Local artists filled the Claremont Village at the 38th Annual Village Venture Arts and Crafts Fair Saturday.
With over 450 booths , thousands of people showed up to buy clothes and crafts.
Haylee McFarland, artist and founder of HMdesignStudios, has been drawing for three years and traveling with her boyfriend to different fairs to sell her art.
“I was working another job … I realized that’s what made me happier, so I quit my job and started drawing,” McFarland said.
McFarland said her art is all hand-drawn, without stencils, in pen and colored in with watercolors. One of the paintings she sold was of a wolf dripping in rainbow colors as if it were blood.
The Village Venture separates the artists, food and business booths on separate blocks, which allows for guests to pay more attention to the art.
“What we love about this is it is catered to the artists,” said Dave Shoop, manager and co-founder of HMdesignStudios.
Shoop said the best shows are the ones in small towns that happen once a year because guests save their money all year to buy art at these events.
This event also gave guests the chance to start their holiday shopping a bit early as they held the ability to check out local small businesses.
“I love to buy gifts from small vendors because they are unique and you can’t get this art from anywhere else,” Sarah Mehling, San Dimas resident, said.
—Jacquelyn Giambalvo
Jacquelyn Giambalvo
