Loveland, Ohio – The Loveland Art Festival was held on Saturday, September 7 at Whistle Stop Clay Works in Loveland, Ohio. The show drew an estimated 4,000 people and highlighted local artists from a wide variety of genres, including pottery, fiber art, photographs, jewelry, paintings, wood working, charcoal drawing, water colors, and mixed media.
The show featured two non-profits: Angels by the Trail and the Loveland Legacy Foundation, that had educational material to educate show goers about their organizations’ missions. In addition, the show had eleven high school art students who displayed, talked about and sold their work.
“The Loveland Art Festival has partnered with Loveland High School for five years and is pleased to facilitate this real world experience for art students looking to sell their work,” said Festival organizer, Bonnie McNett the owner of Whistle Stop Clay Works.
“It was an amazing show. The weather was nearly perfect and we had a record number of people attend the art show. Shoppers browsed over seventy artists, listened to live music and got a bite to eat from the El Vaquero food truck,” commented Patricia Franklin, one of the show organizers. “We were truly humbled by the community’s support of the artists, high school students and the two non-profits,” she added.
The Loveland Art Festival awarded $1,000 in prize money for the winning artists. Amy Noffsinger won first place ($500), Kate Albert took second place ($250), Clinton Wood III was awarded third place ($100) and Kate Irwin-Rutter was awarded honorable mention.
The People’s Choice winners, who were voted on by the public, were Helen Atkins and Jennifer Kaplan, each receiving $75.
The 2025 Loveland Art Festival will be held at Whistle Stop Clay Works on Saturday, September 6th, so mark your calendars. Artist applications will open in January. Visit lovelandartfestival.com for additional information.
These photos of the Festival were taken by Loveland Magazine Intern Andrew Sichak © Andrew Sichak.
![Artists profiles for Loveland Art Festival [Next Saturday]](https://lovelandmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/art-show-feature.png)
Alex Eicher’s interest in photography started when he took a class at Loveland High School and he is now a second year student at UNOH. He enjoys nature and sports photography and has taken pictures at FC Cincinnati games, at the Western & Southern Open, at O.U. football games and all around Loveland, Ohio.
Bonnie McNett has been a potter for almost 30 years and owns and manages Whistle Stop Clay Works. She primarily throws functional pots, but appreciates the subtle art of hand building. She is an enthusiastic naturalist, mother of three sons, wife and fierce friend.
Connie Springer’s paintings revolve around stories: street musicians in Poland, a billiard hall in Berlin, a spunky gallery owner in France, a Vietnamese street, museum-goers, or a flower market bristling with people. She paints from photographs, not only her own but those left her by her German-born parents, from whom she inherited her love of photography and art. Her work has been exhibited in solo shows in Cincinnati and Louisville and in group exhibits in Cincinnati and Massachusetts.
Ingrid Farnham was recognized as a “budding artist” at 12 and studied art through HS and began painting with oils. After a hiatus for career and parenting, she resumed painting (in watercolors) began taking private courses as well as courses from the Cincinnati Art Academy. She takes art vacations whenever possible and continues improving her watercolor skills. She had a solo exhibit at the Grail in Loveland and a member of the Woman’s Art Club of Cincinnati. She believes that a painting must evoke a strong feeling. To express this joie de vivre, she uses bright and transparent colors, primary and secondary complementary colors, constantly inspired by Nature.
Jewelry making started as a casual hobby for Melissa Martin many moons ago but it wasn’t until 2015, when she picked up her first piece of sheet metal (recycled roofing copper from the scrap yard), that she really fell in love with the art form. She took a silversmithing class where she picked up a torch and started learning how to use fire to create art. Over the years, she has continued to challenge herself, advancing her skills and refining her aesthetic. She is inspired by the natural world and the jewelry she creates is a study of texture and organic forms. She fabricates each piece with care and intention: thoughtful adornments made by hand, by hammer and by heart.
Chris Heaton is a retired Science teacher and has enjoyed working with wood for over 30 years. While he has always used traditional woodworking tools (table saw, router etc), lately he has also begun to use the lathe and scroll saw to create some of his projects. His hope is to elevate normal, everyday items (a pen, a cutting board, a bread knife, etc) and by using natural wood, create a more beautiful, lasting handmade heirloom. He hopes you enjoy using his creations as much as he had making them.
