Mother’s Day part of the celebration at Henderson’s ArtFest

By Erin Dostal

Sunday, May 9, 2010 | 4:50 p.m.

Despite high winds and a couple of banners that nearly toppled, hundreds of people attended Henderson’s 13th annual ArtFest over the weekend.

Some families used the ArtFest to celebrate Mother’s Day, allowing mom to choose what she wanted from the displays.

“I just look at the exhibits,” said Karen Wiley, 49, of Henderson, who was bouncing her grandson, 1-year-old Owen Marcano, to the music in the kids’ corner of the festival. “I come every year. It’s becoming a tradition.”

Wiley attended the event with her two grandsons, two granddaughters, her daughter, son and daughter-in-law. Being able to spend time with them was one of the best parts of the festival, she said.

More than 100 artists participated in this year’s festival, including metal workers, painters, photographers, cooks and jewelry makers. For the second consecutive year, the Rotary Club of Green Valley presented Piazza Colori, which used the concrete area next to Henderson City Hall to display chalk artwork.

ArtFest took place Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Water Street in Henderson. In addition to the artwork, patrons enjoyed live music, food and drinks.

Artist Ramon Velasquez of Rio Rico, Ariz., said he had sold about 50 pieces of his metal works since the start of the festival Saturday. Sales this year were better than last year, he said.

“We have a lot of repeat customers,” he said. “I always bring different designs.”

Velasquez, who has participated in ArtFest for the past five years and has been a metal artist for 30 years, said his tent was weathering the gusty winds.

“It’s kind of hard, but I have a lot of heavy stuff,” he said. “I hope nothing blows away.”

Other artists with lighter items – such as jewelry, potpourri or paintings – used cement bricks, buckets or giant water bottles to hold down their tents.

Roberto Marquez of Copper Fountains in Tucson, Ariz., said he hadn’t sold many of his works this year. He has been making fountains out of copper sheets for 12 years and has participated in ArtFest for seven years.

“Other years have been better,” he said. “The economy is bad, but that doesn’t stop me” from coming.

Although Marquez couldn’t be with his mom on Mother’s Day, he said he plans to take her out to dinner to celebrate when he next sees her.

David Armes, a photographer from Phoenix who prints his works on canvas, said the crowds had been friendly, but it was a “slow weekend for sales.”

“When more people are buying houses, more people are buying flat art,” he said. “But we’re doing OK.”

Arla Leins, 35, of Henderson, watched as her daughter, Sage Leins, 7, drew a fairy with chalk on the Piazza Colori.

“We’re lucky because at least there’s a breeze,” Leins said. “Other years, it has been hot.”

Leins’ mother, Kathy VanAlmen, 66, of Allegan, Mich., is visiting for two weeks to spend time with her family and celebrate Mother’s Day.

“It gets better every year,” Leins said.