Musical performances by Terami Hirsch and Aja Kim provided an ambiance of eclecticism by executing a variety of songs, while Susana Elena offered the audience a wonderful example of Flamenco dancing. Donna Hilbert's poignant, poetic message was effective in capturing her listeners, while the band Gaza livened up the crowd to cover tunes such as Fleetwood Mac's "Everywhere."
All throughout the terrace you could find an assortment of unique samples of jewelry, prints, cards and even skin-care products. Sacred Waters, a bath and body product line, was founded in 1995 by a young woman named Shannon, who got the idea from her grandmother. Fragrant soaps, lip balms and perfumes are all naturally made and contain no artificial additives, which is a treat for health-conscious individuals.
Michele Rene's paintings, located outside of the galleries, depicted many of her own creations along with some popular examples of still-lifes that are beautifully done and wonderful to look at. Vendors such as The Dog and Whittaker Music, either fed the guests or entertained them with music samples of CDs and instruments.
All in all, the event was extremely fun and supportive of women as artists as well as acknowledging The Second City Council's dedication to art education. And although the festivities were billed as a two-day event, it continues with an exhibition of various works from female artists.
"Seven Mutant Pea Pods" by Dolores Williams features copper figures on glass dishes with aluminum tubes extending underneath them, attaching to the wall. Each pod has been modified to have a unique feature about itself. Whether it is protruding nails or metallic hair, the pods are indeed different from the rest of their breed.
"Italia," by Andrea Chung, is a painting depicting a woman wearing a traditional Egyptian garment while holding one fist tightly and looking straight out to the viewer. And "Peace Prayer" is a charcoal on paper drawing by Christie Davis that portrays a man on the ground with many hands gathered around him.
Between the exhibition and the festival itself, the visitor is given a glimpse of how women are expressing themselves through various artistic elements. In today's world, every one of us has the opportunity to achieve what it is we aspire to accomplishing. This event is just one arena for individuals to take that first step towards fulfilling a dream.
The exhibition runs through April 18. The Second City Council is at 110 W. Ocean Blvd., Suite 246 in the historic Ocean Center Building. The gallery is open from noon to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, or by appointment. Call 901-0997 for details.