The Three Rivers Arts Festival, blessed with spectacular weather and huge crowds, ended yesterday with a note of controversy.

	Robin Rombach, Post-Gazette Jeweler Hanna de Volska works inside her booth yesterday at the Three Rivers Arts Festival. She gave back her $1,000 best-of-show prize after questions were raised about whether the amber jewelry was really her work. Click photo for larger image.

Jeweler Hanna de Volska gave back her $1,000 best-of-show award after a festival official asked her to prove that her amber pieces were her own, festival officials and Ms. de Volska confirmed yesterday.

Artist market participants must sign a contract stating that they have made all of their pieces or are part of a designated studio team that made the work, said festival Executive Director Elizabeth Reiss. There was no question that the work was handmade, she added, only a question of by whose hands.

Ms. de Volska described herself as a "third-generation Polish jeweler" and part of a four-family-member team, but Ms. Reiss said "other ... artists became suspicious that maybe she was not making her own pieces but importing them and that's not in our rules."

Such an activity is called "buy-sell" and is not permitted of vendor artists.

Ms. Reiss said artists talk to one another about methods and materials and get a feel for those who are legitimate and those who aren't. Some did not think Ms. de Volska showed the right characteristics.

"We went to the booth and asked can you confirm, show materials, send verification from your studio?" Ms. Reiss said. "We regularly ask for verification three or four times a show and usually it is given without question. Hanna gave back the award herself."

Ms. de Volska said she could have faxed all the necessary proof after dealing with a "booth full of people," but she gave back the award because she was insulted.

"I said I don't need awards, and she [Sonja Sweterlitsch, artist market coordinator and the woman who questioned her] was unpleasant. ... My work speaks for itself and I have references.

"It's family. Our tradition. I stay in Poland all winter and am working in my studio.

"I was shocked. I said, 'Sonja, I don't need your rewards.' She left and then came back and said, 'I will take it.' "

Ms. Sweterlitsch said the award remains on hold and can be reclaimed by Ms. de Volska.

"She can provide evidence that she made the work and get it back, but she said she'd rather not bother," Ms. Sweterlitsch said.

"I asked her to point to a quality mark or a trademark and she didn't know where to look for it."

Ms. Reiss said there have been similar occurrences, most recently in 2004 when a vendor artist was asked to leave.

"I personally asked people to leave the market when you could tell he was not making the work," she said. "You can't buy a wine glass and paint on it. That's [illegal] 'embellishment.' You can't buy a work and sell it. That's 'buy-sell.' "

Because only one day was left in the festival when the controversy occurred Saturday, Ms. de Volska was not asked to leave. Her booth was crowded with customers yesterday.

Aside from the controversy, Ms. Reiss was thrilled with the festival, saying that attendance was probably a record, better than the 600,000 estimated in a commissioned attendance study 15 years ago.

"We didn't do an attendance count. We haven't for 10 years. But we'll get estimates from our vendors. They all say it's the best year we've ever had."

Last year, artist market sales totaled $2.4 million, according to artist surveys. This year, Ms. Reiss said, "I won't be surprised if it's $2.7 or $2.8 [million]."

"We're attributing it to good weather, better promotion, a heightened understanding of our programs, the concerts, and the market has steadily improved over the years," she said.

It's a standing joke in Pittsburgh that the city has a rainy season and that it corresponds with the dates of the annual arts festival. It started out that way this year, but after a few days, rainy skies gave way to sunny ones.

"We only had three rainy moments out of 17 days," Ms. Reiss said. "We had almost two full weeks of sunshine, which probably beats any known records. Last year, I think it was almost the opposite."

In 2005, there were 2.3 inches of rain during the festival. This year, there was 0.73 inch.

Despite the pleasant weather, not all artists found 2006 their best or even better than last year.

"Pittsburgh's always a good show," said Scott Macklin, a jewelry sculptor from San Diego. "But it's been a little slower this year, especially [considering] we had good weather.

"Sometimes it's just an off-show. Others I've talked to had good shows. It's just not my year. Sometimes customers show up; sometimes they don't."

A few booths away, the father of Ladda Tongkumsai of Suwanee, Ga., said sales of her angel clay flowers were probably better than last year, no doubt because of better weather.

John Seivers of Seivers Concessions of Grove City said sales of his booth's curly fries, cheese fries, lemonade, chicken fingers and the like were about "dead even" with last year.

"The first week we had rain and it was bad, but we gained a lot. Last weekend was the busiest of them all," he said.