Cid Castillo hangs Caroline Carlson’s Lemon Lily Festival banner in downtown Idyllwild. Photo by Marshall Smith
Spearheaded by festival volunteer Pat Hughes, the festive public art will remain displayed in town until the festival concludes on Sunday, July 22. On Friday, June 22 a three-judge panel reviewed the 15 banners. The winning artists will be announced at the festival’s concluding ceremony on July 22 with 3rd District Supervisor Jeff Stone making the presentation to the three winners.
Painting the banners presented a number of challenges to participating artists, not the least of which was the two-week time frame to complete the work. “In most cities where we develop these programs it takes six months to a year to get the funding and artists have up to three months to complete their work,” said Hughes. “Here no one grumbled, everyone painted using acrylics, the only material that would work on the banners, and all completed their submissions on time. The town artists all stepped up.”
The banners will be auctioned in the spring with 50 percent of the proceeds going to the artist and the remaining amount used to seed next year’s banner project. The resulting assortment of banners is colorful, widely varied in style and theme, and overall, beautifully executed. Banners are two feet wide by four feet long and will be a celebratory addition to Idyllwild’s downtown.
Judging took place at noon, Friday, June 22 at the Nature Center. The three judges who performed the adjudication were Mallory Cremin, photographer and educator and manager of Parks Exhibition Center at Idyllwild Arts, celebrated local artist David Reid-Marr, internationally recognized portrait artist David Fairrington and Sophia Dean, pilot and photographer. Artists were asked to incorporate shades of yellow whenever possible and design something that could be viewed and understood by passing traffic. Judges were asked to consider design, color use, theme, use of proper artist materials and finish.
“These were entries designed from the heart,” said a very pleased Hughes. “It’s the heart that drives the art.” Participating artists include: Hughes, Reba Coulter, Karlis Dabols, Colin Garth Smith, Jan Jaspers-Fayer, Lea Deesing, Robert Bush, Evalia Nash, Jan Bruner, Halie Johnson, Norm Deesing, Laurie Brinkmann, Cher Townsend, Caroline Carlson and Maritha (Mimi) Lamp. All are Hill artists representing the communities of Poppet Flat, Mountain Center, Pine Cove and Idyllwild.
Click here to view the banners and vote for your favorite.
2 Comments
Awesome banners, all the artists are to be commended.
We are so fortunate to live in the home where my hubansd was raised. I still tend my MIL's day lilies, trillium, lilies of the valley, iris and trumpet vines. Each spring, we watch for their return and remember the efforts of loving and lovely Lillian to make this yard a showcase. It's been more than 30 years since her death but the bounty she left in the gardens remind us of her enduring presence.