MIDDLESEX – The annual Arts in the Middle (AIM) Fine Arts Festival on June 3 and 4 at Hewick Plantation near Urbanna will once again offer an extravaganza of fine arts: a weekend full of visual, performing, literary and culinary arts.
Middlesex County musician and AIM team member Clayton Neal has arranged a line-up of live performances throughout Saturday and Sunday of the festival.
Performances will be at two sites on the festival grounds: Main Stage under the “big tent” and the smaller Acoustic Stage.
Neal will kick off the music on the Acoustic Stage on Saturday.
Husband-wife duo Jeff and Sherry Wagner have delighted audiences for years with their acoustic Americana music and original, award-winning, songwriter compositions. The Wagners will be joined this year by Paige Melton, Gary Archer and Beth Justice.
Paige Melton will be performing solo, offering a diverse selection of music delivered with an innocent 60s and 70s “flower child” attitude.
Gary Archer, a multi-talented instrumentalist and vocalist, honed his local reputation as the lead guitarist with the award-winning band, Jumbo Lump Daddy and the Backfin Boys.
Urbanna native Beth Justice will be accompanied by guitar player and musical partner, Lee Goldstar. Together, the duo is called Justice Goldstar.
Returning to this year’s AIM Fest are several groups of musicians who have made significant contributions to the success of past festivals, including the Tom Euler Trio, The Members, Mare Wakefield and Nomad, Poisoned Dwarf and The MelTones.
Virginia’s blues rock star Tom Euler of Hartfield will be joined by his friends Wes Mallory and “Smiling” Max Parker to make the Tom Euler Trio.
The Members are a Richmond based, five-piece band which will be performing music from the 60s, 70s and 80s, as well as original compositions.
Nashville’s husband-wife singer/songwriters/musicians, Mare Wakefield and Nomad, will be performing their critically acclaimed and award-winning songs that showcase Mare’s intimate vocal delivery and Nomad’s exquisite piano and accordion.
Poisoned Dwarf from the Williamsburg area are a five-piece Celtic band, which perform renditions of traditional Irish and Scottish music on acoustic instruments.
Melton will be returning with her father, Randy Melton. Together they form The MelTones.
Three new groups, Haze and Dacey, Bill and Pam Gurley, and George Robinson and the Gospel Robins make their appearance.
Richmond’s Haze and Dacey perform folk pop to alt country to roots rock.
Bill and Pam Gurley, a husband-wife duo from the Northern Neck have been singing together since their first date.
George Robinson and the Gospel Robins are the musical headliner for this year’s festival. He is known for his performances of gospel, contemporary, country, and soul music with both local and regional choirs. George’s performance on the Main Stage will be supported by the Gospel Robins and Gospel vocalists from the area.
The festival is free and will be Saturday, June 3, from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, June 4, from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. at Hewick Plantation, 5123 Old Virginia St., Urbanna. Parking is free, but donations are appreciated.
Local artists also highlighted
Arts in the Middle Festival’s local artist tent includes:
- Beth Bader (Saluda) will be displaying her inventive and popular work in pottery.
- Carol Chandler (Urbanna) returns with uplifting paintings of nature and wildlife.
- Lynn Gillikin (Middlesex) joins for the first time with a variety of impressive fabric arts.
- Michael Kunzinger (Middlesex) will show his series of both local and travel photography.
- Kathie Anne Lochhead (Saluda) joins for the first time with evocative watercolors of local scenes and nature.
- Lauren Moye (Hartfield) returns with oil paintings, which drew attention for their upbeat color schemes depicting coastal life. Her work was selected last year for AIM’s annual holiday card.
- Anna Pomaska (Urbanna) also joins for the first time with her acclaimed watercolors, some of which have been featured in a series by Dover Publications.
- Celane Roden (Saluda) will be displaying her atmospheric collection of oil paintings.
The artists will be on hand throughout both days to show, sell, and discuss their work. There is an award for the best in show in the tent. The local tent can be found near the welcome tent at the main entrance of the show.
The local tent includes both experienced artists and those new to the art world. For many this is a chance to experience selling at an outdoor show, and a number of artists have gone on to apply for their own booths at AIM and other festivals. Among these are Mary Ellen Huennekins, fabric arts; Karen Pittman, painting; and Shawna Hambley, oil painting, whom guests can visit on artist row this year.
Anyone interested in joining the local tent next year, or in being kept informed of other AIM shows locally, can learn more by emailing AIM Artist Coordinator Michael Kunzinger at mfkunzinger@gmail.com.
