PALM HARBOR — It’s billed as “the ultimate showcase of Florida’s craft artisans,” and it’s presented by one of the country’s premier producers of street craft festivals. American Craft Endeavors will host the Palm Harbor Craft Festival, Saturday and Sunday, May 16-17, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., on Florida Avenue in Palm Harbor.
Admission is free. Visit www.artfestival.com.
The annual event will feature more than two dozen craft artisans displaying their creative wares. Participating craft artisans will bring handmade, affordable and creative creations to this year’s festival. Unique and affordable arts and crafts will be showcased from Florida-based and national craft artists during the free event. The outdoor craft festival offers a chance for residents and visitors to peruse and shop from a wide variety of quality handmade arts and crafts while enjoying the beautiful Florida weather. Each artisan is on-site during the entire festival, allowing patrons to meet and to discover the techniques and inspirations behind each piece.
Among the vendors scheduled to participate in the event is Abe Kowitz, a self-taught landscape photographer who began his art career back in 2013 in Hawaii. As a hobby photographer, he became inspired to sell works of art by learning about a process to transfer photos onto wood. His style was born: “local photos on local wood, the grain like brushstrokes in a painting with live edge framing.”
Also taking part in the festival is Terry Andrews of Ocala. Andrews is one of many Florida crafters scheduled to take part in the festival. The award-winning glass sculptor uses copper and fused glass to create his unique and oftentimes whimsical sculptures. His work can be seen in private collections around the world and grace the permanent collections of the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia, as well as the Carrolton Museum of Contemporary Art in Carrolton, Georgia.
Andrews also participates in juried fine art festivals across the country. This Florida native is also an accomplished musician. Originally from the Tampa area, he pursued a career in music until 1994. Always having an interest in glass, Andrews dabbled with the medium, first with blown glass and lamp work, heavy flat and carved glass sculpture.
His work has now evolved to include copper and fused glass sculptures. The fusing work is done in a kiln.
Don and Cristina Williams, raku artists from St. Petersburg, will be taking part in the festival.
This couple collaborates on each piece, perfecting their skills in the ancient Japanese art of shino glaze, a process that has not changed in centuries yet yields a different effect with each finished piece. They welcome the opportunity to meet and speak with art enthusiasts and potential investors they meet at each festival.
“I was born to do art,” Don said in an email. “I love it, live it and love to share with others. I have been doing pottery almost 30 years now. My wife Cristina is very talented as well and we do a lot of collaborative pieces like our penguins and cats.”
The couple frequently participates in American Craft Endeavors craft shows throughout Florida, sharing their work and their love for raku pottery.
About American Craft Endeavors
American Craft Endeavors produces some of the nation’s most exciting high-end juried craft shows in many of Florida’s vibrant downtown areas and popular tourist destinations including the Clearwater Craft Festival and the Downtown Dunedin Craft Festival, among others. The group’s founders personally select unique, culture rich cities for their show locations providing a complete outdoor experience unmatched by other festivals. For additional information, visit www.artfestival.com or call 561-746-6615.