Werk Out Music & Arts Festival – Art Preview
August 4-6, 2016, Legend Valley, Thornville, OH
Written by Abbie Amor
The Werk Out is firing up for another amazing year, continuing their story at Legend Valley in Thornville, OH, just outside of Columbus. The gears are turning to make this an epic weekend. The Werk Out is always known for bringing in great talent, hosting amazing line-ups that focus on the instrumental/electronic fusion, and the space in your head for art and imagination. Over the last three years, they have focused more and more on the visual artists that have the ability to tantalize the back of our brains. 2016 will be a monster compared to the rest, having more visual artists than ever before. A variety of 43 artist from all over the Midwest and the East coast will be coming in as far as Wilmington NC, with Bryan Stacy. He will be bringing up some of his southern style, of what I see as psychedelic and creaturistic, using a multitude of mediums. The line-up of visual artist range from fire performers to tie-dye masters; canvas to instruments to body art; there will be an artist manipulating all forces of colors and textiles.
Cosmic Charlie Art combines many elements, using bright neon acrylic colors that seem as if they are glowing. Whether it is a spacey mountain view or a lovely lady hooping, these layers will have your eyes smiling. You can find his work on canvas, prints or even hats. In a similar relationship of psychedelic and creaturistic paintings there is Leslie Caneda’s work (aka Love Light Leslie) who paints and array of jungle boogie of animals; lions, tigers, monkeys, elephants, birds, turtles, and whatever else her imagination may come up with. Her lively colors individually accent the full image to create a loud and colorful dream image or animal that anyone would want to play with.
Symbiosis Gallery will be hosting a huge tent to act as a gallery assisting in helping sell the artists pieces. ZSpaceArt Tunnel will be installing a tunnel that will display painted murals and projected art for an interactive experience. You will be able to find this gallery if you meander to the right of the food vendors. So grab a bag of popcorn or a piece of Disco Pizza and wander through the wonders of having such a wide verity of artists under one ZSpace, or on the path to the stage doing live art.
I am excited to feel the energy this festival will bring to Legend Valley, at a venue where you have to hike all your gear into a large bowl, it allows the energy to swirl and vibrate throughout a weekend there. If you have never been to this venue, be ready for treat. This venue has held large and small shows alike, having great sound and a nice stage. The base of the stage is gravel, so bring a good pair of shoes, but once you are in and set up, you are golden and ready for a party. You have no reason to leave, creating this sense of community. The Werks family is so full of love and creativity I cannot wait to feel and see the colors we create.