image: Wanted by Perry Hoffman

The unusual, the bizarre, just a bit whacky, maybe even shocking – that’s what the Almost Fringe Festival is all about. Join the members of the Coast Highway Art Collective in Point Arena for a celebratory opening reception of this fun and free-form event on Saturday, April 22 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Collective is hosting music and new works by its members. Although the opening is set to coincide with Almost Fringe Festivals around the globe, the exhibit will be available for viewing at CHAC from April 1 to April 25.

Loosely based on the International fringe art movement, Mendocino County celebrates this as a month-long festival at several venues to celebrate all of the creative happenings countywide, from traditional to cutting edge and artsy to agrarian.

The original Fringe Festival is held annually in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is the largest art festival in the world.   This festival spans 25 days and includes events in 294 venues in the following categories theatre, comedy, dance, physical theatre, circus, cabaret, children\’s shows, musicals, opera, music, spoken word, exhibitions and events.

Locally, the festival is being promoted by the Point Arena Merchants Association. The goal of the festival is to have a culturally diverse festival that reflects the complexity of our amazing community. Local merchants and restaurants to will be participating to create a fun and engaging festival street scene.

The Coast Highway Art Collective is joining into the festivities with artists Barbara Fast, basketry; Chris Grassano, painting; Perry Hoffman, painting; Andrea Allen, Chinese brush painting; Ling-Yen Jones, jewelry; Rozann Grunig, photography and greeting cards; Hal Fogel, painting; Lauren Sinnott, mixed media; Elizabeth Solomon, fabric art and mixed media; WildFire Fusion, glass; Emma Hurley, clothing and ceramics; Deborah Threlkel, abalone jewelry; Sarah Alice Britton, jewelry; and Nicolette Kaliebe, repurposed leather. Other collective members will also have new and interesting pieces on exhibit in the spirit of the festival theme.

“Almost Fringe is my favorite event each year,” says collective member Rozann Grunig. The object is to create art that comes from the heart and the mind, regardless of the commercial value. As artists, we spend too much time assessing if a piece we are creating will sell. The pieces we envision for Almost Fringe are for fun, relevance, emotions and the sheer joy of creating.”

Live music is provided by Barbara Johannes on the accordion from noon to 2 p.m. and Bard of a Feather from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Meet the artists and learn more about Almost Fringe and the collective during the opening reception.

The show opens on April 1 and runs through April 29 during regular gallery hours, Friday through Sunday, 11 am to 4 p.m. The gallery is located at 284 Main St., Point Arena, the little red building with the big yellow sun, next door to the Redwood Credit Union.

More information and how to become a collective member is available at www.coast-highway-artists.com