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Art in the Garden blossoms into grand affair
Sunday, September 05, 1999 By Dave Zuchowski
When attorney Ben Costello and his wife, Jan, took in a miniature painting and sculpture show several years ago at the Albuquerque Museum of Art in New Mexico, they did not know their outing would spawn an offshoot back home in Washington County.
It took the idea approximately two years to incubate in the cooler climate of southwestern Pennsylvania, and the project evolved to become the Art in the Garden show. The sixth annual event is scheduled from 2 to 6 p.m. next Sunday at the LeMoyne House, 49 E. Maiden St., Washington.
In 1994, when the special events committee of the Washington County Historical Society approached its art and garden committees to work out ways to stage a joint fund-raiser that would combine art and nature, something jogged Costello's memory. As chairman of the art committee, he suggested an exhibition of small pieces in the garden outside the society's headquarters at the LeMoyne House. It would enable patrons to buy something by a well-known regional artist at an affordable price.
"We decided to stage the miniature art sale as a one-time only affair," says Costello.
The society invited 30 artists to participate the first year, and their response was overwhelmingly positive. Local artist Ray Forquer helped line up the roster of artists and suggested ways to display the featured works outdoors. A financial arrangement ironed out between the artists and historical society called for the proceeds from the sale to be shared. Each artist was to get 75 percent of the sale price, with the remainder going to the society's education program.
Praying for good weather, society members anticipated that 200 people would come that first year, but the cool, crisp, gorgeous weather swelled the crowd to around 600. Before long, all of the refreshments were gone, and, more importantly, the visitors bought a lot of art.
Not a believer in what he calls sequels, Costello says people kept asking him if the society planned a reprise the following year. "It's hard to duplicate a great success year after year, so I was a little skeptical of staging a rerun," says Costello.
However, it was difficult to pass up another proven fund-raising vehicle. After deciding to give it another go, the second year's Art in the Garden was bigger and better and earned the society even more money. By the third year, local artists began phoning the society asking to be included on the roster.
"The public liked it, the artists liked it, even God seemed to like it because he continued to give us good weather," says Costello. "However, if God forgets us for some reason this year, we do have a backup plan. Our neighbor, Andy Uram, has offered to let us move into his building next door in case it rains."
The society had another difficult decision to make in 1997. Because people wanted to meet the artists in a more relaxed setting, someone suggested holding a reception the evening before the show.
"Art in the Garden can be somewhat frenetic, what with children, music, and a lot of things going on," says Costello. "We liked the idea of the formal reception, which would give the visitors a chance to talk with the artists, but did we have the time, energy and money to stage a double-pronged event?"
After deciding to run with the idea, organizers chose the courthouse as the reception site. Not only is the building an architectural gem, but the society was first housed in the ornate building.
Besides giving the patrons and artists a chance to mix, the soiree also offered artists an opportunity to display their larger works. Patrons are treated to an array of pastries and hors d'oeuvres, complimentary champagne, tours of the courtrooms by the judges, and live music by the Beau Street Players.
"All the profits made in both events go to a good cause," says Costello. "It lets our education coordinator go into the schools to make local history more relevant. It also helps fund our Civil War and Afro-American roundtables as well as the art shows we help sponsor, such as the 1995 Nat Youngblood exhibit and the 1996 Malcolm Parcell show at Washington and Jefferson College."
This year's Art in the Garden will include 53 artists. New to the show, souvenir bottles of the event's signature wine -- bottled exclusively for the historical society by Quaker Ridge Winery -- will be sold throughout the day. The society also will feature an array of short-sleeved shirts that sport an Art in the Garden monogram in new colors of hunter green, fuchsia and purple to go along with last year's colors of blue and yellow. Some of the shirts will be given away as door prizes; others will be available for sale.
"Art in the Garden helps showcase the work of our very substantial and very talented art community," says Costello. "The success of the event has been fostered by many, many people who have donated their time and work. It's not just the result of a singular effort."
The artists' reception will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday in the Washington County Courthouse, on the corner of Beau and Main streets. Tickets, which can be purchased at the door or by phoning the historical society at 724-225-6740, are $25, and include admission to Art in the Garden.
Art in the Garden tickets are $8, which includes hors d'oeuvres and other refreshments.
There will be a children's corner to keep budding artists entertained while their parents enjoy strolling around and viewing the art.
Dave Zuchowski is a free-lance writer.
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