24-05-2025
Hundreds of artists come to Paradise City Arts Festival in Northampton
NORTHAMPTON, Mass. (WWLP) – The annual Paradise City Arts Festival was back in Northampton this weekend.
Ever since Marlene Rye was a child, she has always introduced herself as an artist. She's known for her bold and contemporary pastels and oils of places she travels to with her family, and her motto is 'seek the joy of being alive.'
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'I want people to feel happy when they see these works,' Rye said. 'They're supposed to be uplifting and bring you a sense of peace.'
Rye is one of more than 200 artists showcasing their work this Memorial Day weekend for the 31st Annual Paradise City Arts Festival at the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton, a festival that took six months to plan. In addition to art, food, and music, there was a silent art auction to benefit the International Language Institute of Massachusetts.
This year's special exhibit explores how artists derive inspiration from the animal kingdom. It's called 'Feathers and Fur,' and three chickens from a local farm helped kick off the show on Saturday.
'Artists are always incredibly inspired by the animal kingdom, so this was a great way that artists from all these different mediums could find things to contribute in the exhibit,' said show director Mariah Swanson. 'Whether it's inspired by the texture of feathers, scales, fur.'
'Sometimes I make something that looks like a fish or whatever,' said exhibitor Whitmore Boogaerts. 'Or a lot of times, abstract, because to me, a sculpture is about energy and feeling.'
Whether home decor, sculpture, fashion, or jewelry, it was mandatory for all pieces to be homemade.
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