Art Affaire

Updated Event Date, Due to power outage – Oct 19, 2024 11AM- 5 PM

Art Affaire

Updated Event Date, due to power outage – Oct 19, 2024 11AM- 5 PM

Update, due to the power outage from the storms, Art Affaire has been rescheduled to Oct. 19, 11am – 5pm. Thanks you for your understanding and we hope to see you there.

For the past seventeen years on the 4th Saturday in September, the streets of downtown Milford have come alive with Art Affaire. This juried art and fine craft event brings thousands of visitors to see hundreds of artists and entertainers and enjoy everything about our great city. 

This event not only brings the community together but helps the Great Milford Area Historical Society maintain Promont Museum and continue to collect, preserve, interpret, and promote the history of Milford and Miami Township. 

Updated Event Date – Oct 19, 2024 11AM- 5 PM

Our 2024 Art Affaire
Premier Sponsor

More Event Sponsors

Art Affaire is the yearly major fundraiser of the Greater Milford Area Historical Society.

Click here to learn more about our mission to preserve the rich history of Milford and Miami Township, Oh.

Art Affaire is the yearly major fundraiser of the Greater Milford Area Historical Society.

Click here to learn more about our mission to preserve the rich history of Milford and Miami Township, Oh.

Sponsors
Youth Artists
Volunteers
Attendees

Sponsorship

Art Affaire is the brainchild of the Greater Milford Area Historical Society. A yearly art celebration that draws thousands of visitors downtown, this event is actually a major fundraiser for the Great Milford Area Historical Society. Sponsorship allows the Society to continue to pursue their mission of preserving and sharing the history of Milford and Miami Township as well as maintain Promont Museum, an 1865 Italianate mansion that is open to the public on a regular basis. 

What better way to support your local community than by sponsoring this wonderful event and keeping the history of our area alive and thriving!

For more information, please contact us at:

Sponsors@milfordhistory.net

Direct sponsorship link:

Link

(type AA Sponsor in comments box – refer to brochure for sponsorship levels)

Youth Artists

We are adding a youth section to this year’s Art Affaire.
Youth will be able to sell their work and there will be art activities to enjoy also.
Click below to apply:

Art Affaire has become a reality through the efforts of many volunteers. Some volunteers put in hours of effort while others give an hour. We need them all to make this the best event possible. If you have a passion for art or a passion for helping the community, or you just want to be involved in an event that is great fun, we want to hear from you. 

Feel free to contact us at:

artaffaire@milfordhistory.net

We look forward to hearing from you!

Attendees

If you have questions about attending the event or would like to spread the word through posters and brochures, please contact us at:

Artaffaire@milfordhistory.net

About 

Carl Samson

2024 Art Affaire judge

We are honored to have Milford area artist, Carl Samson, as this year’s Judge for Art Affaire – Milford OH. Each year, we carefully select a judge who not only has significant expertise and recognition in the art world but also a deep connection to our community.

 

Our selection process involves considering artists who have made notable contributions to the arts, have a strong professional background, and share our passion for fostering creativity and artistic expression. We believe that Carl J. Samson’s impressive body of work and his commitment to the arts make him an exemplary choice for this role.

 

You can follow Carl on Instagram @carljsamson
To see his work, head to https://www.carlsamson.com

 

We reached out to him to find out more about his background, his prize-winning career as a portrait, figurative and landscape artist, and what qualities he looks for in a piece of art:

(click on questions to reveal the answers)

www.carlsamson.com

The Artist
Internationally recognized for his exquisite portraits and exceptional art, American artist Carl J. Samson is proficient in all painting genres: portraiture, figurative, still life, and landscape. Classically trained in the US and abroad, Carl believes strongly in the importance of mastering all facets of painting that bring a rare and distinctive sensibility to the art of painting. In 2022 he was a recipient of the MacDowell Society Medal for his contribution to the arts.
Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you became interested in art?

