MANSFIELD – Dozens of people flocked to downtown Mansfield on Saturday for what’s become an annual celebration of the city’s art and culture.
The fourth Artistreet festival highlighted a mix of visual and performing arts along Main Street.
“It’s a great place for people who love the arts to see what’s happening in our community and get a taste of different art forms, said Kathy Goodwin, event organizer and coordinator at Element of Art.
The fun kicked off Friday night with an art opening and continued into Saturday until 4 p.m. with demonstrations in painting, textile arts and more. Live performances featured the Mansfield Symphony Orchestra, Renaissance Youth Opera Theatre, Mansfield Youth Theatre, Mansfield Playhouse Youth Theatre and several local artists and bands.
Mansfield resident, Grayson Anteassian was surprised when she tried her hand at a spinning wheel set up by local artist and writer Ginger Patterson.
“It’s actually really cool, and it’s easier than I thought it would be,” she said.
It was Patterson’s first time at the festival, but she intends to return next year to further introduce people to fiber arts.
Further down Main Street, artists Kevin Oswalt and Allison Pence were showing off their paintings.
Pence, formerly a teacher, recently left her job to focus solely on her art. She brought along her “geode-like” artwork, which displays the colorful minerals sliced in half.
“I start with circular canvases,” she said. “It basically involves a layer of paint. Then I add alcohol inks on top of that, and I embellish them with different glass, stones and glitter to give them that sparkly look.”
Oswalt brought along his paintings of downtown Mansfield, but was working on a painting of a couple at the beach during the festival.
“The best part is the interaction with people,” he said.
He recalled talking with several young artists during a previous Artistreet experience and had invited some children to contribute to his painting Saturday morning.
“I said, ‘Why don’t you try it?’ And she started painting on it,” Oswalt said. “That to me was worth coming out here for.”
