The crafts are back in town: Paradise City Arts Festival returns to Marlborough Nov. 19-21

Paradise City Arts Festival
·5 min read

MARLBOROUGH - Local artists will be among the new faces revealing their talents at the fall Paradise City Arts Festival scheduled for Nov. 19-21 at the Royal Plaza Trade Center.

A highly selective, beautifully curated showcase for 175 of the finest of independent American artists and craft makers, this three-day event is a “must-see” for lovers of the arts in the Greater Boston region and beyond.

Local artists new to the show this year include:

Gary Hawley, of Arlington, turns hardwood on a lathe. This bowl is embellished with an abstract design of thick, brilliantly colored acrylic paint.
Gary Hawley, of Arlington, turns hardwood on a lathe. This bowl is embellished with an abstract design of thick, brilliantly colored acrylic paint.

  • Jon Berke, of Milford, who creates stylized wood turnings.

  • Franklin photographer Rebecca Skinner, whose haunting images of abandoned places draw the viewer in.

  • Acton's Frann Addison, who makes beautiful Jewish ceremonial objects known as Judaica.

  • Gary Hawley of Arlington, who crafts beautiful turned wood and jewelry boxes

  • Mimi Kirchner, of Arlington, whose and one-of-a-kind dolls are whimsical and wondrous.

After a two-year hiatus because of the pandemic, this event is highly anticipated. Look for one-of-a-kind home furnishings, fashion, jewelry, fine art, and even stocking stuffers – in every price range – that transcend expectations.

This year’s event showcases an especially high-quality selection of painters, woodworkers, and jewelry designers, many of them new to the show this year. With live music in the Sculpture Café, the special exhibit “Abstract Thoughts” and ongoing demonstrations, the Paradise City will keep visitors entertained and inspired for hours.

Frann Addison, of Acton, began creating Judaica while pursuing an MFA degree in metalsmithing at Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1977. Seen here are her Sabbath Candlesticks, made of pewter and repurposed china salt and pepper shakers.
Frann Addison, of Acton, began creating Judaica while pursuing an MFA degree in metalsmithing at Cranbrook Academy of Art in 1977. Seen here are her Sabbath Candlesticks, made of pewter and repurposed china salt and pepper shakers.

“One aspect of the Paradise City Arts Festival that really sets it apart is the enormous range of the work on display," said Founding Director Linda Post. "A blend of fine art and fine craft provides a synergy that can inspire collectors to look at something new. Attendees who come expecting to see just functional crafts find themselves wowed by the work of painters, sculptors, and printmakers. Paradise City is unusual in that it has successfully integrated fine art and handmade craft into one show where both are taken seriously.”

The venue is easily accessible from all parts of New England via I-495 and features acres of free parking. A shuttle bus runs a continuous loop to and from the adjoining parking lots. Two cafés serve light meals, beverages, wine and beer, and desserts.

Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test will be required for entry. Face coverings must be worn indoors and on the parking shuttle. Read about this show’s Health and Safety Guidelines.

Milford artist Jon Berke uses a combination of a resin, dyed ocean blue with a silver powder combined with an Australian Brown Mallee burl wood then turned on lathe turned into a hollow vessel with a finish of between 15 to 20 coats of a hand rubbed wipe on polyurethane to achieve a glass like finish.
Milford artist Jon Berke uses a combination of a resin, dyed ocean blue with a silver powder combined with an Australian Brown Mallee burl wood then turned on lathe turned into a hollow vessel with a finish of between 15 to 20 coats of a hand rubbed wipe on polyurethane to achieve a glass like finish.

Special Themed Exhibit: 'Abstract Thoughts'

Looking deeply at abstract art can take you down a rabbit hole. What image did the painter or sculptor have in their head when they started? How did they get from there to here?

Modern times, with fast-paced inventions, global upheavals, and constant change, challenges artists to view the world in a way that is outside of time and place. This fall many of Pardise City’s artists are taking the leap into abstraction in painting, photography, and sculpture. Abstract design in furniture, home furnishings, wearable art and jewelry also draws inspiration from the same aesthetic well, resulting in remarkably playful works that in the hands of Paradise City’s makers achieve both sophistication and beauty.

Mimi Kirchner of Arlington's Tattooed Merman doll is soft sculpture taken to the edge. The 2-foot tall one-of-a-kind fabric merman doll is hand embroidered with applique details.
Mimi Kirchner of Arlington's Tattooed Merman doll is soft sculpture taken to the edge. The 2-foot tall one-of-a-kind fabric merman doll is hand embroidered with applique details.

The themed shows-within-a-show at Paradise City Arts Festivals have always enchanted and educated the public, while offering the artists an opportunity to be extra creative and think outside the box – and in this case, to be distracted by abstraction. The exhibit is mounted in the Sculpture Café.

In the Sculpture Café

Paradise City's sunlit Sculpture Café is a meeting place, a gallery exhibition area, and a cozy spot to grab a drink or a sweet bite and take a break after your first pass through the show. Friends coming to the fair together often reconnect at one of the tables in the Sculpture Café for coffee or a glass of wine, a sweet treat, and to share the contents of their shopping bags. For food that’s savory and substantial, look to the Paradise Café in the rear of the hall for sandwiches, salads, hot soups and tasty daily specials like chicken pot pie.

Every day during the show, from noon to 4 p.m., live music wafts from the café through the entire exhibition hall. From Motown and swing to classic jazz and original music, these artful and lively musicians enhance the Paradise City experience. The Café is also the location for “Abstract Thoughts” and a great place to people-watch and share selfies and shots of the show on social media.

MPSMA Benefit

Franklin photographer Rebecca Skinner photographs abandoned spaces throughout the United States. She says, "Texture, color and light play an important part in my image making and I am attracted to the beauty of these places as well as the forgotten history." See here is her photograph "West Hallway," photograph printed on aluminum.
Franklin photographer Rebecca Skinner photographs abandoned spaces throughout the United States. She says, "Texture, color and light play an important part in my image making and I am attracted to the beauty of these places as well as the forgotten history." See here is her photograph "West Hallway," photograph printed on aluminum.

The annual coat check station at the door benefits the Marlborough Public Schools Music Association through voluntary donations. The Association supports instrumental, vocal and dance groups in the local schools and after school programs. The members are the parents of the music students, the students themselves, music teachers and community supporters who have a strong belief in the importance of music education. Paradise City Arts Festivals have raised more than $500,000 over the years to benefit community causes.

If you go:

WHAT: Paradise City Arts Festival in Marlborough

WHERE: The Royal Plaza Trade Center 181 Royal Plaza Drive (at Route 20 West), Marlborough

WHEN: Friday, Nov. 19: 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 20: 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; and Sunday, Nov. 21: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

ADMISSION: $14 adults; $8 students; $16 Weekend Pass; children 12 and under admitted free; handicapped accessible; free color program with admission; acres of free parking and shuttle service.

NOTE: Proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test required for entry. Face coverings are required indoors.

INFO: Complete show and travel information, advance tickets and discount admission coupons: online at paradisecityarts.com or call 800-511-9725

This article originally appeared on MetroWest Daily News: Paradise City Arts Festival is in Marlborough MA Nov. 19-21