My parents were French Canadian, and I was born shortly after they immigrated to northern Ohio. They were both very artistic, in their way, and loved beauty. So I grew up in an environment where art, and music, was valued. I’m a northern Ohio boy, through and through, but have enjoyed pursuing the best training I could find in various places – Boston, Minneapolis, Washington DC, and all over Europe. I’ve called Milford home since 1989.

Who or what has been your biggest inspiration in your artistic journey?

From age 14-24, among living artists, I had three main mentors, painters Allan Banks (b.1948), R.H. Ives Gammell (1893-1981) and Richard Lack (1928-2009). Those were immensely formative years I spent under their instruction. In art history, I have been inspired by the work of Claude Monet, Berthe Morisot, John Sargent, Mary Cassatt, Carl Larsson, Willard Metcalf among many others – a seemingly endless cast of notable artists. Really, my favorites fluctuate, depending on the day of the week.

What are some of the biggest challenges you have faced in your artistic journey?

Striking a proper balance between doing those works required to make a living, and those that allow for personal expression and artistic growth.

What do you find most rewarding about portrait art?

Typically, those portrait clients with whom I have worked are leaders in their respective fields. Thus, I have the honor of spending time with very accomplished individuals, many of whom share their perspectives and life experience.

How do you believe art impacts the viewer?

There are many different and quite personal responses to visual art. In the case of representational art, a powerful and highly sensitive observational skill – focused on the essential and the poetic – results in paintings that ideally transport the viewer out of day to day concerns. Perhaps they are thus introduced to aspects of the visible world they have ceased to notice or never had fully appreciated.

Have you had any particularly memorable experiences or reactions from people who have seen your work?

It is always most appreciated when I encounter genuine art lovers and collectors that get what it is that you’re after as a painter, and get great satisfaction from seeing your work.

Are there any current or future projects you’re working on that you’re particularly excited about?

I have several portrait commissions on the horizon that will require a bit of travel. When those are completed, I look forward to figurative and landscape painting which is always waiting in the wings. A new, purpose-built studio with a large, north-facing skylight await the next phase of my career.

How do you stay motivated and continue to grow as an artist?

This is not always an easy task these days. I’ve long since discovered the value of trying to keep an open mind, staying curious, and keeping up with new and fascinating developments in science. These can then act as catalysts for further creative exploration.

How do you balance the business side of being an artist with the creative side?

It’s a fairly constant challenge. Inevitable lulls in business offer the best opportunity to reconnect with the fun stuff and more experimental impulses.

What excites you most about being a judge for Art Affaire this year?

Milford is a charming, very vibrant, creative community. There is sure to be abundant evidence of this at Art Affaire!

What qualities do you look for in a piece of art?

Beyond what I may, (or may not) be personally attracted to, the big question is “how successfully did he or she achieve their objective in the creation of a given piece?.”

What advice would you give to aspiring artists who are just starting out?

Seek the best training you can find, be disciplined, and learn your craft.

Can you share any tips or advice for artists who are submitting their work to a juried art show?

Always try to hold back some of your very best work over time, so that when opportunities arise to exhibit, you’ll be confident of what you have entered. Strive to make the best, most professional presentation possible.

We would like to thank our 2024 sponsors:

Our 2024 Art Affaire
Premier Sponsor

Click to learn more about Cullen Electric – a fantastic local business and community supporter!

 

Our Art Hero Sponsor

Click for more about Bagel Run Media!

 

Our Art Hero Sponsor

Click for more about our wonderful hometown!

 

Our Art Hero Sponsor

Click for more about our Art Champion!

Our Art Lovers & Event Boosters:

(clicl logo for more info)

Row House Gallery

 

If you are an artist or entertainer and would like to volunteer please contact us at: artaffaire@milfordhistory.net

We would like to thank our 2024 sponsors:

(click logos for more info)

Our 2024 Art Affaire
Premier Sponsor

Click to learn more about Premier Sponsor

 

Our Art Hero Sponsor

 

Our Art Hero Sponsor

 

Our Art Hero Sponsor

 

Our Art Lovers & Event Boosters

Row House Gallery

 

Below are some of the very talented artists from last year’s Art Affaire

2023 Artists

PROMONT HOUSE

Promont House is the home of the GMAHS.