensboro really know that," she said. "We have so many fine artists."

There were a few additions to this year's event.

"We will present cash awards for first, second and third place based on voting done by judges," Wiesenberg said. "

The show was open to all fine artists, regardless of if they are a member of the guild.

"There are a lot of craft shows around but there's not a place for fine artists to have a time and chance to show their artwork," Wiesenberg said. "It also brings fine art out into the community for people to see higher quality art."

The Owensboro Art Guild has partnered with Fetta since the event began, because the restaurant supports not only the organization, but local artists as a whole, Wiesenberg said.

Dennis Weafer, owner of Fetta, said the restaurant highlights local artists within its building.

"All of our walls are covered with local art so it was a natural evolution that we started working with (the art guild) to support local artists," he said.

Weafer said having thriving local artists and businesses makes any community unique.

Artist Adonas Buckner had drawings on display at the show.

"Everything about it is my work and mine alone, but the framing is done by my mother," he said.

Buckner said he has been drawing since the age of 3 and is mostly self-taught, using animated television series and anime, a Japanese animation style.

"I decided to just start drawing anime," he said. "It all started just by reading books and watching cartoons before moving to anime. I've been drawing ever since."

Drawing has provided an outlet for Buckner.

"Expressing my emotions through the pieces I draw brings me the most joy," he said.

Buckner's work can be found on Instagram at @chill_clb.

Jacob Payne has been drawing for almost a decade and began really focusing in on the craft six years ago.

"It honestly began with being bored in classes and drawing on the side and realizing I had somewhat of a talent for it," he said.

Art runs in Payne's family.

"My grandparents painted murals on my walls growing up, and I drew inspiration from that with large pieces and bright colors," he said.

Payne's favorite part of the process is finishing a piece.

"Seeing it and realizing that all that hard work wasn't for nothing and having something nice to show," he said.

To see Payne's work, visit his Instagram at @artbyjacob_payne.

MiChya Durr-Dulin, 15, was one of several students at the Girls Inc. tent, where children could make crafts.

"We set up (crafts) to help kids find their creativity with painting on shirts and rocks," she said.

Durr-Dulin said offering the crafts is a way to let children express themselves, something she has been able to do herself as an artist for the past seven years.

"It's important to free yourself in art because it helps show who you are and lets other people understand who you are," she said.

Durr-Dulin uses both realism and fantasy styles in her art, and she is also trying to get into sculpting.

James "Dobie" Walker uses wood to create replicas of buildings, mostly cabins.

"When I was a little kid, I always wanted a log cabin," he said. "These are my cabins and I love building them."

Walker had a replica of his home church at Saturday's event, with another on display at Independence Bank.

Creating the buildings can take up to a week and a half, and all the ones he had available Saturday displayed three years worth of crafting.

"The churches are my favorite," he said. "I love my churches."

Walker also had a replica of a produce stand with tiny produce glued around and inside of it.

"The watermelons are made out of pecans and the pumpkins are actually acorns," he said. "The wheelbarrow and other stuff I made."

For more information about Walker's work, visit www.facebook.com/dobie.walker.3.