BRIDGEPORT – The young artists of Bridgeport Exempted Village School District invite the community to the Bridgeport Fine Arts Festival noon to 4 p.m. May 2 in the cafetorium. Students at Bridgeport High School will present their artwork for sale alongside local artists.
Art teacher Mindy Sears said they have held the art festival for several years. The students are thrilled by the opportunity to exercise their creativity and put their work in front of the public.
“I have 30 art club members that are a part of this festival,” she said. They will be helping out during the event. “They stay all day. They really look forward to it. They love it and it keeps my program pretty big.”
The festival also hosts area artists as vendors alongside Bridgeport High School students. Sears welcomes Joshua Bommer of AKA Bomtron, Scott Hanson Illustrations, Vx4, Haunted Holistics, Lone Stone Design, Sara Cunningham, 2 Girls and a Kiln, Little One Crystal, Hollow Skull, Shapeless Flame, and Mel’s Alternative Images.
Sears said some old familiar faces will be present.
“We also have some alumni coming. A couple that were my students that are going to come and sell their art here, which I’m kind of excited about,” she said. They are Destiny Harris of Hollow Skull and Taylor Duncan. “It will be good to see them back in the building.”
The fair will feature face painting, coloring pages, temporary tattoos and games for small children, as well as cupcakes and desserts made by a local grandmother.
The art fair sees considerable foot traffic as the community turns out for a look at what students have been working on through the year.
In addition, Sears said the local artists show the students by example that they do not have to leave the area to make and sell artwork and have an impact on the community. Many are successful and some sell their art nationwide.
“We have a very generous artist community, and it’s nice for them to feel like they’re a part of it,” Sears said. She said this makes a difference for her students.
“This kind of opens the door and allows them to feel comfortable in this kind of setting and encourages them to attend more art festivals, and it has worked. I have seen them at more local art festivals because of this art festival.”
The art festival also serves as a fundraising opportunity for the art club as well as other school organizations.
“It allows me to take them on field trips. This year they’ve researched their own field trip and where they would like to go. They chose the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh. I’ll be taking them there pretty much directly after the festival.”
The band boosters will have a food stand, and a 50/50, and basket raffle will benefit the Close-up program which gives students an opportunity to go to Washington D.C.
The festival will feature live music from the band Wilhelm and the Screams, who donate their time and invite young student musicians to play along with them.
“There’s a lot of cool things, a lot of inspiring things, and maybe something you’d like to pick up for Mother’s Day.”
Sears thanks the donors, including the Oglebay Institute Stifel Fine Arts Center, Oglebay Mud Slingers, Tom at Thomas Ceramics, AKA Bomtron, the student volunteers, the Bridgeport Band Boosters and Hannah Boyer of the Close-up program.
Anticipation is high among the students. Art club president Amber Polomik, a junior, has been a member throughout her high school career and has seen her peers’ progress.
“There’s definitely been a lot of growth with the students that are in it. It’s really good to see the different groups of students working together. The different things they can come up with together, the ideas they bring to the table.”
Amber’s projects include drawing a friend in the style of a Polaroid picture.
She added this year’s fair will also feature a neon room with a black light for glow in the dark artwork.
“It was a new idea I thought was really interesting,” she said. “Everybody has different ideas.”
Club treasurer Arabella Ross, a junior, joined the art club last year.
“Last year was a really good time. I met a bunch of folks. Made some friends with the vendors, sold some pieces. It was a really fun opportunity. I was really happy with how it went last year, and I’m looking forward to it this year.”
Amber also anticipates meeting different artists.
“It’s one of my favorites, going to see all of the artists that Mrs. Sears brings in, and all of the different things that they do, all of their art styles and their backstories.”
Arabella agreed.
“I always make a point to go around the festival and visit all of the vendors and see what they have. I made friends with some of them last year.”
