A fine park for fine art at annual Lititz show

As sure as fireworks light up the park in early July, Lititz Springs Park gets a fresh coat of paint for the annual Lititz Outdoor Fine Art Show at the end of July.

That splash of color comes from more than 125 artists who fill the park with oils, watercolors, pastels, drawing, ceramics, mixed media and sculpture. This year’s show — marking its 48th year — is set for Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“One of the best things that ever happened with the art show was moving it to Lititz Springs Park,” says artist Sandy Roland, who has been exhibiting at the show for more than 30 years.

Roland is a long-time member of the Village Art Association, which sponsors the show. She remembers when the outdoor art show was held on Main Street in Lititz. The street was not closed to traffic and sidewalks got pretty crowded. It was hot in the July sun.

With the move to Lititz Springs Park many years ago, the Lititz Outdoor Art Show took on a whole new persona. It was refreshingly cool under the tall park trees, and artists were closer to each other, so it was easier for them and their patrons to see the whole show. There is even musical entertainment that adds to the ambience, as well as food concession stands.

“It just has a more relaxed, community feel. The park is perfect for the art show,” adds Roland.

Another aspect that makes the show appealing is that it’s not too big. With 125 artists spread out from the entrance of Lititz Springs Park to the area near the picnic pavilions and snack bar, it’s easy to navigate and see all the artists.

In a few weeks, the annual Rotary Craft Show takes place, and that’s a whole different story. Hundreds of craftspeople and thousands of visitors will pack the streets and the park of Lititz. It’s one of the biggest craft shows in the East.

For now, Lititz Springs Park will be more peaceful. The Lititz Outdoor Art Show is defined as being a “fine art” show, with no crafts. That was the mission of the show’s founder, the late Floyd Hackman, nearly 50 years ago. It was to be an “art only” show.

Organizers stick to that tradition very firmly. The show is juried, so that it can be determined that works displayed at the show fit into the category of fine art, which includes oils, acrylics, watercolor, pastels, drawing, ceramics, mixed media and sculpture. A few categories might bridge into what some might consider to be crafts, such as ceramics and mixed media. The Village Art Association reviews the submissions to make sure they fit in with Hackman’s vision for a fine arts show.

Members of the Village Art Association serve as something of a welcoming committee or gateway to the rest of the show. Their displays circle the pond at the park entrance, with a richly varied display of artwork.

Roland’s display is usually located right near the entrance of the park. So is the work of Joyce Durkin, who paints mostly in watercolors with some oils. Her florals are popular with art collectors.

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“This show is very close to my heart,” says Durkin, who has been participating in the show for about 14 years. “And sales are brisk. The people who come to the show are art lovers.”

Artist Crystal Dull agrees. A member of the Village Art Association, Dull has been involved in the show for several years. She is a multi-talented artist who works in watercolors, mixed media, acrylics and drawing, with subjects that range from flowers, animals and portraits to landscape and abstracts.

“I get bored working in one style or medium,” says Dull. “I will do an extremely detailed work, and then turn around a do a huge abstract with large brushstrokes.”

Dull has an art gallery and studio near Lititz, and thinks that that art show is a good way to introduce her work to art lovers and even aspiring artists, who can take art classes or attend art camps at her studio.

“The Lititz Art Show is a relaxing place to get a closer look at some fantastic art from local artists, as well as artists from out of state,” says Dull.

Another local artist is Gary Eberly of Stevens. Eberly is one of those artists who works in pottery that stays within the realm of being considered fine art. He enjoys the park setting for the art show and meeting to the art lovers who stop by to talk to him.

“My introduction to pottery began as an eight-week pottery class given as a Christmas gift, and has blossomed into a love of creating functional and artistic stoneware,” says Eberly, who thrives on the creative, unplanned nature of wood-firing as he places his pots in the kiln, stokes the fire and experiences the joy of seeing what the fire has done to the pots.

Members of the Village Art Association take pride in continuing Hackman’s legacy for a fine art show. In fact, the Floyd Hackman Award is just one of the $1,700 in awards given that day.

“I think the old-timers of the art association would be very pleased to see how the Lititz Art Show has upheld that tradition,” says Roland. “And they would have loved being in the park.”

Lititz Outdoor Art Show

Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Free

Lititz Springs Park, 24 N. Broad St.

Lititz. www.thevaaoflititzpa.com