“As a local artist, this is definitely a dream come true”
Media Contact: Barbara Fornasiero; EAFocus Communications; 248.260.8466; barbara@eafocus.com; Alana Stultz, Community Engagement Coordinator, Paint Creek Center for the Arts; 248.651.4110; alana@pccart.org
Rochester, Mich.—July 28, 2022—Oakland Township, Michigan, resident Laura Rangos, whose interest in being an artist started when she was very young, is realizing her lifelong pursuit of being able to focus on nothing but her art and sharing it with others. Rangos entered the art fair circuit in 2021; just one year later, she’ll be excitedly displaying her fabric art for the first time at Paint Creek Center for the Arts (PCCA) 56th annual Art & Apples Festival® being held September 9–11 in Rochester.
“My family and I have been going to Art & Apples as patrons for many years, but I always dreamed about participating as an artist,” Rangos said. “I’m honored and humbled to have been selected for this year’s show and can’t wait for it to start. As a local artist, this is definitely a dream come true.”
Rangos will be among a juried group of 250 skilled artists and artisans from 23 states eager to share their talents with an estimated 80,000+ attendees in sprawling Rochester Municipal Park, near downtown Rochester, for the three-day celebration of fine art. Artist mediums/categories include drawing, painting, digital art, clay, jewelry, 3D mixed media, wearable and non-wearable fiber, wood, glass, sculpture, metalsmithing, printmaking, photography and leather.
Rangos’ art has evolved from drawing and painting to now working chiefly with fabric.
“For over 30 years, I’ve designed and created fabric banners and tapestries and related pieces, which led me to my current medium of fabric pictures,” Rangos said. “Essentially, I take a photograph or picture, turn it into a pattern I can work from, cut pieces of colorful fabric to fit the pattern, then sew them all together to create a beautiful rendering of the original subject. I love to sew and this process allows me to combine my two passions, art and sewing. I also like working with wood, so I custom make all the frames using a milk paint process for the color and finish.”
Rangos admits that art fairs and art shows are hard work, but she finds them enjoyable because of the opportunity to meet and chat with fellow artists and the people who visit her booth.
“I’m normally a little shy, but find it easy to talk with people about my artwork and to hear about their impressions. By far, quilters are most attracted to my work because it involves a lot of quilting techniques and gorgeous batik style fabrics,” Rangos said.
In addition to finding one-of-a-kind art pieces to purchase, Art & Apples Festival goers will also experience performances from community music and dance groups, food vendors 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.
The Art & Apples Festival is ranked ninth on the list of 200 Best Fine Art and Design Shows for the decade of 2010–2020 by Sunshine Artist magazine. It serves as 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, and in turn, PCCA shares a portion of these donations with the other area nonprofits and community ‘gate groups’ greeting festival-goers.
Art & Apples, with the generous support of presenting sponsor Genisys Credit Union, will open on Friday, September 9 from 2 p.m.–7:30 p.m. in Rochester Municipal Park and continue on Saturday, September 10 from 9 a.m.–7:30 p.m. and Sunday, September 11 from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. More information about the festival can be found on the website at https://www.pccart.org/festival/.
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 Council for Arts & Cultural Affairs 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.
# # #
