MIDDLESEX – Revered as “The Best Art Event in Eastern Virginia” by Virginia Living’s 2019 Best of Virginia magazine, Arts in the Middle Juried Fine Arts Festival returns to the Hewick Planation, near Urbanna, on June 5 and 6. The seventh annual arts extravaganza provides a variety of fine visual, performing, and culinary arts for families, visitors, and the community to enjoy.
New for 2021, Arts in the Middle added a musical headliner, Jeff Little, member of the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame, and The Jeff Little Trio, and a writer’s tent featuring local authors. Admission to the festival, along with parking, is free, and the event running Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Watch for signage along area roads directing visitors to the parking area with the special assistance of the Middlesex Kiwanis Club. (The Hewick Plantation is at 5123 Old Virginia St.)
After having last year’s festival canceled due to COVID-19, the decision to host the festival in 2021 was carefully made by the Arts in the Middle Board of Directors with a commitment to follow COVID-19 guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Virginia Department of Health. Visitors and participants will be asked to follow signage available throughout the venue in regards to COVID-19 protocols.
The popular outdoor festival features juried visual artists from up and down the east coast and beyond, separate local and student artists galleries, two venues offering an array of outstanding musicians, local culinary artist with breakfast and lunch, and a writers tent featuring readings by local writers. Arts in the Middle was twice voted a Best Art Event in Eastern Virginia in Virginia Living’s Best Of Magazine (No. 1 in 2019). It is a recognized annual destination place for arts lovers and those who enjoy outstanding outdoor events. The annual event occurs the weekend after Memorial Day.
The 2021 show presents 85 artists who will have juried exhibits in their own booths on AIM’s Artist Row offering original works of paintings, photography, drawings, sculpture, ceramics, jewelry, mixed media, glasswork, furniture and more. The Local Artist and Emerging Student Galleries feature works from local artists, current and recent high school students. (For a list of exhibiting artists and their media, go to www.artsinthemiddle.org).
The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts state-of-the-art traveling museum and art studio will visit once again. The “VMFA on the Road” exhibition A View from Home: Landscapes of Virginia, includes paintings, photographs, woodblock prints, and engravings from the museum’s permanent collection representing various styles and periods. The artmobile allows visitors to experience works of art from the VMFA collection up close. The climate controlled 53-foot trailer will be parked at the entrance to Hewick Plantation and open to the public during festival hours.
Musical Art
Music organizer Clayton Neal has put together an impressive line-up for the live music throughout Saturday and Sunday on two festival music stages. New to the show this year is a headliner on the “big tent” music stage, Jeff Little, member of the Blue Ridge Music Hall of Fame, and his trio. The Jeff Little Trio will visit from the mountains of North Carolina. Be sure to check out the list of musical performers and the tent schedules.
The list of featured musical artists in 2021 includes:
• Nashville’s Mare Wakefield and Nomad.
• Local musician Clayton Neal.
• Light jazz from The MelTones, the professional father/daughter musical duo Paige and Randy Melton.
• Poisoned Dwarf Celtic music group with virtuosic, innovative and passionate renditions of traditional Irish and Scottish music on acoustic instruments.
• Margox’s indie-rock band from Richmond, fronted by songstress Colleen Christman.
• Soloist Paige Melton, beloved classic folk musician known for her vocal and guitar arrangements delivered with an innocent 60’s & 70s “flower child” attitude.
• Popular professionals native to Urbanna, Beth Justice and her daughter, Morgan Stewart.
• Jeff and Sherry Wagner, a husband-wife duo who play acoustic Americana music.
• Pistol Sister, a Richmond based alt-country duo made up of Mackenzie Roark and Michael Hirsch.
• Gary Archer, who performed as lead guitarist and songwriter for Jumbo Lump Daddy and the Backfin Boys.
• Something Different, a popular father/daughter duo that performs music from a variety of genres spanning multiple decades.
• East of Monroe, an Americana/bluegrass group based in Virginia and Maryland.
More on the music can be found on the Arts in the Middle website— https://www.artsinthemiddle.com/music.
Literary and Historical Art
More new features for the 2021 festival are literary arts and historical storytelling. Local author, poet and artist Earl Simpson heads up a team of well-known area writers. Readings and book signings are scheduled all day Saturday and Sunday. The Writers’ Tent Bookstore will offer selected works for sale during show hours.
Just across the path from the Writers Tent, the Museums of Middlesex Tent offer historic stories, including a casual greeting to new arrivals from Judith Robinson who resided at Hewick Plantation with her husband, Christopher Robinson. Local historian Barbara Lovelace dresses in period costume for this role, as does Urbanna’s Paul Malone with the history of the famous Mitchell Map proudly housed in the Urbanna Museum.
Malone and Lovelace also join the Writers’ Tent for more formal presentations and historical characterizations. The Deltaville Maritime Museum will have the 10 by 40 foot replica of John Smith’s boat, The Explorer, for visitors to enjoy. At the Urbanna waterfront, Jock Collamore and living history colonial sailors aboard the Luna recreate seaport history including an engaging colonial “cooking pot” experience.
The show is great for children as well as adults, but to adhere to COVID-19 safety the toy boat pond and other children’s activities will not be offered this year. The “I love your art” ribbons will continue to offer Junior Judges the opportunity to present blue ribbons to their favorite artists. In the Local Artist Tent look for the 2018 and 2019 AIM Appreciation Poles, hand painted at the festivals by young visitors. The festival planners hope for a safe and full return of the Kids Corner in 2022.
Arts in the Middle is dedicated to its mission of outreach and support of the arts in the community. Show proceeds allows AIM to support local school art programs, collaborative art events with the Middlesex Museum and Historical Society, and AIM sponsored local art shows providing local artists (visual, performing and culinary) opportunities to showcase and sell their works.
Bringing a show of this magnitude to fruition each year is the direct result of the tireless work of many volunteers, our generous sponsors and the never-ending support from the community. The support for the 2021 festival is provided by a grant from The Virginia Commission of the Arts matched with funding from the Middlesex County Economic Development Authority; funding from River Counties Community Foundation; and support from business and individual donors. The AIM Board of Directors and Planning Team thanks each for allowing them to continue the mission. Organizers encourage anyone interested in being a volunteer or sponsor to join our growing team.
For information, visit www.artsinthemiddle.org or email artsinthemiddlefestival@gmail.com.
