Maker Fest 2024 Portsmouth

Local beekeepers will talk about their expertise and equipment, taking care of honeybees in this part of Virginia, and how the bees take care of us.

John Tobin is a local ceramic artist and instructor, and will be demonstrating how he creates his gestural and at times humorous sculptures out of clay. He will also let folks try his medium of choice for those interested in working with clay themselves.

Michele Barnes is a Virginia Beach based artist and teacher who focuses on encaustic materials for painting. This ancient process began around the 5th century B.C., consisting of molten beeswax with resin and pigment that is painted onto a heat resistant and porous surface. Encaustics are characterized by their luminosity and intense colors.

Deanna Strothers is a leading pour-painting artists in our area. She will be offering visitors the opportunity to try this fun and visually engrossing artform with an easy make-n-take activity for those who want to make a fluid art pour painting of their own.

Glass is becoming one of the most popular art materials because of the way it plays with light. It can be fascinating to watch when glowing hot from a furnace, manipulated by the quick actions of those who know how to work it. Local artists will provide such a show for visitors, as they talk about the tradition and terminology of glassblowing.

Watch members of the organization Yarn For Breakfast –some of them will also be crocheting– as they create beautiful textiles with their hands and needles, and feel free to try it out for yourself (they’ll be happy to assist).

The name Pysanka comes from a Slavic word meaning “to write.” But in this case, eggs are the surface and beeswax is the writing material used to create intricate designs covering the eggs. Along with wax, the eggs are dipped in colorful dyes with each addition adding a new part of the design. Very complicated and tedious, these detailed eggs were thought to ward off evil spirits in the home, while these days their popularity has grown to become appreciated as works of art.

The 5440 African American Quilters Guild of Virginia will set-up displays and demonstrations of amazing quilts –be sure to ask them about the history and meaning behind traditional quilt patterns and how they incorporate these into new designs.

These artisans wield sharp knives to whittle away at pieces of wood, creating intriguing miniatures and ornaments (best leave this work to the professionals by observing and listening to their knowledge of woodcarving).

Mark Giordano made his first guitar at age 15 in 1966, and he has been experimenting and creating one-of-a-kind instruments ever since. Visitors will be able to see his creations and learn about the process he uses to hand build these works of wonder, which not only look impressive but have the ability to make beautiful music as well.

Norene Spencer is a local artist trained in the Japanese painting technique of Sumi-E, which literally translates to ‘black ink painting.’ Steeped in Zen and Buddhism, it is a traditional style using ink, water, special brushes, and rice paper. Visitors can watch and learn about this unique ancient art, which looks deceptively simple and easy, in reality the execution is very difficult without the right frame of mind.