Once More, With Feeling

For Taman Vanscoy, art simply imitates life. After winning third place at last year’s Cherry Creek Arts Festival and receiving an automatic invite to exhibit work again this year (not to mention at a full schedule of other art fairs from San Diego to Chicago over the next few months), Vanscoy still keeps her philosophy succinct: “I try to capture every feeling, good or bad, and express them with paint.”

Vanscoy is just one of 243 artists participating in this year’s three-day festival, with most chosen from 2,000 applications in a blind-jury process. She’s also one of a handful of past award winners exempt from the jury process; nearly 70 percent of the exhibitors are new this year, including eight people presented as “emerging artists.”

Along with its visual-art displays and artist demonstrations, the festival showcases culinary and performing arts and includes cuisine sampling, live musical entertainment and a host of family activities. With a lineup like that, it’s not surprising that organizers expect to attract 350,000 visitors to Cherry Creek North between July 3 and 5. The best part? It’s all free. For a complete schedule, go to www.cherryarts.org.
July 3-5, 2009