With warmer weather indicating spring is just around the corner, it's time to see this winter off with a bang. One way to close out the month is by attending the fourth annual Winter Fine Arts Fair, which takes place at the Tioga Town Center from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The event is free and open to the public.
Just west of town on Newberry Road, the center has an amphitheater and multiple parks, providing ample space for the more than 70 visual artists and live music groups who will attend.
Organized by the Gainesville Fine Arts Association, the arts fair will include a vast entertainment selection- from face painting to salsa dancing - and will aim to appeal to all age groups, organizers said.
Helen Rucarean, the show's coordinator, was a member of the fine arts association when she came up with the idea of the fair.
A seasoned painter, Rucarean's artistic passion influenced her to create an arts fair that promoted community synergy, she said.
"The Gainesville community is very integral to this fair," she said. "Gainesville will not only see great art, but we hope will also experience the love for a visual arts education, the joy it gives the soul."
Many of the visual artists at this year's arts fair are Central Florida natives, including Eleanor Blair, Mandy Macias, Peter Carolin, Sharon Bartz, Steve Howell, Sean Dowie and Bert Herrera. Out-of-state artists include Clive Wright from New York and Jackie Ditman from Texas.
Among others, speed painter artist Tim Decker will be at the fair on Saturday, showing off his ability to paint large-scale celebrity portraits in 12 minutes or less.
The artists who showcase their work at the fair are admitted by invitation only, and they must submit examples of their work to the fair's directors for approval.
"Artists with a fine arts background is a number one criteria," Rucarean said, "but the core value of the GFAA is to help and enhance the personal growth of the visual artists."
Another highlight of this year's fair will be the judging, which will be lead by local abstract artist Ted Lincoln.
Raised in Gainesville, Lincoln studied visual art technique at the San Francisco Art Institute, and he showcases his work in cities such as New York, San Francisco and Miami. Lincoln will select the arts fair's Best in Show, the festival's top award.
One of the event goals, Lincoln said, is to promote integration in Gainesville's arts community.
"I would really like to see the different types of Gainesville's artists come together more," he said. "There is a bit of a disconnect between the university's art students and professors, established local artists and new contemporary artists such as myself. I am hoping the WFAF helps to open up our communication with each other."
