Day Two of Creekside Events Mixes the Arts and Sciences

This weekend the has been converted into a gallery to showcase the works of local artists based through out the East Bay for the Creekside Arts Festival, a three-day event that supports the art community.

, the festival drew in crowds of all ages on Saturday. The event was crawling with festivalgoers inside and out; Clayton residents, families with their children, groups of teens and senior citizens gathered at the Clayton Library to partake in the festivities. The day of activities mixed both the science and the arts.

Saturday’s events also exhibited local nonprofits. Outside, Annie Bisbee of Annie's Hilltop Honey, part of the Mount Diablo Beekeepers Association, welcomed visitors in and spoke on the importance of buying locally produced honey.

While at the booth next door, Leslie Contreras and Clayton Worsdell, of Mount Diablo Interpretive Association, promoted the preservation of Mount Diablo.

"Like John Muir said, everything is connected," Contreras said to Bisbee. They both agreed their associations bring awareness to nature and relate on each other.

Science and art went hand-in-hand on the second day of the three-day festival. Through out the library, the displaying of natural elements was a strong theme.

Wilderness Photography, only one of the many-featured artists, presented outdoor black and white photography of landscapes, wildlife, plants and close-ups of natural scenes. The backdrop of the artworks created dialogue between local artists and Clayton residents.

Beyond the visual art, the Saturday’s festivities also offered a wide array of activities. At the Keller Ranch site, Leslie Wilson led the “plein air”, or outdoor painting. A watercolor painter for 25 years, Wilson painted the Keller Ranch shacks through out the day as attendees dropped in to watch.

While over at the creek, Michelle Luebke, from the Department of Conservation of Water Development, demonstrated how bioassessments help our natural surroundings. Luebke drew in groups of curious attendees where they ventured to the creek near the library to grab samples of aquatic life. In Luebke’s experiment, participants examined changes in the water by investigating the aquatic insects found in the creek.

Among Saturday’s highlights was also a lecture and nature walk with wildlife biologist Jim Hale.  Hale, a local born and raised in Lafayette, spoke of Clayton’s natural history and answered wild animal questions. He shared his vast portfolio wildlife photography of mountain lions, owls and snakes, which can also be seen online at his website. Hale also led a nature walk around the Clayton Library in which he pointed out native plants, animal tracks and the history of the area.

When he was asked how he captures all that wildlife animal photography, he answered, “I’ve got a sixth sense about these kind of things.”

will continue on Sunday. The festival’s closing activities will prominently feature poetry and musicians. Highlights include performance poetry by Tazua Yamaguchi, winner of National Haiku poetry, and the announcement of the People’s Choice Award winner.