Art's just part of Fourth festival

But it's a big slice, with 238 artists amid food, music

Mary Voelz Chandler

Published July 3, 2008 at 6 p.m.

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Photo by The Rocky / 2007

Chana Hancox, 7, looks at her artwork, which will be made into a flower, as her sister, Charlotte, 4, colors beside her at last year's Cherry Creek Arts Festival. The sisters were visiting from New Jersey.

The Cherry Creek Arts Festival emerged in 1991 as an event designed to keep people in the city for the Fourth of July holiday.

And, in a rare conjunction of the planets, the 2008 edition actually hits the mark, with entertainment, artist booths, demonstrations and food on tap today through Sunday.

This year's event again seeks a balance of "festival" and "art":

* Work by 238 artists, including 89 in the festival for the first time and eight juried in as emerging artists, from 2,300 applicants.

* A block of culinary offerings on St. Paul Street between East Second and East Third avenues, augmented this year by demonstrations near East Second Avenue at Clayton Street by noted chefs such as Sean Yontz of Tambien and Mezcal, Scott Parker of Table 6 and Troy Guard of the upcoming TAG.

* An online art auction through Sunday.

* Four entertainment stages, including a jazz stage in the wine pavilion, plus the usual areas for music and family programming.

* Music tonight (Stanley Milton's Mean Streak and Walker Williams) and Saturday night (Chase N The Dream and Opie Gone Bad) on Fillmore Plaza, a gathering place that is in design flux.

* Fireworks at 9:30 p.m. Saturday.

* Performances all three days by the Santa Fe-based troupe Flexion, which combines stilt acrobatics with what the festival describes as hanging, falling and flying.

This year 15 Colorado artists are exhibiting, including 13 in the regular categories and two as emerging artists from a field of eight.

The 13 are: Peter Karner, ceramics, Hesperus; Sarah Karnes, drawing, Durango; Diane Harty, fiber, Frisco; Valerie and Johnathan Nicklow, graphics/printmaking, Evergreen; Tony Ortega, graphics/printmaking, Denver; Sean Brown, mixed media, Denver; Marie Vlasic, painting, Denver; Jimmy Descant, sculpture, Salida; Marie E.v.B. Gibbons, sculpture, Arvada; Ted Schaal, sculpture, Loveland; Bill Starke, sculpture, Aurora, and Earl M. Walker Jr., wood, Leadville.

The area emerging artists are Chase DeForest, mixed media, Denver, and Tandi Venter, painting, Parker. Those chosen as "emerging" get a discounted booth fee, free tent and technical assistance.

"It's meant for artists exhibiting in this setting for the first time," said festival executive director Terry Adams, noting the festival's definition of "emerging artist," since some of those selected are no stranger to gallery exhibitions.

"Part of the program is to encourage the industry to flourish," Adams said, adding that arts festivals around the country are losing artists at the upper age range while not attracting as many younger ones to fill the ranks. "We're trying to keep the industry vibrant."

As usual, Adams said, the work chosen by jurors "takes on its own little personality. This show, if anything, leans a little bit to 3-D and fine craft. Not heavy, but perhaps the show will reflect that."

Mary Voelz Chandler is the art and architecture critic. Chandlerm@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-2677

Cherry Creek Arts Festival

* What: 18th annual array of visual arts, entertainment, food and arts activities

* When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and Saturday, with Festival Nights entertainment 8 to 10 p.m. both days; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, with accessibility hour that day from 9 to 10 a.m.

* Where: Cherry Creek North neighborhood, bounded by East Second and Third avenues, and Steele and Clayton streets

* Cost: Free admission

* Parking: Free bike corrals at East Third Avenue at Steele Street and East Second Avenue at Detroit Street; pay parking ($5) at the Janus Capital Group at 151 Detroit St., the Clayton Lane Garage at East Second Avenue at Columbine Street, and the Whole Foods parking structure at East Second Avenue at University Boulevard

* Information: 303-355-2787; cherryarts.org

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