LAKE HAVASU CITY – Andrea Gillaspie had her plan. She intended to visit 10 of the 28 locations for the Havasu Art Trail this past Saturday.
That might seem like a lot, but for the winter visitor from Black Hills, South Dakota she had an idea of what she was looking for at the Lake Havasu City locations and thought she would find what she wanted to see at those sites.
Twenty-eight locations might sound too daunting, but armed with a map and some strategic planning it’s less daunting over the two days of a weekend.
“I’m looking for a good roadrunner,” said Gillaspie as she was browsing at site 16, Havasu Art Center. She said she wasn’t looking for anything too expensive.
“It’s neat to support the local (artists),” Gillaspie said. She added that she was finding artwork at “a price point that us retirees can afford.”
In total, 68 artists participated in the free entry, nonprofit organized event with artists displaying their varied works, live demonstrations and interactive displays for children and adults. This was the fifth year for the Havasu Art Trail.
Just outside the front door to the Havasu Art Center, Linda Gromov was putting on a pottery making demonstration. Adjacent to her, Tina Handler displayed her ceramics.
For Handler, she was in her fourth year as an artist in the Art Trail. She said she didn’t have a specific goal in mind for selling her work.
Bailey McVicker was displaying her landscapes, abstracts and still life artwork at her Swanson Avenue studio as a first -time Havasu Art Trail participant. She said she had hoped to make a bit of a profit but didn’t have any sense of how visitors might respond to her at her location being a first-time participant.
A dozen had stopped by her 2169 Swanson Ave. unit 5 studio through early Saturday morning, McVicker said.
Two of the busier sites were located on Jones Drive with five artists at 405 Jones Drive and six artists at 425 Jones Drive. Sweet Breeze Crepes food truck, separate weaving, woodworking and infrared photography demonstrations were included along with the various artwork and photography displayed.
Artist Maureen Osborne at site 25, 405 Jones Drive, said she appreciated the chance to talk to people about the art they might want in their homes.
“I get a lot of repeat customers,” Osborne said. “I like to make people smile,” she added as she also was referring to a painting of a bewildered emu she had for sale.
Brenda Gibbs, one of the directors of the Havasu Art Trail, was expecting 600 people to visit the 405 Jones Drive location specifically through the weekend.
“We do have a large reach,” Gibbs said of the event as a whole. “A lot of people come from California and Las Vegas.”
It’s important beyond the artists ability to sell their work, Gibbs said. “I just taught a little girl how to weave,” she said of her demonstration.
Down the street from Gibbs, Tina Sicuranzo at 425 Jones Drive, was leading a watercolor bookmarking activity for adults.
“Everybody is having a good time,” Sicuranzo said. She has participated in the Havasu Art Trail all five years.
