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The Whidbey Examiner • Thursday, August 15, 2013
Oak Harbor artist Arlene Love works on a colored pencil drawing Saturday in her booth at the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival.
Whidbey Artists
show their best
Thousands descend on Coupeville during arts and crafts festival By Megan Hansen Editor
M
orning clouds made way for sunny afternoons as local and traveling artists shared their trade in Coupeville last weekend for the annual arts and
crafts festival. Booths lined the streets in downtown Coupeville, offering something for just about everyone. Thousands of people came from all over to visit the festival, filling the town with art lovers. While strolling through the festival, visitors watched Rita Cline from North Whidbey work on a patchwork quilt, Coupeville resident Mary Alice Sterling demonstrate basket weaving and Oak Harbor resident Arlene Love work on colored pencil art. A blacksmith demonstrated his skills while others demonstrated wire art and woodworking. The arts festival is informative as well as entertaining. Sterling said she had a woman waiting at her booth first thing Saturday morning wanting to learn how to weave a basket. Booths offered jewelry, wood carving and paintings in all different mediums.
While displaying their art for sale, some artists worked on their craft outside the demonstration area. Ed Halterman, who’s brother lives on Whidbey Island, hand painted wood signs in his booth while a cartoonist offered caricatures drawn on the spot. Visitors rested near Coupeville Wharf in the Coupeville Chamber of Commerce’s wine and beer garden while others enjoyed live music near the library. Food vendors offered refreshing drinks and unique foods. Coupeville’s local ice cream shop rarely went without a line out the door. Businesses hopped on the festival bandwagon, offering attractions such as a makeshift sandbox outside Aqua Gifts and lavender distilling at Lavender Wind. Guests meandered down to Coupeville Wharf where the Hawaiian Chieftain was anchored. The historic replica was available for tours and sailing tours. The Boys and Girls Club handled parking. Proceeds went back to the club. All proceeds from the festival go back into the community in the form of grants each year. Past proceeds have helps fund the construction of the library, preserving Coupeville’s history and other community projects. To date, the festival association has given back more than $500,000 to the community.
Megan Hansen photos
Above: Mary Alice Sterling, of Coupeville, demonstrates how to weave baskets. Left: North Whidbey resident Rita Cline works on a patchwork quilt.