Nurturing the next generation of artists, the Fall ArtFest Saturday held a special kids art workshop where children were able to create their own artwork. The Fall ArtFest Saturday was a great success, organizers say, with a diverse range of artists and an outstanding membership drive for the Washington-Wilkes Arts Foundation.

"It was very well attended," said Lou Ricciuti, "and the artists were pleased with the traffic, and most did very well."

Some $4,000 was raised in memberships, he said. "We had a wonderful membership reception Friday night. People were so supportive, and they're still calling about membership."

More than 20 artists in diverse media displayed their art on The Square, and children enjoyed a morning of art projects. "We had lots of fun things for kids to do in their workshop," he said.

In the juried art show, the works of collage artist Kathleen Master, of Holly Springs, N.C., took the first place prize of $1,000. The works of Watkinsville photographer John Weber were awarded the second prize of $500, and potter Lynette Wood Phillips of Arnoldsville got the third-place award of $250.

Awarding some $1,750 in prizes, WWAF's Debbie Wells (l) and Lou Ricciuti (center) presented checks to first place artist Kathleen Master, second place photographer John Weber, and third Lynette Wood Phillips. Restaurants on The Square did good business on Saturday, too, Ricciuti said. "We gave each artist $10 in Washington Bucks so they could eat, and they really appreciated that."

Plans are already in the works for next year's ArtFest, he said, and he was planning to propose to the foundation to return to a two-day event rather than this year's one-day festival. "Artists say that people look at things on Saturday, then go home and think it over, then come back on Sunday to buy. We didn't realize that."

Next year, too, the Arts Foundation has a big goal to help the community. "Our goal for next year is to be able to provide at least a part-time art teacher for the middle school," Ricciuti said. "We're committed to work with the school system on that."