On Sunday September 18th, under a beautiful canopy of late summer sky, Sellersville hosted its annual street art and craft festival, Gallery of the Arts. This year, residents from surrounding areas filled the streets of Sellersville instead of Lenape Park as they have in the past to listen to local music, shop varying merchant tents, and to take in lunch with friends and family.

Local artists love this event as it gives them a chance to expose their work to hundreds of local residents. In turn, residents love this annual festival for the excitement it draws into their ordinarily quiet community. Because of wet weather conditions in Lenape Park this year, the annual art show moved festivities into the downtown streets, adding extra excitement to local shops and restaurants. Changing the name from Gallery in Park, to Gallery of the Arts, the streets of Sellersville will be the permanent new home for the annual arts and crafts show.

As an annual tradition, one artist is awarded “Best of Show”. Jim Church, Community Relations Representative for Moyer & Son had the honors of presenting Karen Benco with this year’s award. He comments, “Every year the talent participating in this event is amazing. If I were the one judging, I don’t know how I would ever decide. I’m thankful I get to present the honors - that the pressure of picking the winner is for someone else.”

Karen Benco’s watercolor masterpiece of the Grand Canyon was this year’s winner. Benco has been painting since high school, over 25 years, at first only expressing herself through oils. She comments that she never liked watercolors before. However, during college she took a basic watercolor class and learned the techniques to improve her skills and the difference that good supplies can make. Now using her personal garden and travel photographs, Benco presents remarkable detailed stills of floral portraits and landscapes in watercolor medium. She has 12 pieces in print to date.

“It was great winning best in show,” Benco said. “It’s always a pleasant surprise. I have been to other shows were the judges just walk by without really looking at the work in each stand. It was nice to see the time and attention the judges took to decide the winners.”

Karen Benco is a local Allentown resident. She’s involved with the Lehigh Valley Art Alliance, Parkland Art League, and the Bethlehem Pallete Club, and is happy to announce that she just recently received signature status through the Philadelphia Watercolor show with the Grand Canyon piece as her last entry. Benco’s work has also been presented in the Chester Springs, Yellow Springs, annual exhibit for the last five years.

Moyer & Son Inc was the presenting sponsor for Gallery in the Park, continuing with their efforts to support local artists in the community. Moyer & Son is an active participant and supporter of local art programs, involving themselves in year-round events that promote artists throughout the Philadelphia valley. They have been a part of Gallery in the Park for the past eight years.

Picture from left to right, Karen Benco and Jim Church.