Imagine sipping on a glass of wine from a local winery under the blue Texas autumn sky in downtown Winnsboro while meandering along the booths of talented artists from near and far. The 2021 Winnsboro Art & Wine Festival is hosted by Winnsboro Center for the Arts (WCA) and will be from 1 – 7 pm on November 12 and from 10 am – 5 pm on November 13. This is the festival’s twelfth year in existence. It is an opportunity for visitors to shop from serious artists, and local wineries and breweries in the cultural arts district of Winnsboro, Texas. New to this year’s festival are Sip & Stretch yoga classes with instructor Dani Blanton. The glass of wine is optional, but festivalgoers are invited to purchase a glass of wine and join the $10 class outside 212 Market Street and use the wine glass as a prop in the yoga class.
The Bowery Stage at WCA will also be buzzing with activity for the month of November. Adler & Hearne plays on November 6, Miguel Antonio with Marcelo Berestovoy will perform on November 14, and Swearingen & Kelli plays the music of Simon & Garfunkel on November 28. Open Mic Night happens every second Thursday of the month and it falls on November 11 and December 9. All types of musicians are welcome to play at Open Mic Night and the environment is always welcoming and supportive.
The WCA gallery presents “Unraveled: The threads that connect!” The reception celebrating the exhibit’s featured artists Kristie Smith, Valery Guignon, Brenda Buck, and Phyllis Neal on October 17 was well attended. These four artists’ work truly showcases the fiber arts as fine art. Smith has decorative quilts and internationally awarded garments. Guignon has a talent for using fibers and fabrics and combining them with various other mediums to create luxurious collages and sculptures. Buck shows the creative process of designing elegant costumes. Neal also displays her impressive process demonstrating how animal fibers are spun into yarn and then used with various techniques such as crocheting, knitting, and weaving. This stunning and colorful exhibit will be on display in the WCA gallery until December 4.
While at the WCA gallery to see the “Unraveled” exhibit, visitors are invited to sign up for a fiber arts workshop. The fiber art notecard on October 23 was well attended. Students created original one-of-a-kind notecards and collages using a wide variety of different materials including papers, threads, wool, fabric, and more. The crochet pumpkin workshop is November 19. Students receive a pattern and learn how to crochet their own cute and creative pumpkins. On December 11 there is a no-sew holiday ornament workshop where students learn how to fold an adorable fabric reindeer ornament.
Students can still call in or come by WCA to register and pay for classes and workshops, but students now have the option to register and pay online. Visit winnsborocenterforthearts.com/visual-art-classes-workshops to see the full list of classes and workshops offered and to register. There is also a calligraphy workshop on November 20 and a Paint & Sip party on December 17.
This year WCA and Culture Club Art Gallery present the first annual Winnsboro Children’s Art Competition & Exhibit. Children in grades 1 – 6 who live or go to school in Winnsboro were invited to enter the competition. This year’s theme is “What I am Thankful for in My Community.” The theme comes through in the subject matter that the children chose. From Autumn Trails, the Winnsboro Farmers’ Market, the local hot dog stand, the new pedestrian walkway on The Bowery, local parks and playgrounds, a lineman from a local electrical company, and even the moon over the lake and an imaginary wonderland. There is a lot to be grateful for in Winnsboro.
WCA is also grateful for the sponsors of the 2021 Winnsboro Children’s Competition & Exhibit: Clark House, County Line Magazine, Culture Club Art Gallery, Sinclair Market, Keep It Nerdy, and Z’s Main Street Treats & Eats. It was a community effort to create a special opportunity for these little artists. The reception for the artists is on November 4 and the children’s exhibit will be on display in the Culture Club Art Gallery until December 5.
The upcoming art exhibit at WCA is the ninth annual Men in the Arts and will be in the gallery from December 11 – January 29. The artist reception will be from 2:30 – 4:30 pm on December 11 at WCA. This exhibit highlights the combined creative voices of local and regional male artists. The deadline to enter artwork is November 27. All men are welcome to submit original objects, paintings, drawings, and other crafted items. Visit winnsborocenterforthearts.com/art_exhibition_sched for more information on how to submit artwork for the Men in the Arts exhibit.
With the abundance of activities and events at WCA in the month of November, there is so much to be grateful for in Winnsboro!
