Francisco's Farm Brings Fine Art & Craft to Magical Midway

Posted: June 8th, 2012



For Immediate Release June 7, 2012 Images & Information: press@lexingtonartleague.org 859.254.7024


Francisco’s Farm Brings Fine Art & Craft to Magical Midway


Nine-year-old festival transforms Equus Run Vineyards into a weekend exhibition in the countryside


 Lexington, KY – Francisco’s Farm Art Festival, named a top 10 festival by the Kentucky Tourism Council and a top 20 event by the Southeast Tourism Society, once again changes the landscape of Midway, June 23-24, with an outdoor exhibition of fine art and craft on the grounds of Equus Run Vineyards.


Sponsored by Chiro One, Don Jacobs, Midway College, and Midway Business Association, Francisco’s Farm lures crowds of approximately 7,500 over the course of the 2-day event. More than 100 artists representing a dozen states are participating in this year’s exhibition, which also features live music, family activities, delicious festival food, and award-winning wines, all set against the backdrop of Kentucky’s pristine countryside.


“Francisco’s Farm is truly a highlight of the summer, for Midway and the entire Central Kentucky region,” said Sara Hicks, chair of the Francisco’s Farm Committee. “Hosting the festival on the grounds of Equus Run Vineyards, which CNN called a Must-See Hidden Treasure of the U.S., makes this event unlike any other in the state.”


Francisco’s Farm, which is presented by the Lexington Art League (LAL), Midway Renaissance, and Equus Run Vineyards, offers something for everyone. In addition to selling unique jewelry, photography, painting, mixed media, sculpture, clothing, and ceramics, artists will offer live demonstrations of art-making, and Larkspur Press will be on-site showing the art of letterpress printing. Seth Murphy Band, Grandfather Sycamore, Alma Gitana, Stringtown Band, and Tall, Dark & Handsome will perform throughout the weekend, treating visitors to bluegrass, country, folk, and flamenco fusion on the Tasting Room Stage. Family activities, including a Puppet-a-looza presented by Lexington Children’s Theater, and community art projects by citizensCREATE let patrons of all ages get hands-on with art-making.


In addition to art and music, visitors to Francisco’s Farm will be able to sample the award-winning wines cultivated at Equus Run Vineyards. Delicious festival foods, including Cajun favorites jambalaya, etoufee, and gumbo and savory BBQ and smoked meats, will keep visitors satisfied, and frozen Italian ice and fresh-squeezed lemonade sweetened with honey will keep them cool. “LAL brings nearly 40 years of art fair experience to this year’s Francisco’s Farm, and we are proud to be expanding our philosophy of art for everyone regionally,” said LAL’s Executive Director Stephanie Harris. “This event, with its pastoral setting and early summer dates, is a perfect complement to LAL’s highly acclaimed American Founders Bank Woodland Art Fair, set in one of Lexington’s urban parks on Aug. 18-19. Both events are well-attended, enjoyed by the masses, and demonstrate the appreciation for visual art inherent to our region.”


Admission to Francisco’s Farm is $10 per vehicle; there is no additional charge for parking. Equus Run Vineyards is located at 1280 Moores Mill Road and easily accessed from I-64 via Exit 65. Festival hours are Saturday, June 23, 10a-6p, and Sunday, June 24, 10a-5p. Francisco’s Farm, named in honor of the original Midway landowner Col. John Francisco, is supported by radio partner WUKY 91.3, television partner LEX-18, and media partner Lexington Herald-Leader. For more information about Francisco’s Farm, please visit www.lexingtonartleague.org or www.franciscosfarm.org.


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Current LAL Exhibitions LAL @ Loudoun House – Scripts & Systems is an exhibition exploring the algorithms, plots, and plans we have created to support our “set-it-and-forget-it” approach to life. By placing trust in systems, whether it’s the alarm on our smart phones or the interplanetary rover, we have become seriously involved in a relationship with machines. Scripts + Systems is about letting go of control, even in our creative lives, and giving in to following scripts. The exhibition is open thru July 15, 2012.


LAL Project Space ¬– Campfire Tales: A Collaborative Storytelling Experience is an interactive, theatrical art piece that encourages viewers to share tales by writing, drawing, acting out, or recording their personal stories within a playful and unique setting inspired by the campfire circle. By artists Megan Kelley and Lindsey Bailey, from Tennessee and Texas respectively, the installation will feature excerpts of online in a blog compilation. The installation is on display thru July 15, 2012.


Upcoming LAL Exhibitions LAL @ Art-at-the-Cathedral – Side by Side, an award-winning program sponsored by VSA Kentucky and produced in partnership with Lexington Hearing & Speech Center, engages children with disabilities in the visual arts. Led by Melody Bock-Freeman, the students of Side by Side collaborate with mentoring artists to produce a work of art to be exhibited alongside artwork created the adult artist.


The exhibition, at 166 Market St., is open June 15-August 1. LAL @ The Mezzanine Gallery at the Government Center – Art & Design {Eye Candy} is a pattern-focused study that results in pure visual delight. Featuring the work of Lexington artist and interior designer Blake Eames, the exhibition brings together the two interplaying worlds of the artist to convey a special message about living an artful existence. Eames highlights the intersection of line, shape, and color and creates a visual dialogue between the professional and the playful. The exhibition opens June 15.

 


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