‘Springtime in Paradise’ as Paradise City Arts Festival returns

Oct 18, 2023

For 28 years, more than 200 artists and master craft makers have gathered, just as they will be doing this weekend, at the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton to participate in the Paradise City Arts Festival, also known this season as "Springtime in Paradise."

The three-day festival, which begins Saturday, features original works in ceramics, painting, decorative fiber, furniture, jewelry, metal, mixed media, photography, sculpture, wearable art, woodworking and art glass.

"What keeps our artists coming back to Paradise City is the fact that while they are artists, they still have to earn a living to meet their own expenses. I think another reason they keep coming back is that the Pioneer Valley is very welcoming to them and some have made friends with people who have been collecting their work for years. They often go out to dinner with them after the show, and some who have come from far away have even stayed with customers they have come to know," said Linda Post, who founded Paradise City Arts Festival with her husband Geoffrey Post.

Patricia Brazill, of Walpole, Mass., who makes fashionable jewelry, and Rob Greene from Marshfield, Vermont, who is also a jeweler, have exhibited at every show, while Ken Salem of Northampton, who makes hand-crafted furniture, has also been with Paradise City for many years. Among the several dozen new exhibitors at the show will be New Hampshire-based painter Kristen Pobatschnig, ceramic artist Mucuy Bolles from Battleboro, Vermont, furniture maker John Sterling of Millmont, New Hampshire, and Andrea Mulcahy of Kennebunk, Maine, who works in metal sculpture.

As the spring and summer months arrive along with the fresh, bright, vibrant colors of nature beginning to bloom in earnest, thoughts turned to the show's special exhibit this season which Post chose to call "With Flying Colors!"

"It's all about art or an object where color is the main motivation behind the piece. Kristen Pobatschnig's Hummingbird in Flight VI, which we used as the cover of our latest Paradise City Guide, epitomizes our theme. It is painted in a pointillism technique that involves placing small dots of color in close proximity to each other on a canvas to create a larger image, in this case a hummingbird, when viewed from a distance," Post said about the new exhibitor's creation.

"Another example of brilliant color comes from first-time exhibitor Chris Bordenca of Belchertown, whose still life paintings go beyond more than just a bowl of fruit or vase of flowers with amazing colors. He creates a canvas that is fun and with lots of movement such as his painting of toys - Ninja Mutant Turtles, Batman, dinosaurs and all kinds of action figures jumbled together," she added.

The show also celebrates the culinary and musical arts.

The Festival Dining Tent will play host to some of the many restaurants that make downtown Northampton a popular destination dining spot. Among those setting up kitchens will be Local Burger, India House, Spoleto, Little Wall and Maple Valley Creamery.

"Many of the restaurants offer something new each year on their menus and I never really know what those dishes are until I visit the tent during the show," Post said.

While enjoying a bite to eat, the dining tent will not only fill the air with the aroma of taste-tempting foods, but some fine original music including jazz, Motown and swing from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Monday. The lineup begins on Saturday with the Green Street Trio, continues with the Leslie Alexandra Quartet on Sunday, and ends on Monday with longtime popular performers at the show - the O-Tones.

Another "must stop" at Paradise City is their silent art auction in Exhibition Building 3 to benefit the International Language Institute of Massachusetts (ILI). The ILI provides free English classes for America's new arrivals from all over the world so that they can recycle their skills and successfully integrate into the local community. Over the years, the auction has raised over $500,000 to benefit many community causes and non-profits who receive 100% of the donated funds.

Something new for this year's show - the ILI will offer three short 30-minute introduction to Spanish sessions on Saturday and Sunday. Each session - geared for just 6-8 people - will be followed by feedback and suggestions on how to find the course that is right for you. Sign-up is at the auction tables.

Before leaving Paradise City, visitors can take a stroll along the Sculpture Promenade where there will be animals on parade - beautifully sculpted herons, roosters, otters, dogs and cats made of oddball metal objects. There are also overwhelming ceramic vessels the size of a human being.

"The sculpture garden is always a favorite for everyone, especially kids," Post said.

Show hours are Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $14 online, $16 at the door, $8 for students, and free to those 12 and under. Parking is free. Discount tickets and group tickets also available online.

For more information, call 800-511-9726, ext. 102, or go online to paradisecityarts.com.

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