| footnotes | september 2022 | letter from the editor
“When painting and sketching plein-air I sink into the landscape, an attuned witness to its mood and beauty.” — Dianne Bersea
At the end of September, you’ll find our affiliates and allies busy organizing crowd-favorite events. If you schedule your time carefully, you might be able to pack the final weekend in September full of old-fashioned fun!
The Surry Old Time Fiddlers Convention returns after a two year hiatus, and kicks off in true fiddler fashion with a square dance. Doors open at 6:00 PM and dancing begins at 7:00 PM on the evening of Friday, September 23, at the Surry Service Center in Dobson. On Saturday, September 24, adult and youth individual competitions start at 10:00 AM. With cash drawings, food trucks, jamming, and a quilt raffle, it’s sure to be a lively event celebrating Surry County’s rich musical heritage.
Speaking of quilts, the Foothills Quilters guild will be presenting their annual quilt show at the Galloway Memorial Episcopal Church in Elkin during the Yadkin Valley Pumpkin Festival. While you’re out enjoying the festival, be sure to take a few minutes to admire the skilled handiwork that goes into those vibrant traditional and contemporary quilts. This creative group always presents innovative and inspiring piecework.
While the Foothills Arts Center remains closed for repair, we’re focusing on all things outdoorsy, and we can’t think of a better way to appreciate the natural world around us than with a plein air festival! The first annual Foothills Plein Air Festival is a three-day celebration of natural beauty during peak autumn color at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in October. Festival events are located at the picturesque Grassy Creek Vineyard and Winery and in Historic Downtown Elkin. We invite beginning and experienced plein air artists, art collectors, and the general public to join us during our inaugural event.
The itinerary begins with solo painting excursions to a selection of scenic local venues on Friday, followed by the opening reception for celebrated plein air artist Elbert Shubert in the evening. Saturday includes group excursions departing on foot from Grassy Creek Vineyard and an artist workshop presented by the acclaimed plein air artist Jeremy Sams. After a day of creative work, artists and the public can enjoy the magic of cinema under the stars with an outdoor screening of Painting the Invisible.
The festival culminates Sunday in the Fresh Paint Sale, with food trucks and live music performances scheduled throughout the event. Everyone who attends the festival — including artists and their guests — are given one vote to the People’s Choice selection, with winners invited to showcase a selection of their plein air work during our second plein air festival.
We can’t wait to see the renditions skilled artists produce featuring some of our favorite local landmarks, and we hope you’ll add this event to your calendar right away — we would absolutely love to see you there!
Sydney Sieviec, Assistant Director
