Artist Carol Ryan of Chicago, center, poses for a photo with fellow artists in front of her acrylic artwork during the King Street Art Festival Sept. 22. Photo by Janet Barnett/Gazette Packet
The handcrafted creations of more than 200 artists were on display Sept. 21 and 22, as the King Street Art Festival made its 17th appearance in Old Town.
Festival booths lined King Street from Union to Washington with more than $15 million of art showcasing artists from around the world.
“This is my favorite show of the year,” said Chicago artist Carol Ryan, who works in acrylics. “People in Alexandria are very interested in art, very knowledgeable about art and support us as artists, so it’s always a great experience to exhibit here.”
Traditional paintings and photography were joined by life-size sculptures, handcrafted pottery and jewelry, and less-traditional works, such as the kiln-fired colored glass of Gainesville, Fla., artist Lindi Miller.
“I create my pieces with hand-cut sheets of glass, frits, powders and stringers,” said Miller, whose studio is called Funky Fusions. “It’s fun working with glass, and everything is fired in kilns, which allows me to create as I go.”
Sponsored by Howard Alan Events of Jupiter, Fla., the festival annually draws thousands of visitors to the streets of Old Town, which are also an attraction for the juried artists.
“Alexandria has a great downtown vibe,” said Atlanta artist Su Abbott of Su Su Studio. “This is my third time participating in this show. I have some family here and this gives me a chance to visit with them and at the same time enjoy the nightlife and restaurants. I love Alexandria. It really is a special place.”