Artwork Chosen for Arts & Crafts Festival in Fairhope

The planning committee for the 56th Annual Arts & Crafts Festival in Fairhope, an Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce event, selected the official artwork for the event this year. The committee commissioned artist Karen Faire to create a depiction of one of Fairhope's most recognized attractions, the Fairhope Municipal Pier.

Faire chose pastels as the medium to create the artwork, which is a burst of color depicting the pier and water foundation in the height of Springtime. She learned the medium from Susan Acree at the Eastern Shore Art Center, whom she said contributed a great deal toward developing her talent.

"We feel Karen's artwork has truly captured the spirit of Fairhope and our Arts & Crafts Festival," said Elizabeth Stone, festival co-chairman. "We know everyone will agree!"

Born in 1955, Faire grew up in Southern California and attended Rio Hondo Junior College and San Bernardino Valley College. She later met and married her husband Shane and the couple has been together 25 years. They have a son, Loren, 21 years old, who is a student at LSU.

The artist enjoys a wide variety of mediums including pastels, acrylic, oil, pencil and charcoal. She explained that she has worked in art for many years, as she and her husband had an architectural art glass business where she did a great deal of designing.

"I don't have a favorite medium," she said. "Whatever I'm working in at the time is my favorite."

Faire has won numerous prestigious local awards for her works, which hang from the walls of her stylish Fairhope home near the bay. She said Fairhope is such a unique community that inspires growth of artists. She is currently attending Faulkner Community College, majoring in art, which she said is a very rewarding experience.

"Being chosen to create the artwork for the Arts & Crafts Festival is very humbling to me," she said.

But, she admits that is more than just grateful of the art community; moving to the area in 1998 literally saved her life and helped her start over again with an abundance of enthusiasm. When the family relocated to Fairhope, she was on the brink of death, from a condition that the medical community could not properly diagnose. She had suffered with the condition from age 21 to 43.

"I had a tumor on my adrenal gland, causing my body to dump potassium," she explained.

The condition was diagnosed by Dr. Ben Schrubbe, who had learned about it only a couple of months prior to her appointment. He conducted a blood test to determine the cause and referred her to other doctors and a surgeon. After tests and surgery, Faire said her new life began again at 2000.

Faire said she has three passions in her life - God, art and gardening.

The official artwork will be printed on the festival posters and t-shirts, which will be available for sale at the information booth during the festival March 14, 15 & 16, 10 am - 5 pm daily. Limited signed editions prints of the artwork 8" x 10" will be also available this year. Last year the festival drew more than 250,000 people. Over 200 exhibitors come from all over the country for the prestigious juried arts and crafts show. The show was ranked #10 out of 100 the Best Contemporary Crafts Shows in the nation by Sunshine Artists Magazine and it was chosen as one of the top 20 events in the state by Alabama Bureau of Travel and Tourism.

For more information call 621-8222.