ArtiGras 2021: What you need to know before you go

PALM BEACH GARDENS, Fla. — Friday, organizers of the 36th ArtiGras Fine Arts Festival put the finishing touches on the venue before they open their gates Saturday at 10 a.m.

ArtiGras 2021: What You Need To Know Before You Go

• The venue has changed to Gardens North County District Park in Palm Beach Gardens because of road construction on Central Blvd. in Jupiter's Abacoa Town Center.
• If you come out to ArtiGras and you don't have a ticket, at the gates you'll find QR codes. You just use the camera function on your phone to scan them and you can purchase your ticket.
• Facemasks are required for everyone age three and over.
• Artists' booths are spaced out by at least six feet.
• Hand sanitation stations are posted throughout the festival's footprint.
• There is more parking closer to the event this year.

It's the first large-scale event in northern Palm Beach Country since the Honda Classic last year. The country’s 10th largest outdoor art festival features custom pieces of art like Sarah Lapierre's scenes of Juno and Jupiter.

Lapierre described one of her paintings, "It's just one of those perfect walkways, through the seagrapes, nice and shady and then you get out to that gorgeous water."

She paints with acrylic paint and pallet knives, "So lots of textures," said Lapierre.

Jennifer Lashbrook is an artist from Dallas. "So my pieces are all made out of recycled paint chips," she said. "The idea with pixel art, the further you are back, the clearer they get."

Jennifer said if you hold up your phone to works like Dolly Parton you can see the pixelated image become clearer.

"It's all psychology your brain starts to fill in once you know what the image is," said Lashbrook.

For many of the artists, ArtiGras is the first time they've interfaced with the public since last February.

"So this is actually a year for me. ArtiGras was the last show I did," Lapierre said.

The artists are hoping the personal conversations this weekend will make a difference with sales.

"I love to be able to connect with people over art, you know, doing that in person just makes a big difference," said Lapierre.

In the last year, Lapierre had to pivot to online sales. "You know there have been rough moments. I've really been able, as most creative people have been, to work around it," she said.

"And we're very, very excited to be able to put this on for them, so we can support arts and culture and help them get through this crazy year they've been through," said Noel Martinez, CEO and President, Palm Beach Northern Chamber of Commerce.

"Even if I don't sell a thing I'll just be happy to get to show my work," Lashbrook said.

Lapierre and Lashbrook are happy with the socially distanced booths and other changes the festival has made.

It's a festival a year in the making for artists who are trying to make a living selling stimulating works of wonder at ArtiGras.

"[ArtiGras is] super important to me," said Lapierre.