WEEKENDS WERE MADE FOR FESTIVALS!!

We are proud to announce that our Art Festival season is off to a great start! While the economy may be in a slump-- the crowds have been massive in support of our artists. With the allure of handmade one-of-a-kind artistry and an array of work to choose form, the Howard Alan Artists have been in awe of the public support they've received this year.

This weekend is sure to be a season highlight with our 20th Anniversary Hyde Park Village Art Fair this Saturday - Sunday, October 03 - 04, 2009
Show Hours: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Hyde Park Village, Tampa, Fl.

One of the country's top art festivals, The 20th Anniversary Hyde Park Village Art Festival is coming to town! Located just outside Tampa, Hyde Park Village offers great shopping, fine dining and nightly entertainment. This weekend the Village will welcome 150 exhibitors displaying a wide range of art's from life-size sculptures to photography to jewelry. Like all Howard Alan events, the 20th Anniversary Hyde Park Village Art Festival is a juried show, which means each participating artist is hand-selected from hundreds of applicants to ensure a first-class festival with only the highest quality, original artwork.

All exhibiting artists are required to be at the festival the entire weekend. This gives you the unique opportunity to meet the creators of the art on display; commission a specific piece; ask questions about techniques; learn the sources of their inspirations; and purchase fine works of art at affordable prices. All of the work on display is available for purchase, and with prices ranging from $15 earrings to $50 prints to $20,000 sculptures, there is always something for everyone.

With hundreds of thousands of patrons joining us from around the world-- it's clear why the Howard Alan shows are ranked among the top in the country.

King Street is Alive with Art

With a special presentation by Alexandria, VA's Mayor Euille to kick off the weekend (pictured left with Howard Alan) the King Street Festival was alive with excitement for Saturday and Sunday.

Over 100,000 onlookers came out in support of the 7th Annual Alexandria Festival of the Arts this past weekend. With early risers kicking the show off at 9am and admirers hanging around well past the 7pm stopping point, the streets of Alexandria were alive with excitement.

Among some of our featured artists, we welcome back Kerin McBride (pictured right http://www.kerinfinearts.com)

With over 220 artists participating in this years festivities, there was artwork from every medium for attendees to peruse.

Among the attendees, Howard Alan and his wife and business partner Debbie were in town for the festivities, pictured here with one of Greg Hubbard's statues.

Topping the charts in Alexandria-- A festival of the Arts

Voted one of the top 100 art festivals in the country by Sunshine Artist magazine.

Saturday - Sunday, September 12 - 13, 2009
King Street in Alexandria, VA.

Show Hours: Saturday 10 AM - 7 PM - Sunday 10 AM - 5 PM Free, no gate.

We are honored that this year's 7th Annual Alexandria Festival of the Arts will be commencing with a presentation by the Mayor of Alexandria! On Saturday September 12, 2009 at 9:15am, Mayor William Euille will be on the steps of Market Square reading a proclamation to kick-off the weekend's festivities, welcoming back our artists to the city.



The 7th Annual Alexandria Festival of the Arts is one not to be missed! Discover spectacular paintings, life-size sculptures, jewelry, photography, ceramics and more. This popular outdoor event will feature art for every taste and budget, with prices ranging from $20 to $20,000. More than $15 million in art will be on display and visitors will have the opportunity to meet the artists behind the work and hear first-hand what inspired them to create their pieces.

Artists travel from California, New York, Maine, Florida and New Mexico, as well as throughout the state of Virginia. Selecting artists based on quality and originality, an independent panel of judges chose the exhibiting artists from more than 1,000 submissions.

The show is set up along King Street in Alexandria's Old Town, a quaint, historic neighborhood with a variety of shops, restaurants and more. The show stretches all the way down the street to the Potomac River.

For more information on the City of Alexandria please visit the following website, http://visitalexandriava.com

Spend your Labor Day with us in Venice, FL!

Downtown Venice Labor Day Weekend Craft Festival
Saturday - Sunday, September 05 - 06, 2009

Show Hours: Saturday - Sunday 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Free, no gate.

Miami Avenue in Downtown Venice, Fl.

Located in Sarasota County, this event takes place in the same site as our popular March Art Classic with a unique blend of contemporary crafts…all handmade in the U.S.A. Some of the nation’s best crafters will converge along Miami Avenue, one of Venice’s downtown streets, with stained glass, handmade jewelry, paintings, photography, personalized products for your kids and pooch, and much, much more. Adding to the weekend will be an expansive Green Market with plants, flora, orchids and homemade soaps.

A bit of sunshine for our Shadyside artists

Pictured: J.C. Sterling


Our Shadyside show on Walnut street was a BIG success in Pittsburgh, PA with hundreds of onlookers coming out in droves to admire the artwork from our various artists.

But no Howard Alan Event would be without a little extra excitement! This year, we had an interesting story submitted by one of our artists, Jeff Laibson. Jeff has been a friend and exhibitor with HAE for many years now, and this weekend was the recipient of some friendly neighborhood debauchery.

Saturday evening, two young (and drunk!) college boys snuck into Jeff's tent after hours and "took" one of his amazing pieces of art. While the street was patrolled by a number of security guards, this sneaky duo was stealth and sly-- able to get in and out of the tent quickly and undiscovered.

Jeff returned to his booth the next morning, and discovered the piece missing. Having been a friend to HAE and an exhibitor for so many years, Jeff knew that this scenario was anything but typical. While dismayed by the loss of his work, Jeff quickly got back to the task at hand, focusing on the many people attending the show to admire his paintings.

Late in the afternoon, he was visited by the very boys who had snuck in the tent-- with his artwork in hand. They also included this letter:

Jeff,
This is the last of a pack of cards that I bought when I toured the Van Gogh Museum in Amsterdam. Sorry that it's dirty, it's come a long way! As I mentioned before, my friend and I were drunk last night and took your painting. When I woke up this morning, I realized how beautiful it is, and how much time you must have spent on it. No one deserves to feel the way that we made you feel this morning. I apologize from the bottom of my heart -- and I am so sorry for causing you the inconvenience. I brought it back because I believe in peace and love in the world.

Jeff and the pair of boys quickly became fast friends, the men spending the remainder of the afternoon together in the art tent. At one point, Jeff offering the men a free print of his artwork, to demonstrate that there were no hard feelings. While the college prank itself was not meant to be harmful, it is clear that there is still room for laughter in a world, down trodden by the current economic climate.

We are grateful to the wonderful community of Shadyside for continuing to make this a safe and pleasant event for us all, artists and guests alike.









Pictured here, Jeff Laibson @ Shadyside