Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Artists looking to take part in the 2023 Stoney Steps Art Fest in Newburgh have until March 15 to apply.
To be accepted vendors must have original creations with unique ideas, depth of process, technical excellence and a high qualify finished product. All submissions go through a jury process before final acceptance into the show and sale, which will take place June 17 at 476 County Rd 11 in Newburgh.
To submit an application, which must include three to five photos of the artist’s work, email Stoneystepsartfest@gmail.com. Successful applicants will be notified by April 1 and a $100 vendor fee will be due by April 15.
This year will mark the second edition of Stoney Steps, following in the footsteps of the immensely popular Art Among the Ruins, which ran for 14 years before discontinuing in 2019. In its first year, Stoney Steps proved to be a huge draw with over 3,000 visitors to Martha Embury’s property, located along the banks of the Napanee River.
Embury is again hosting this year’s event, with help from her family and a team of dedicated volunteers.
“We had 55 artists last year and we plan to have hopefully the majority of people return as well as some new artists. We have room to accept more than 55,” said Embury. “The main criteria are that the quality stays high.”
Exceptional artwork, coupled with a wide range of art mediums from paintings to woodcarvings to rustic metal designs, and everything else in between, is the driving force behind the event’s popularity.
“The Andersons, when they did (Art Among the Ruins) many years ago, their intent was to make art accessible locally to people and I’d like to carry on that legacy,” said Embury. “To keep art accessible to our community and also at the same time, as it’s a not for profit event for me, I have local community groups that are benefitted such as fire fighters and local churches.”
Community charitable groups will again be on hand selling baked goods and running a canteen to help raise money for their cause.
This coming June will also see Stoney Steps award its first ever bursary to a graduating Stone Mills high school student that will be pursing art or music at a post-secondary level. The bursary was launched last year, created in conjunction with the Lennox and Addington Community Foundation and will be awarded at the commencement ceremony of the recipient.
To learn more about the event, visit www.StoneyStepsArtFest.ca.