With hundreds of artists representing visual, literary, performance and culinary arts, visitors are sure to find more great treasures than they can carry. The real treasures, though, are the artists themselves. This festival is a great opportunity to find something unique that speaks to you and to be able to discuss it with the artist directly. Having that connection to a piece, makes it that much more special when you display it in your home.

Last week we addressed some of the remarkable artists visiting the area to share their craft. This week we want to highlight just a few more so you can see just how diverse and intriguing the roster of artists truly is.

Pottery – Larry Allen

Mr. Allen comes to the festival from Kentucky where he has been making magic with pottery since the 70s. His style brings together modern architectural symmetry with bold color and classic lines.  He says he has been inspired by a variety of events and cultures in his time. Mr. Allen’s specialty is a technique called Sgraffito. In Sgraffito (or sometimes spelled Scraffito) the Pottery Artist applies two layers of a contrasting colored slip (clay in a liquid form) to an unfired ceramic form. The artist then scratches or incises his design on the slip, which in turn exposes the lower layer slip color.

See his works on his Orange Beach Festival of Art Facebook page.

Music – Lisa Zanghi

Ms. Zanghi, a talented singer-songwriter, left this area in the early 90s to pursue a career in Nashville. Her influences include Bonnie Raitt, Carole King and Joni Mitchell. After honing her songwriting craft, she returned to the Gulf Coast area in 2005. Her performance at the festival promises to be emotionally powerful and a toe-tapping good time.

Learn more about her on her Orange Beach Festival of Art Facebook page.

Interactive Art – The Tannehill Forge School of Blacksmithing

The Tannehill Forge School of Blacksmithing will share its artisanship with festival-goers by allowing them to participate in creating rustic beauty during the festival. Children and adults get to join in the fun as molten metal is turned into sculptural design. This is a great opportunity for children especially to connect to the kinds of skills so essential to our forefathers.

Find out more about it on the Orange Beach Festival of Art Facebook page.

Each year the City of Gulf Shores presents a winter line-up of top entertainers in a series of shows that run from January through March. Already this season we’ve seen Jukebox Junction – the combination of two great big band attractions – the Jimmy Dorsey Orchestra and The Diamonds. We have also seen the Dukes of Dixieland offer a fascinating fusion of Dixieland jazz, country and modern music. If you missed either of those shows, don’t despair. It’s not too late to take in great national entertainment at our own outstanding local venue, the Erie Meyer Civic Center.

For the first show in February, we go back in time for a full big band experience with In The Mood. This 1940s musical revue includes singers, dancer and a full orchestra to make the illusion complete. The show runs February 6^th and 7^th.

Toward the end of the month, we get a rare double-bill called Raindrops and Boondocks. B. J. Thomas who wrote and sang “Raindrops Keeps Falling On My Head,” joins the stage with Billy Joe Royal, who sang “Down in the Boondocks.” They each have remained true to their singer/songwriter roots and together sing their greatest hits and duets like “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling.” Their show runs February 27th and 28th.

On March 3^rd and 4th, Cloris Leachman kicks things off with her one-woman show. With more than 70 years entertaining audiences, Miss Leachman brings a stunning repertoire of characters and life experience to share on stage.

Laughing With Legends follows next with a playful look back at the 1950s. Married couple, Brian and Joey Gurl keep audiences enthralled as they take a tour through the era showcasing their many talents. The show plays on March 6^th.

The season ends March 10^th and 11^th with Celebration Winds, an orchestral performance of favorite classical, pop and broadway tunes. The performers – from Birmingham and Atlanta – have brought their show to venues across the country and to London, England. The show is a musical extravaganza not to be missed.

Tickets for the shows vary between $21 and $39 and, if available, can be purchased here.

The first concert for the 2012 Pepsi Concert series was announced last week. Eric Church – Blood, Sweat & Beers Tour will kick off the season on March 10, 2012. Eric’s chart-topping album, Chief, has earned him his first ever Grammy nomination for Best Country Album at the 54th annual Grammy Awards.  Church’s 2006 debut album, Sinners Like Me, established him as one of the most acclaimed new songwriters in country music. Brantley Gilbert & Drake White will join the marquee as special guests.

The show starts at 7:30 pm and tickets range from $36.75 to $44.50.

For those new to the area, the Pepsi Concert series brings headlining talent each Spring and Summer to the Wharf Amphitheater in Orange Beach.  Last year the series brought close to 20 amazing acts ranging from Jason Aldean to Steely Dan to Kid Rock. This year promises to be equally exciting as acts are constantly added to the roster of shows.  Keep looking here regularly for current information and special deals.

To purchase tickets and for more information regarding shows, click here.