'An artistic matrix': Peru's first visual arts festival draws painters, crafters, crowds

May 15—PERU — Lacy Moore stood in front of the Miami County Courthouse on Saturday painting a colorful fish-man dressed up like an English gentleman.

She said the image was inspired by Peru's circus roots and the old carnival freak shows. The background of the painting depicted sun-like rays inspired by the courthouse's architecture.

But Moore wasn't alone in her artistic endeavor. Through the city, dozens of painters also worked on pieces depicting local buildings and scenes as part of the first-ever Peru Visual Arts Festival.

The event ran all day Saturday, with nearly 40 vendors set up around the courthouse square selling unique items such as paintings and handcrafted wood art.

In the morning, more than 30 kids from all three county school districts met up for a plein air painting competition along the Wabash River with local artist J.O. Buffington.

At 1 p.m., all the kids gathered near the courthouse, where Antonia Dornich, a German exchange student at Maconaquah High School, won first place and a $200 prize. Dornich accepted the award with a beaming smile as she held up her painting.

The festival was the culmination of eight months of planning after the city's community arts council decided to hold the event to support Peru's artists while also helping economic development in the downtown.

Marlene Mickelson, executive director of the Miami County Artisan Gallery, the nonprofit under which the festival was organized, said the event aimed to give local artists some exposure. It also aimed to draw people downtown to support the city's three art galleries and two studios, where people can take glass and pottery classes.

"We need to promote the artists here in Peru," Mickelson said. "Peru just has a plethora of artists."

That promotion went beyond the vendors. Inside nearly all the downtown restaurants hung 60 painting from local artists that festival-goers could vote on for a people's choice award. They could also buy the paintings.

"It's really a partnership and the whole town has become involved," Mickelson said about the festival.

For Michelle Waite, a local artist who makes unique wood pieces called soulful stix, the event was a great way to get her work out into the world. Her pieces were on full display for visitors underneath a tent on the square, where Waite managed to sell a few of her pieces.

She said she especially liked the festival because it's close to home and it's supporting local businesses.

"I thought it was a really cool idea with the paintings and the vendors and the galleries having displays and events," she said.

Those events at the galleries included special artist exhibits, as well as live music. At the Miami County Artisan Gallery, people could also bid to have a portrait done by one of six local painters. All the proceeds went to a new arts scholarship for students.

Patrick Redmon, an art teacher at Maconaquah Middle School who co-organized the event, said add it all up and the festival was the perfect way to boost the city's art scene.

He said that with a solid turnout and great support from the community, they plan on having the event again next year.

But the ultimate goal of the festival, Redmon said, is to turn Peru into a kind of "artistic matrix" where people feel inspired to pursue their own creative passions.

And with artists like Moore drawing inspiration from the city for her fish-man painting, the festival was big first step in achieving that goal.

"Just from my time growing up here, I've really seen the creativity of the artists in Peru blossom," Redmon said. "They just need a place to meet and show that to the public. I really think it will help increase the arts culture in Peru."

Carson Gerber can be reached at 765-854-6739, carson.gerber@kokomotribune.com or on Twitter @carsongerber1.