In partnership with West Mt. Airy Neighbors, Allens Lane Art Center will be hosting its second annual Mt. Airy Arts Festival on Sat., Sept. 28. The event will feature art-making stations in a variety of media including painting, printmaking, fiber arts, ceramics, sculpture, nature art and more. 

For younger visitors there will be chalk painting, swirl painting, Gelli printing, mask-making, fan-making, community quilting, music and creative movement.

There will also be performances on the Art Center’s outdoor stage, vendors, food trucks, an art market, games and a surprise exhibit in the galleries. Other acts will include musicians from Settlement Music School in Germantown and the Philadelphia School of Circus Arts Youth Troupe. 

Many of the area's finest artists will showcase their art and we talked with several of them about their work.

• Kathryn Maxwell, of Mt. Airy, illustration: “I've loved art and illustration since I was a kid. (I used to draw Medusa on my math homework; my teacher elected to comment on this.) I created a series of four digital illustrations for Video City Productions, but I will be bringing my traditional art to the festival. In my day job, I work in design and communications. As one of my old professors used to say, I'm 'in the circle.” (kathrynmaxwell.com)
• Krystle Merchant, of Germantown, fiber art: “I have run 'Zipped & Printed' since 2015, when I lived in Connecticut. I started it as a creative outlet during my teaching career and have enjoyed learning more about the history of textiles and fiber art. I have taught middle and high school history and English for over 15 years. I incorporate African wax print cottons in my quilting, zipper pouches and other designs as a nod to my Liberian heritage. I love that this area has such a supportive network of fiber artists, as well as the incredible retail presence of Cut & Sew PHL, Needles & Bolts and Gaffney Fabrics.” (zippedandprinted@gmail.com)
• Kelly Bissell, of East Mt.Airy, ceramics: “These days you can find me painting pots on the front porch while my 5-month-old takes a nap. I went to Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore for grad school in art education, and I began working with ceramics there 10 years ago. My current body of work, especially work from the past year, speaks a lot to my interests in the natural world, folk art and children’s art. (I teach K-5 art at a district school in Northeast Philly.) 

“Being a new mama! I want to make beautiful objects for the whole family, that make a small moment — like sipping matcha from a little cup or eating peach slices off of a plate — a special and intentional one. It is here that I am reminded to slow down ... in everyday living.” (kbclayyy@gmail.com)

• Dave Yasenchak, of Phoenixville, muralist: “I'm a professional illustrator and muralist. Much of my work is highly detailed and line-based and varies greatly in subject matter, but at the heart of most of my recent work is the interconnection, conflict and general interplay between humanity and nature. For the past four years, I've worked fully independently as a freelance artist, creating murals, album art, beer labels, logos, apparel and product designs, spot illustrations, etc. for many businesses and private clients.” (stuffdavemade.com)
• Amelia Hay, of Roxborough, embroidery: “I started hand-embroidering as a hobby when I was put on work-from-home during lockdown in the early part of the pandemic, and I have now been fortunate enough to transition into pursuing my art full time, although my educational background is actually in linguistics and East Asian studies, and my professional background is in youth development and nonprofit management.

“I've found I love to play with creating textures to mimic the natural world and take a lot of inspiration from both my garden and my love of hiking. My goal with my work is to inspire people to notice the little details in the natural world around them and to hold on to that feeling of wonder and whimsy.” (@waters_and_thewild)

• Molly Rose Post, of West Mt. Airy, jewelry: “Employing traditional metalsmithing techniques such as lost wax casting, soldering using an acetylene torch, chasing and repoussè, hand beading, wire wrapping and stone setting, I have handmade a collection of luxurious jewelry that is inspired by outer space, fantasy and science fiction.” (mollyrosepost.com).

The Mt. Airy Arts Festival reflects the diverse offerings provided year-round by the 71-year-old Allens Lane Art Center. The festival’s sponsors include Paint Philly, Lindy Communities, Philly Office Retail, TRIAC Mechanical Services, Chestnut Hill Cat Clinic and Morey, Nee, Buck & Oswald, LLC.

For more information, visit allenslane.org. Len Lear can be reached at lenlear@chestnuthilllocal.com.