Oak Ridge, Tenn. – (May 20, 2008) – A returning favorite to the 6th Annual Secret City Festival is a juried arts show, presented by the Oak Ridge Arts Center, which will take place in the Oak Ridge Civic Center gymnasium, June 20 and 21. This event, called TN Creates, will feature 40 of the area’s finest artisans including woodworkers, potters, soap makers, gourd artists, jewelers, printmakers, candle makers, and much more. Most of these artists are members of the Foothills Craft Guild and/or the Oak Ridge Art Center.
On-going demonstrations of jewelry, pewter casting, printmaking, and wheel thrown pottery, plus hands-on activities for all ages will be offered throughout the day. Raku firings will be held by the free shuttle drop-off from noon to 4 pm.
One unique artisan who will be demonstrating and selling her artwork is Pat Collins from Oliver Springs. Collins, a member of four different craft guilds, uses what she calls “the lost wax method of casting with a centrifuge” for her works of jewelry.
“I’ve been doing this for over twenty-five years,” Collins explained. “I now work from a small shop where I design, wax, cast, and finish each piece myself. They’re all one-of-a-kind works of art.”
Collins works in Sterling Silver and 14k Yellow Gold, and she uses Bezels on all pieces which have a stone in the design. She will be selling her beautiful and unique jewelry at the festival, as well as performing demonstrations on how she makes such intricate works of art.
Other unique pieces of art that festival-goers will find at the TN Creates juried art show are brooms, “treenware,” glass art, paintings, photographs, and much more.
Demonstrations will include raku pottery firings outside the gym near the bus drop-off, while inside Obayana Ajanuku and George Kidd will be creating jewelry. Scott Eatherly will show basketry and chair seat weaving, and members of the Art Center will display samples of work done by their print group and pottery studio.
Silver and pewter casting will also be shown, along with wood burning techniques. A special feature will be items from the Imani workshop in Africa, a project designed to help African women become self-sufficient.
According to Judy Kidd, who is helping to head up TN Creates this year, packages will be held for purchasers until 6 pm so they won’t have to lug them around the festival grounds, and major credit cards will be accepted. For those festivalgoers who get so excited by what they see at the festival that they want to learn a craft themselves, an information area will showcase upcoming Art Center courses and special workshops. For further information, contact the Art center, 482-1441.
For more information on the Secret City Festival, visit www.SecretCityFestival.com or call the information line at 425-3610. This year’s festival sponsors are the City of Oak Ridge and B&W Y-12, and the festival is presented by the City of Oak Ridge, Arts Council of Oak Ridge, and the Oak Ridge Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Immediate Release: May 20, 2008