Photograph by Del Carlo
A young visitor to the 1999 Saratoga Rotary Art Show is dwarfed by this giant metal bird, sculpted by artisan Steve Hamilton, also known as 'the Bird Man.'
Weather forecasts don't deter Saratoga Rotary Art Show fans
By Shari Kaplan
Despite an overcast morning and intermittent drizzles, there was no dampening the enthusiasm the community felt for the Saratoga Rotary's Club's 41st annual Rotary Art Show, which took place May 2 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on the campus of West Valley College in Saratoga.
According to 1999 Art Show chairwoman Maggie Porter, the event--whose proceeds benefit the Saratoga Rotary Service Fund--netted an amount almost as high as that of last year. The fund's coffers distribute monies to many local, national and international organizations and groups the Saratoga Rotary Art Club supports. Throughout the coming year, the club will have approximately $100,000 to grant to its various charities, Porter says.
Most of the show's proceeds come from the fees artists pay to have booths at the show, as well as a percentage of their profits, which they share with the Saratoga Rotary Club. Additional monies come from the Rotary Club's sale of foods, desserts and beverages.
Not one of this year's 175 artisans--who earned their booth spaces through a carefully orchestrated jurying process coordinated by Mary Fleischli--called the game on account of rain. They were rewarded for their faith with a large turnout of browsers and buyers.
"The weather was kind of scary at first, but we have a lot of loyal patrons who wait patiently for this particular show. We filled up the West Valley parking lot, and when we do that, we estimate about 15,000 to 20,000 people attended," Porter explains.
As he has been in the past, the best-selling artist was Steve Hamilton, a Carmichael resident popularly nicknamed "The Bird Man" for his unusual avian sculptures. Hamilton sold out within a few hours, Potter adds. He always leaves the show with a host of orders. Most of the food and drink booths also sold out, especially the one offering the famous Saratoga Pepperbelly--a sandwich the Saratoga Rotarians invented some 10 years ago consisting of a mild Italian sausage covered with green peppers, onions and a top-secret sauce, served on a sourdough roll.
Saratoga, California Since 1975
