Between two cloudy and rainy days, the sun gave its full measure on the Art@Waterfront Park art fair Saturday of Labor Day weekend. Exhibitors’ tents were going up as the sun did. 

By 7 a.m., four tents were up and being stocked. The art fair opened to the public officially at 9 a.m. but Boothbay Harbor visitors and art lovers were already there watching the exhibitors set up by 8 a.m., many sipping their morning coffee.

By 9 a.m., the park was full of professional artists showing their works; with a complement of visitors and art lovers to match. The most noticeable differences in this art fair (small by comparison to most other art fairs) are the quality and variety of its fine art and art demonstrations including music. From oil paintings and watercolors to sculptures, silhouettes, ink drawings, pastels, photography, clay works, stained glass and live music, from some of the area’s best artists including an exhibitor from Vermont, many of the exhibitors were showing choice works from their own galleries; among these were Coco Vivo Gallery, Boothbay Region Art Foundation Gallery and Joy to the Wind Gallery.

Most fairs are larger because their sites are larger. Art@Waterfront Park is a whale-shaped park situated on an in-town working waterfront (where whale-watching cruise boats and visiting pleasure boats are docked). 

Nationally renowned artist and workshop instructor, Tony van Hasselt gave a painting demonstration in the morning to the amazement of all who could get close-enough to see. Painting demonstration were given all day long by John Seitzer, Mararet Canepa, and Jim Taliana. Sally Smith demonstrated drawing; Debra Arter demonstrated mono print making, Barbara Eldred worked in clay, and Ruth Monsell and her son Jordan demonstrated the art of silhouette cutting. 

The art of singing and playing music was enthusiastically demonstrated for two hours by the Greenfields (David Fields, Debra Arter and Joe Brennan).

This annual art fair is sponsored and produced by the nonprofit Boothbay Region Art Foundation. Its gallery is at 1 Townsend Ave. in Boothbay Harbor. Its mission is “To create opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy, learn from and participate in the visual arts.” 

For information, go to www.boothbayartists.org or call 633-2703.