Kentuck Festival of the ArtsKentuck Festival is a three-day celebration of arts, crafts, and music sponsored each October by the Kentuck Art Center in Northport. Creative Campus interns participated in the 2007 festival in a number of ways. Jason Doblin, a graduate assistant in charge of Creative Leadership, sold his functional pottery work at the University Art Department's ceramics booth. He marveled at the constant stream of people and said it was fun getting a chance to talk about the artwork and answer any questions. "The great thing about this show is the ability to make personal connections with current or future patrons of your work," Doblin said. "Not only did people get to purchase ceramic work that they fell in love with, but they also got to meet the artist who made the piece." What most struck Doblin about the other artists' booths was the level of devotion displayed. "What was on view was the life of each artist in a physical form that could be purchased," he said. Austin James, a graduate assistant in charge of Creative Education, volunteered to assist with Kentuck for Kids, an interactive area offering hands-on creative activities for children. James said of his experience: "The ability to connect with so many families who may not have previously been exposed to the creative process was extremely rewarding and very beneficial for everyone involved. The chance to open a dialogue about Creative Campus and our mission was a great advantage for the program. At the end of the day, we all came to celebrate the arts and those who are not afraid to create. To submerse yourself in a world of such creativity and inguintiy in Alabama is rare and unforgettable." |
