Weekend Brings Art Blast on the Mon
Washington PA Observer Reporter
3 September 2010
By Tara Kinsell, Staff writer
tkinsell@observer-reporter.com
GREENSBORO - It has been five years since the Art Blast on the Mon
became a Labor Day weekend tradition in Greensboro. This year, the
organizers have chosen to move the popular event from its Front Street
location to the grounds of the Old Greensboro Schoolhouse, located on
Second Street in Greensboro.
The schoolhouse, also known as Monon Center, was re-acquired by the
borough last year. Although the building itself will not be open during
the Art Blast festival, the grounds are the perfect setting for the
event.
"It is a little easier to do it there than it is on Front Street," said
borough Councilwoman Mary Shine. "There is a lot of room there for all
of the festivities."
Shine and Elm Street manager Darlene Urban-Garrett said that in the
past, the traffic along the main thoroughfare was a problem for local
businesses. The street also is a state-maintained road, and that
presented its own set of problems, Shine and Urban-Garrett noted.
Art Blast will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and will
continue with a Community Day beginning at 9:30 a.m. Sunday with a
community worship service at the Greensboro Gazebo. Those attending the
worship service are asked to bring a chair.
New for the 2010 Art Blast will be a showcase of the work of fashion
designer and independent filmmaker Gwendolyn Kiste of Zombie Apparel of
Ohio.
Kiste and her models will present a fashion show on the all-new Old
Greensboro Schoolhouse Stage at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
A quick look at Kiste's fashions reveals that they are as diverse as
the inspirations for them. Kiste has credited some of her favorite
comic book heroes and villains as inspiration.
Jewelry designers showing at Art Blast include Beth's Beads, Linda
Metzler, Mary Richards, Becky Drew and Judith Berry. Attendees also
will have the opportunity to watch some of these designers create their
pieces during the weekend event.
Metzler, a certified gemologist from Pittsburgh, works in sterling
silver and gemstones.
"She has offered for anyone who has stones that they need identified to
bring them with them and she will be able to tell them what they are,"
Shine said.
Berry, of Washington, creates copper jewelry. The remaining designers
work primarily in beads, according to Shine.
"We will have a really nice mix with everyone that is coming," she
said.
Other artists participating include Melanie Miller of Kattaztrophe,
Roberta Ellis of From Many Threads, Kathy's Naturals, batik fiber
artist Saihou Njie, felt fiber artist Karen Page and Kathy Saesan.
Saesan will be selling handmade furniture crafted from 100-year-old
barn wood.
Additional vendors include Tastefully Simple and Pampered Chef, among
others. A Chinese auction with donated items from participating vendors
will be held during the festival.
As has been tradition at Art Blast, musical performers will be heard
throughout the day. The jazz stylings of the Daniel Baker Trio will
take the stage from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, followed by blues music
by the Dick Van Scooter Combo from 1 until 3 p.m. Local acoustic artist
Mike Rudolph will finish the performances from 3 to 5 p.m.
Other Saturday activities include:
- Greene County historian James "Fuzzy" Randolph presenting
the history of glass in Greensboro at Greensboro Presbyterian Church,
located next to the old schoolhouse grounds, at 1 p.m. Randolph has a
vast collection of glass that he will display during this presentation.
- Wine tasting by Thistlewaite's Winery in Jefferson
- Face painting by Miss Teacup
- Locally grown products from farmer Kevin Paul and baked
goods from Rising Creek Bakery of Mt. Morris.
"We will have meatball sandwiches, pasta salad, Ben and Jerry's Ice
Cream, Uncle Jim's Donuts and Funnel Cakes and grilled Dudas' Sweet
Corn. They donated two big bushel bags of it to us," said
Urban-Garrett. "There will be jewelry demonstrations and pottery
demonstrations. Dave Reed will be displaying his collection of
Greensboro Pottery. People really need to come out and see everything
that we have going on."
The weekend concludes Sunday with Community Day lawn mower races at
noon, sack races and egg toss at 1 p.m., along with dunk tank, raffles,
foods, additional art vendors and a display of Lippencott Alpacas.
"The cost to enter the lawn mower races is $10, and the winner gets
half of the take from the entries," said Urban-Garrett.
Festival parking is available at Greensboro Veterans of Foreign Wars
Post 6303. Handicapped parking is available on Stone Street between
Front and Second Street. For information, visit natgreene.org or call
724-943-4462.