Artists showcase their talent during Lakewood Ranch Fine Arts Festival

Lakewood Ranch's Douglas Grierson appreciates when people showcase their talents, especially when it has to do with art.

According to Grierson, he has no talent in that department. 

Grierson was walking on Lakewood Main Street during the Lakewood Ranch Fine Art Festival on Jan. 24 and stopped in his tracks as he watched acrylic painter Thomas Legault in action. 

"I'm impressed and speechless," Grierson said. "How can someone be that brilliant? How can someone have that artistic ability in their head, in their eye coordination and hand movements? It just speaks to me."

Bradenton’s Paula Grafton, a former art teacher, saw the Lakewood Ranch Fine Art Festival as an opportunity. Along with 2-year-old son Noah, they learned about different ways art can be expressed as they walked past the booths.

"We do paint, and color or play with Play-Doh every day, so he learns how to appreciate it," Grafton said. "We go around and we talk about what we see. He likes to sniff everything because he can't touch it."

Lakewood Ranch's Michelle and John Potocko attended the event last year and were eager to attend again this year. They were not disappointed. 

"There's a lot of talent here," Michelle Potocko said. "It's a gorgeous day. It's crowded, so that's good. It's just fun. There's a good vibe here. It's artsy, but it's classy. We like spending the day together." 

A lot of the artists at the festival traveled to show off their art, but Whit Wesenberg lives in Lakewood Ranch. He sells hand-painted and hand-carved wood pieces through his business Humu's Island Treasures. 

"There's so many wonderful art markets around here and just being in our own community I am very excited," Wesenberg said. "This is my first show ever in Lakewood Ranch. I've been around in Tampa, Venice, so on and so forth, but it's exciting to  just be in your own backyard."