Don Sawyer is bringing his artist friends back to downtown Wetumpka Saturday for the Downtown Artists Downtown Art Show.
Sawyer believes Wetumpka is an artist mecca with its downtown shops, galleries and artists in the streets.
“What we are doing is trying to show everyone Wetumpka is an art center,” Sawyer said. “We have all these artists in Wetumpka and nearby. They are as good as any across the country. We can compete with SOHO.”
Sawyer said some of the artists represented in the show have their work on display in the New York galleries.
“We will have 29 artists lining both sides of Company Street,” Sawyer said. “We have folklore realist, photo realist, expressionist, handmade jewelry, wood carving and more.”
Sawyer said he recruited many of the artists that will be part of the show, but it’s not just a one time pop up shop for the artists.
“Many already have their art in the stores of Wetumpka,” Sawyer said. “Many of the boutiques already have art hanging and for sale. The show will bring the artists out all day.”
Sawyer said the Saturday show will start at 10 a.m. and go until 5 p.m.
“It will go into the night if the artists want to,” Sawyer said. “It’s entirely up to the artists. We will also have David Jones playing music much of the day.”
Sawyer said he considers this the first art show of this magnitude in Wetumpka.
“I reformed artwalk and added 10 to 15 more artists,” Sawyer said. “I spent hours looking for and convincing some of the artists to be a part of it.”
Sawyer hopes to turn the event into a twice a year show in October and April. But just because the artists aren’t on the street doesn’t mean the show is over.
“The same artists will be on display in the stores of Wetumpka,” Sawyer said.
Sawyer hopes the idea of Wetumpka being an artist conclave grows as he believes there are plenty more local artists to be discovered.
“There are a lot of artists in the closet,” Sawyer said. “They are giving their paintings and such to children and grandchildren. I want them to come be a part of the growing artist community here in Wetumpka.”
