The organiser of the newly-launched Walsall Arts Fest has praised it as ‘a great first event that can be built on for the future.’
Carolyn Bayliss held the arts day at The White Lion in Sandwell Street, Walsall, on June 22.
She said: "I organised the Walsall Arts Fest because I wanted to show my own work as well as create an event locally that is a mix of the arts. Most of the people were found through the net and it is an event that could be called local, regional, national and even international."
The day included the screening of several short films, such as Bouncer, Brown Paper Bag, Romans 12:20, Big Boy 74 and Biatch.
Artist Catherine Kaufman attended the festival with "soft sculpture of the female form which looks at female sexuality throughout the ages." That was also the theme of other exhibits including a rag doll created by organiser Carolyn and the eye-catching prosthetics and sculptures of artist Emma Buggy.
Also there was Manchester artist Dawn Hilton-McAlister who painted portraits of people while accompanied by local musician George Langman on the guitar.
The day also featured a burlesque act called The Tale of the Supercilious Ms T, local bands Urge and Winston’s Big Brother and political rap/street poetry from Derrick D and the Backbones.
Many pieces of art sent in from all over the country and from overseas were available to be won at a free raffle.
Explaining how the event went, Carolyn said: "I knew this day was going to be a veritable feast and it was.
"I especially loved the mix of music with art. Special moments in time that are only captured briefly.
"The management at the venue were happy and there was a steady trickle of people throughout the day.
"Someone told me that I had created an ‘underground arts event’ and I did like that.
"All in all, it was a great first event. Something to be built on, I think."
