The Tarpon Springs Arts and Crafts Festival will highlight cool and pretty things from more than 240 artists in a lovely setting.
By EILEEN SCHULTE
Published April 2, 2004
TARPON SPRINGS - For two hours in October Don Naumann crouched in the sand on Anclote Key, his 1959 Hasselblad poised on a tripod nearby.
He watched the sky closely as it grew darker and darker. When the storm came over the lighthouse, he opened the shutter and waited for the lightning strikes, "trying to get the shot before the mosquitoes got me," he said.
The result is a stunning photo selected as the official poster of the 30th annual Tarpon Springs Arts and Crafts Festival, to be held Saturday and Sunday at Craig Park.
Naumann, of Crystal Beach, and more than 240 other artists from across the United States will participate in the juried show competing for awards of up to $4,000.
"I think it's going to be exciting for everybody," said Richard O'Neill, president of the Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce. "We have some excellent artists, a superb group of people."
Categories include acrylics, oils, ceramics, fiber art, glass, graphics, jewelry, leather, mixed media, photography, metal, watercolors and sculpture. Five hundred eighty people applied to be in the show, but only about half were accepted.
The work will be judged Saturday, and the results announced Sunday.
Paul Montecalvo, a photographer from Lutz, has been participating in the Tarpon Springs show for 25 years.
"I like the feel of it," he said. "The location is beautiful."
Montecalvo, whose grandfather emigrated from Foggia in southern Italy, has made seven trips to the country in as many years, staying a month each time to capture its "beauty, textures and colors."
He said people like his photos, priced between $20 and $395, because "they are either going (to Italy or Sicily) and are interested, or have been and (the photos) bring back a memory."
Larry Hasiak, an artist from Tarpon Springs, has been exhibiting his wood turnings at the show for 19 years.
"It's my home show," said Hasiak, a former IBM systems programmer. "It's very high quality stuff."
To create what he describes as decorative vessels, he takes chunks of wood, puts them on a lathe and hollows them out.
The pieces - some would call them sculptures - come in various shapes and sizes and are priced from $50 to more than $2,000.
"They are all simple shapes," he said. "Everything is round."
Naumann also will be there, showing 16 framed large prints priced between $325 and $475. Small prints go for $20.
He said people are fascinated by lightning.
"My booth is always full," he said.
And the question usually comes up: Has he ever been zapped by his subject?
"I got knocked down once," he said. "The strike was about 700 feet away. Normally, I try and stay 15 to 20 miles away. It's safer that way."
WHAT: The 30th annual Tarpon Springs Chamber of Commerce Arts and Crafts Festival.
WHEN: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, with a free concert at 5 p.m. Saturday.
ENTERTAINMENT: From noon to 2:15 p.m. Saturday it's Mike Tucson; 2:30 to 4:45 p.m., Rhodeside; 5 to 7:15 p.m., Cool B's; and 7:30 to 10 p.m., Stormbringer. From noon to 1:30 p.m. Sunday it's Randy Vincent; 1:45 to 3:15 p.m., Steve Santo; 3:30 to 5 p.m., T.J. Brinson.
ADMISSION: $2 for adults; free for kids under 16.
WHERE: Craig Park on Spring Bayou in Tarpon Springs.
PARKING: You can park behind the Tarpon Mall off U.S. 19 near St. Timothy Lutheran Church. An Astro Skate bus will shuttle you to the park for $2 round trip.
CONTACT: Call the Tarpon Springs Chamber at (727) 937-6109.
