Top News
Festival niche - Vendors use opportunity to display unique wares
del.icio.us
Digg
NewsVine
FarkRAPID CITY -- High temperatures and the threat of rain Saturday didn't keep crowds away from the 22nd Annual Black Hills Heritage Festival at Memorial Park in Rapid City.
Activities included live music, games and rides for children and vendors selling a variety of food and artwork.
Rapid City artist David Grindle was one of the exhibitors. Grindle sold his original paintings at the festival and said sales started slow Saturday, but he expected them to pick up.
"People usually buy more toward the end of the day," Grindle said.
Grindle, who started painting as a young child, has sold his paintings at area art festivals as well as some in Denver, St. Louis, Portland, Ore., and Seattle.
He said he is a self-taught painter who draws inspiration from artists such as Vincent Van Gogh, Andrew Wyeth and Zdzislaw Beksinski.
Grindle starts each painting as a drawing and uses acrylic paint and permanent markers to create the work.
"I try to think of things you could never see anywhere but in a painting," Grindle said. "All the ideas come from my head."
He said some of the paintings take up to a year to complete.
"I might put one away for a few months and come back to it with fresh perspective," he said.
Another exhibitor at the festival was Bill Reimann of Colorado Springs. Reimann's booth, Road Tuff Critters, was popular among children because he offered free rides on the tire-swing animals that he sells. It is his first year exhibiting at the Heritage Festival.
The animals are made from recycled tires that are cut and turned inside-out. Reimann offers 17 designs, including a bull, a horse, a ram and a reindeer.
The animal swings can be tied to a tree, swing set or hung from a basement ceiling for wintertime use.
Reimann travels the country year-round selling the swings at arts and crafts fairs.
"This seems like a nice size crowd," Reimann said. "I'm happy with the show."
He said he has wanted to come to the Black Hills area for a festival such as this.
"It's a fun community event," Reimann said. "A lot of people came down, and it seems like everyone was having a good time."
The Heritage Festival continues today and includes a fireworks display at 10 p.m.
Contact Katie Brown at 394-8318 or katie.brown@rapidcityjournal.com
Autumn Jetson, 5, pets an albino python from Reptile Gardens on display Saturday at the Black Hills Heritage Festival in Memorial Park near Rushmore Plaza Civic Center. The festival continues today and includes a fireworks display at 10 p.m. (Don Polovich/Journal staff)
The opinions above are from readers of rapidcityjournal.com and in no way represent the views of the Rapid City Journal or Lee Enterprises.
Rapidcityjournal.com provides this community forum for readers to exchange ideas and opinions on the news of the day. Passionate views, pointed criticism and critical thinking are welcome. Name-calling, crude language and personal abuse are not welcome. Moderators will monitor comments with an eye toward maintaining a high level of civility in this forum. Our comment policy explains the rules of the road for registered commenters.
If you don't see your comment, perhaps...
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy