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Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival
Outdoor event features nation’s best art, music
By Joshua Kinser Splash!
 | | Moon Rise on Pensacola Bay” by Larry Paulsen |
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After qualified jurors review the anonymous work of over 600 artists, 200 are invited to exhibit their art at the annual Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival. The festival is regarded by some as the most popular art festival in America.
On November 4th, 5th, and 6th historic Seville Square will host the three-day, juried art show that welcomes the nation’s best painters, potters, sculptors, jewelers, graphic artists, craftsmen, mixedmedia artists and musicians. This year Gulf Breeze artists Meredith Hartsfield, Lynn Ashley Rafferty, and Larry Paulsen have been selected to participate in the event.
Meredith Hartsfield works in hot glass and skillfully crafts colorful glass beads and jewelry that she describes as “distinctive, different and fresh; small and meticulous fascinating work.”
“I see that not a lot of local artists are selected for the show, so that does my ego loads of good,” Hartsfield said, laughing. “The festival is really a wonderful event and everyone is very excited about being able to have it this year, especially since it was cancelled because of the hurricane last year.”
| | Woman on a Red Couch” by Larry Paulsen |
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Lynn Ashley Rafferty draws inspiration for her oil portraits from everyday themes, everyday life, people she sees and finds interesting. Along with other original works, a painting titled “The Woman of the London Eye” that Rafferty recently submitted to the Smithsonian portrait competition, will be on display at the GGAF.
“It is a portrait of a woman that I saw on the London eye (a modern glass and steel ferris wheel) while I was on vacation. I omitted what she was holding in her hand. I left it empty so that the viewer could use their imagination and put whatever they want in its place.”
Larry Paulsen has been making a living as a professional artist for the last forty years. The Gulf Breeze resident’s fine art acrylic on canvas paintings are impressionistic landscapes that utilize a p o i n t a l i s t i c t e c h n i q u e reminisciant of the french painter Seraut.
Paulsen, who began painting at age 15, draws his inspiration from french artists that were painting primarily in paris in the late 1800s. Of the 30 original paintings that will fill his tent at the GGAF, Paulsen is particularly excited about “Moon Rise on Pensacola Bay”.
“Moon Rise on Pensacola Bay is an impression of the bay, as seen through some live oaks after dark with the moon rising. It is very beautiful,” Paulsen said.
Other local artists that made the cut include J.C. Nowlin from Navarre and Beau Stahl, Joseph A. Hobbs, Louise Waters, Kreg Yingst, and Karen Chen from Pensacola. The other 192 artists participating in the juried art show will be traveling from cities across the nation. International Master Artist Valentyn Filipenko from Odessa in the Ukraine will also be attending and displaying work at the festival. the main stage along with The Porchdogs, The Moon Shine Babies, Cliff Knizely, According to the festivals website (www.ggaf.org), Filipenko “is very well regarded in his homeland for his oil-on-canvas paintings rich in colors, expression and emotions that form a clear and charming artistic style.”
Alongside the art, music will also fill the shady lawn and weave its way through crowds and between the live oaks of Seville Square at the GGAF.
“(The festival) is a great celebration of a variety of art forms; visual arts, heritage arts and performing arts. I like the chance to present musical styles and artists that aren’t heard at other festivals; folk, bluegrass, jazz, and classical,”
said Dale R i e g l e , coordinator for GGAF main stage.
G u l f B r e e z e residents Kitt Lough and wo r l d b e a t trio Luna Mantra will perform on Holly Shelton, The Pensacola Opera, Bobby Van Deusen and the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra. Together they will bring a little warmth and festive atmosphere to the cool fall park and provide a worthy soundtrack for the collective artists’ masterpieces. The performing arts stage will also showcase theater, folk and ballet dance, and even the occasional bag pipe band.
This free festival will be the perfect opportunity to get our minds into a creative and relaxed space, enjoy the art work of popular local artists, and get our bodies moving to the diverse and festive music this fall.
The 2005 Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival poster was designed by Susan Rand.
“My entry is all “fine art.” I’ve represented the artists with real art of my own (no computer), as befitting the arts fest, in my opinion,” Rand said.
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