By Rick Morwick
In a celebration of local artists, makers and their specialty wares, Nickel Plate Arts will take center stage at the July 11 Noblesville Farmers Market.
In conjunction with Noblesville Main Street, Nickel Plate Arts will present Art Day at the Market, where patrons can shop for handmade products including soap, woodworking, candles, paintings and children’s books and illustrations. The event is from 8 a.m. to noon at Federal Hills Common in Noblesville.
“Noblesville Main Street invited us to be sort of the theme for the day,” said Aili McGill, executive director of Nickel Plate Arts. “They want to open the market up to artists and vendors of all kinds just to add some extra pomp and circumstance to the market as well as put a spotlight on how much impact our local creatives have on our economy.
“We’re opening up opportunities for vendor artists, especially makers.”
A nonprofit that serves much of eastern Hamilton County, Nickel Plate Arts cultivates cultural growth by developing and integrating visual and performing arts in downtowns and parks. It supports more than 200 professional local artists and raises awareness for the arts by supporting venues where people can enjoy the arts. Noblesville Main Street also is a nonprofit that enriches the culture and community of the city’s historic downtown district.
On July 11, the missions of both organizations will mesh during Art Day at the Market, which is moving forward despite the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re hoping for as many as 10 artist vendors,” McGill said. “I will say it’s harder right now to find vendors who are ready and excited about doing fairs just because there’s still so much uncertainty with COVID-19. But we think we will certainly have at least five vendors, and we may have as many as 10, plus the Nickel Plate Arts activity booths.”
Vendors who are expected to participate include Roseanne Crowell, Pat Garcia, Cheri Halstead & Jeff Rich, Bonnie Fillenwarth, Ron Alexander, Gal’s Guide to the Galaxy and TaysDreamers.
In addition, Nickel Plate Arts representatives will distribute free activity kits to patrons during the market. The kits contain art projects and supplies for people of all ages.
“Normally, we would use some sort of interactive art project with everybody, but it’s a little tricky when you’re dealing with COVID-19,” McGill said. “So instead, we’ll give away art kits so that you can create something on your own at home.”
Besides Art Day at the Market, Nickel Plate Arts is reaching the community by offering three art classes — via Zoom — led by painter/art instructor Jeannette Pomeroy Parssi of Fishers.
A former maker-in-residence at Ignite Studio in Fishers, Parssi will teach the following classes:
- Monday night drawing class, July 6-Sept. 14, Mondays from 7 to 9 p.m. Cost is $110 for the 10-week course or $11 per session.
- Tween/teen drawing class, July 15-Aug. 26, Wednesdays, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Cost is $70 for seven-week course or $10 per session.
- Introduction to oil painting, July 15-Aug. 26, Wednesdays, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Recommended for ages 16 and older. Cost is $150 for 10-week course or $15 per session.
“We’ve got this great relationship with Jeannette Pomeroy Parssi, who is a really talented artist and teaching artist who has sort of adopted the Nickel Plate Arts network and has been providing her wonderful teaching skills for about a year now,” McGill said. “She’s designed these three courses to be great opportunities for people at various skill levels.”
For more about Art Day at the Market and the Nickel Plate Arts classes, visit nickelplatearts.org.
