Local artist finds healing after grief – returns to her art career after 10-year hiatus
Media Contact: Barbara Fornasiero; EAFocus Communications; 248.260.8466; barbara@eafocus.com; Shaun Hayes, Executive Director, Paint Creek Center for the Arts; 248.651.4110; shaun@pccart.org
Rochester, Mich.—July 29, 2024—Dedicated to promoting creativity and artistic excellence by offering a full range of cultural and educational programs throughout the year, Paint Creek Center for the Arts (PCCA) is excited to announce the return of its 58th annual Art & Apples Festival® on September 6–8, 2024, through the generous support of presenting sponsor Genisys Credit Union. This annual three-day jubilee of fine art has always had broad appeal for artists, but 2024 was a record year for artist applications to the juried show, according to Paint Creek Center for the Arts Executive Director Shaun Hayes.
“We received 444 applications compared to last year’s 367, with 76 first-time applications. Ultimately, 250 artists and skilled exhibitors are registered to participate. We are very pleased with our ability to attract new artists and retain previous exhibitors, too. The mix keeps the Festival fresh,” Hayes said.
International contemporary artist and first-time Art & Apples exhibitor, Manuela Valenti of Macomb, Michigan, is returning to her passion and career after a long-term hiatus brought on by personal loss.
“An image, a scent, can evoke the deepest most precious memories we have. My work is all about connecting the viewer with the moments I’ve lived. Now, after an almost 10-year sabbatical from painting and the art scene due to the passing of my daughter, it was time for me to return to painting professionally,” Valenti said. “What better show to resume my 40+ year international art career than the Arts & Apples Festival?”
Also new to Art & Apples this year is jewelry designer LeAnne Marquis of New York. Her jewelry is an original ‘fire painting,’ created using a torch as the brush, the flame as the paint, and the copper as the canvas, ensuring every piece is unique.
“We have shown my handcrafted jewelry in Michigan before and received a great response,” Marquis said. “Over the years many customers have spoken highly of Art & Apples and suggested we participate. We are excited to bring our works to the Rochester area.”
Rochester Hills-based husband and wife artists Kelly Lyons and John Lucassian of Lucky Bunny Arts, are returning to Arts & Apples 2024 with their small batch and one-of-a-kind ceramics designed to make people smile.
“We love to do our ‘hometown’ show! It’s great to see friends and neighbors – and meet new people in the community,” Lyons said.
Segmented bowl artist Tom Meehan Stahl of Ohio is a returning artist, creating food-safe wooden bowls from small pieces of wood put together in rings and using woods from five continents.
“I have done the Art & Apples show since 2018. It is well run and draws a good crowd,” Stahl said. “The caliber of artists selected is very good and draws from around the country.”
Hayes affirms that artists and artisans are the key to the festival’s enduring success.
“Art & Apples has thrived for more than 50 years because the juried artists and artisans present high quality, individualized art in a community that supports and invests in the arts,” Hayes said. “The park location is a bonus, allowing festival visitors to relax, browse and purchase art and food in a tranquil setting with water, trees and gently sloping landscapes.”
A long-time favorite of artists, Art & Apples Festival was listed on the 2023 Top 200 Fine Art and Design festival listings by Sunshine Artist magazine, ranking the most profitable art and craft festivals in the country based on artists’ reported sales in 2022. Further, it was ranked in the Top 10 on the magazine’s list of the 200 Best Fine Art and Design shows for the decade of 2010–2020.
Art & Apples Festival is set to welcome an anticipated 70,000 attendees into the sprawling Rochester Municipal Park, near downtown Rochester. Taking center stage will be unique artwork, handmade keepsakes, and distinctive home goods available to purchase, sprinkled with live stage entertainment from community music and dance groups as well as local musicians; food trucks, tents, and restaurant pop-ups offering a wide array of tasty options; the Meijer Kids Art Zone offering children’s art activities; and the Creation Station featuring live art-making demonstrations, including Ervin Glassworks.
Now in its 58th year, Art & Apples serves as the PCCA’s signature fundraiser to support the nonprofit organization’s art classes for kids and adults, free art exhibitions, the Art Market exclusively featuring local Michigan artists’ work, summer camps, and community outreach through its Art Anywhere program. A suggested $5 donation per person will be accepted at each of the festival’s entrances; in turn, PCCA shares a portion of these donations with the other area nonprofits and community ‘gate groups’ greeting festivalgoers.
Art & Apples will open on Friday, September 6 from 2 p.m.–7 p.m. in Rochester Municipal Park and continue on Saturday, September 7 from 10 a.m.–7 p.m. and Sunday, September 8 from 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
There are still a variety of sponsorship packages available for this community celebration of art. For more information, please visit the Art & Apples sponsorship page on the website, call PCCA at 248-651-4110, or email Shaun Hayes at Shaun@PCCArt.org.
About Paint Creek Center for the Arts
Paint Creek Center for the Arts (PCCA) is a regional nonprofit art center located in Downtown Rochester. PCCA is supported, in part, by contributions from the Michigan Arts and Culture Council and the National Endowment for the Arts. PCCA’s overall mission is to support creativity by providing opportunities for all to learn, create, experience, and appreciate the arts. Learn more at pccart.org.
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