The Art Barn is a labor of love
“Fair management has told us for many years that the Art Barn at the Plumas-Sierra County Fair is the most popular attraction,” offered Plumas Arts Executive Director Roxanne Valladao.
Plumas Arts has long been the primary coordinating entity behind getting the Art Barn ready for the enjoyment of fair-goers of all ages. The monumental task of getting all the art accepted and up on the walls, and providing docents during the fair requires many hands and hundreds of volunteer hours to accomplish. Interacting with entrants is a massive public relations effort as kind-hearted volunteers work to resolve issues of late entries or corrections to the final log books that are used for judging.
But the real heart of the heart of the project is Maggie Hennessey. Hennessey has been contracted by Plumas Arts to coordinate, design and execute the art display since 2014. For her, it is truly a labor of love.
“Each year Maggie adds another special something to her efforts showcasing the creative talents of the dozens of individuals who bring their precious creations for judging and display,” said Valladao. “This year she added strings of lights to form a ceiling canopy, and perhaps the most fun is the Animal Adoption Corral.”
For the last several months, the paper has announced a campaign to “Adopt a Pig” for $25. Funds collected go into an account for the Art Barn, which funds the additional niceties that have done so much to improve the visuals of the displays.
Once “adopted,” new “parents” are tasked with the decoration of the blank plywood cut-out to make their little piggy a thing of beauty. Decorated pigs are on display in the Art Barn during the fair in the Animal Adoption Corral. A special thanks goes out to Mat McMorrow who cut all the little piggies out of plywood.
And what will be up for adoption next year? Well Maggie says it might be Roosters.
I love the Art Barn, and this year, the Adopt a Pig event was super fun. I am grateful to Maggie and Mat and John and his team for all they do to make it so nice. We are lucky to have such a great Fairgrounds. I am excited to think of Roosters next year!