Attracting thousands of high-end art collectors, tourists, area residents and families for the past 21 years, the popular southern open air event—Telfair Art Fair—will be held Nov. 14 and 15 in the heart of historic downtown Savannah. Arty Party, the special preview event on Nov. 13, will give members and ticket holders an exclusive opportunity to mingle with the artists and a first chance to purchase their featured art.

Hosted by Telfair Museums, Telfair Art Fair is free and open to the public on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 10 am to 5 pm and Sunday, Nov. 15 from noon to 4 pm. The event is set up around Telfair Square and features a wide variety of original art for sale in a broad range of prices and media from 85 different artists. Children can engage in activities 12-4 pm on Nov. 14 and 12-2 pm on Nov. 14 in the square sponsored by Dick Blick Art Materials. This year’s activities are inspired by Telfair Museums featured exhibition Monet and American Impressionism, currently on view at the Jepson Center. The exhibit features four Monet masterpieces and artworks by many of the leading figures of American Impressionism.

“This unique opportunity brings the community together with first-rate local and regional artists,” said April Mundy, Chair of the Art Fair. “It’s exciting to meet the artists, learn about their work, and bring a special piece of artwork home while enjoying all the other activities in the beautiful setting of downtown Savannah. Proceeds from the Telfair Art Fair go directly to the Museums’ educational programs, exhibitions and acquisitions and allow Telfair to continue its long tradition of making art accessible to everyone.”

New and returning artists display and sell original works in various artistic disciplines and in a range of prices. Their work features painting, printmaking, drawing/pastel, digital media, sculpture, jewelry, ceramics/pottery, photography, furniture, glass, textiles/fiber, and mixed media. The participating artists are eligible for $11,000 in prizes, which Telfair will announce at noon on Saturday. Only original works are eligible for judging and awards. The top award is named in honor of Carolyn Luck McElveen, who is the founder of Telfair Art Fair and continues to be its presenting sponsor

Visiting art fair judge Edward Hayes will choose the winning recipients. Hayes is Curator of Exhibitions for the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, Calif., the only U.S. museum dedicated exclusively to modern and contemporary Latin American art. He joined the museum in 2013 as Assistant Curator, after three years at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio as Curatorial Assistant. For MOLAA, he is curator of Neomexicanism; Marcela Armas: Resistance and Vortex; and Clarissa Tossin: Streamlined, and was assistant curator for MOLAA exhibitions including Frida Kahlo, Her Photos; Magical Realism & Modern Oaxaca; and Marcos Ramírez ERRE: A Game of Deception, among others. He holds a BFA from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago and an MA in Art History from The University of Texas at San Antonio.

Related Events:

Arty Party

Friday, November 13, 7 pm

Telfair Square

This event gives patrons, museum members and ticket holders a first chance to view and purchase the artists’ work while enjoying music, food and cocktails in Telfair Square. Arty Party tickets are $85 per person for Telfair members or $130 for non-members and can be purchased online at telfair.org or through Marcya Burton at 912.790.8866.

Free Family Day - Monet at the Telfair Art Fair

Saturday, November 14, noon-4 pm

Jepson Center

Participants will enjoy activities and the Monet and American Impressionism exhibit at this family day. Activities include: plein air painting, creating water lilies, participating in story time, learning how to mix colors, making Monet “Shrinky Dinks,” and more.

Community Exhibition Reception

Saturday, November 14, 3-5 pm

Jepson Center

Visitors are invited to celebrate the art created by Veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs - Savannah Primary Care Clinic. Telfair Museums collaborates with over 40 community organizations each year in order to foster arts education in Savannah.

Impressionist Sketch Crawl

Saturday, November 14, 4 to 6 pm.

For ages Teen to Adult

The paintings of Monet and American Impressionism will inspire this sketch crawl as participants explore light and color. The event starts at the Jepson Center to tour the exhibit, then meets at 4 pm for sunset sketching. The event is free but registration is required.

Please contact Kip Bradley at 912.790.8823 or [email protected].

Art Flair Trunk Show

November 14, 10 am – 5pm

November 15, 12 – 4 pm

Jepson Center

Local artisans will show off their flair by setting up pop-up shops in the Jepson Center atrium. It will be an extension of the Jepson Center Gift Store. Members will received double discounts in the gift shop over the weekend, excluding artist items.

The 2015 Art Fair Sponsors are:

Presenting Sponsor                                     Collector Sponsor
Don and Carolyn Luck McElveen                  City of Savannah
 
Artist Sponsor                                                 Apprentice Sponsor
Blick Art Materials                                           First Citizens Bank
City of Savannah                                           The Pinyan Company
HunterMaclean                                              Visit Savannah
TD Bank