Art & Culture
Virtual Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival Extended for Holiday Shopping
THE WOODLANDS, TX – The 2020 Virtual Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival will continue through December 31 to give art lovers and gift givers the opportunity to shop for beautiful art pieces including jewelry, paintings, drawings, apparel and accessories, unique pens and journals, photography, clay and wood works and mixed media. More than 80 juried artists are participating in the Festival Marketplace, where you can engage with the artists directly by ZOOM call, watch their videos, visit their social media and websites, and purchase their art in one easy process.
“Our virtual Arts Festival began October 17 & 18, and the artists are thrilled to continue the show through the end of the year,” said Jenny Carattini-Wright, Executive Director of The Woodlands Arts Council (TWAC). “In addition to offering art for sale, musical performances by local entertainers, panel discussions with interior designers, chefs and naturalists will be featured. To enjoy the FREE program, go to www.thewoodlandsartscouncil.org/festival.
Another exciting announcement is the selection of the Featured Artist for the April 10 & 11, 2021 Festival. The winner is Yoram Gal from Tel-Aviv, Israel, who has been a juried artist at The Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival since 2006. He started painting at the age of 12 and exhibiting his work at 13. An all-around artist, Yoram writes plays for stage and screen, paints, directs, and produces shows in his traveling theatre. He has lived and worked in Old Jaffa since 1978. He opened his studio and gallery there in 2015, where he ships his paintings to collectors in 40 countries.
“Our Festival has been graced with Yoram’s masterful and colorful paintings for many years, and we are glad that he has been selected to represent the 2021 Festival. His images will be used on our marketing materials and merchandise and he will receive special recognitions and benefits,” Wright said.
Also selected are the six Best of Show winners, who represent the wide variety of art available at the Festival. A resident of New Boston, TX, Gary E. Bachers’ incredibly detailed wax pencil drawings are amazing to see, especially since Bachers created them using only his left hand after a debilitating stroke at the age of 38 left him unable to speak and his right side paralyzed. See more about Gary’s story in his video on the Festival platform.
Michael and Joah Thiele of Flagstaff, AZ (Hardwood Music Company) are members of a family of artists who have been making tongue drums for over 40 years. Michael Thiele built his first instrument for his wife, Laura, a modern dancer. Over the years, Michael experimented with different types of wood and learned to “tune the wood” to make the best music.
Hailing from Parker TX, Barbie Holton has a passion for creating art with natural products. She specializes in woodturning and fine gourd art. Fused glass and resin have been joined with the natural elements to create a piece that is visually and tactilely interesting. Barbie also uses turquoise and other stones, shells, and minerals to enhance her one-of-a-kind pieces.
A native of the UK, David Mayhew has been a professional photographer since bailing out of a 9 to 5 environment in 2003. Now a resident of Fort Collins, CO, Mayhew explores the “full array of Mother Nature’s moods” traveling the world and capturing unique and beautiful sights including the largest ever recorded tornado. See his compelling (and sometimes dangerous) photographic masterpieces on the Festival platform.
After Patti Mohrenweiser trained as a calligrapher and developed the vision for Beyond Letters in the late ‘90s, she and her husband Mark began to delve into the medium of encaustic in 2008. This natural and highly versatile medium relies on pigmented beeswax and dates back to the 5th century BC. Discover how Mark & Patti Mohrenweiser of Brighton, Michigan use this ancient medium to create beautifully subtle works of art on the Festival website.
Angelika Ejtel of Rapid Heart Movement considers her photographic creation as a poetic experience. Most of her work is inspired by the poetry of a famous Polish poet, Halina Poswiatowska. Angelika finds beauty in its simplicity, metaphorical message and liberty of interpretation. Her images encompass the motifs of love, solitude and death. To see her entire collection, visit www.thewoodlandsartscouncil.org/festival.
“With over 80 artists exhibiting their work, there is so much to see and two more months to enjoy it all!,” said said Dr. Maria Holmes, President of TWAC. “Shop for gifts or for your own art collection. By purchasing art at the Festival, which is our major fundraiser, you are helping us continue our Student Art Scholarships and educational outreach programs throughout the year.”
Major sponsors of the 2020 Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival include The Howard Hughes Corporation, Stella Artois, The Woodlands Compounding Pharmacy, Bayway Cadillac, MD Anderson The Woodlands, The Woodlands Township, America’s ER & Urgent Care, and La Costena.
Like all non-profits during this challenging time, donations and sponsorships are needed to continue The Arts Council’s events and community programs. To join Friends of the Arts Council or make an individual donation, visit the website at www.thewoodlandsartscouncil.org.
The Woodlands Arts Council provides regional, cultural, and educational enrichment opportunities that encourage, support and promote the performing and visual arts in our community. From the award-winning Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival to public art installations and the year-round community and educational outreach programs of Because Art Matters, the council has one primary goal….making our community better, Because Art Matters! For more information, visit www.thewoodlandsartscouncil.org.
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