Something For Everyone At Havre de Grace Art Show

This juried art show highlights quality work by artists, makers and craftspeople exhibiting and selling original work. Fine arts and handmade crafts available will range from watercolor, acrylic and oil paintings, drawing, printmaking to fiber work, floral, glass, jewelry, soap, metal work, photography, pottery, basketry, ceramics, sculpture, and woodworking.

Molly Sims, an oil painter originally from Washington State and an avid outdoors person, now lives in Marriottsville, MD. Inspired by her upbringing in the Northwest, Sims is a classical realist who paints wildlife and scenes from nature.

This will be her fourth year showing her work at the Havre de Grace Art Show and it is one of her favorites. “The people are really nice and I just enjoy being there,” Sims said. “I am successful at this show and it’s a really pretty location.”

Tydings Memorial Park in historic Havre de Grace, Maryland has been the site of the art show since its inception by the late Dr. Gunther Hirsch in 1963. This admission free event overlooks the picturesque Susquehanna River and headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay. Soroptimist International of Havre de Grace holds this event annually and it is an all volunteer run fundraiser for local scholarships and community service projects.

Sims appreciates the fact that this art show brings in a diverse crowd of artists. “There are so many different types of work — glass, shells, bird houses made from gourds, oil painters, and so many other things,” she said.

The art show is well know for inspiring and encouraging young artists, some of which in adulthood have continued to become working professional artists. This year there are approximately 7 student artists. Charlie Slentz, age 12, a Perryman resident, was six-years-old when he started showing his work in the art show. He comes from a family of artists and enjoys color and working with a variety of materials including a recent interest in sculpture.

The Havre de Grace Art Show is presented by Soroptimist International of Havre de Grace, a non-profit organization. They will hold a raffle and poster sales available at the Soroptimist canopy adjacent to the gazebo.

The 2019 commemorative poster features a colored pencil rendering of local landmarks by artist Shawn Forton. He will be exhibiting and selling his work and will be available to sign posters at space 79 adjacent to the Soroptimist canopy. All proceeds from the show fund local scholarships and community service projects.

The event will include live entertainment, featuring an array of genres, headlining Saturday evening is The Dave Mark Band. The kids’ tent will include face painting, craft workshops, balloons, fire truck display, Police K-9 demonstration, and a kids safety clinic lead by the Havre de Grace Police Department.

The Havre de Grace Art Show, is sponsored by Havre de Grace Magazine, program advertisers and supported in part by a tourism grant from Harford County Economic Development.

This year’s event will run from 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., Saturday, August 17 and 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday, August 18.

For more information and a schedule of entertainment and children’s activities, visit www.hdgartshow.org or contact by email: hdgartshow@gmail.com.

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