From left to right, Linda Pyers, Marilyn Crayton, Sylvia Nelson and Barbara Cody. Photo courtesy of Linda Kelly.

LAKE COUNTY – The gourd division at the Lake County Fair had an excellent representation of gourds in the six divisions this year: mixed media, painted, miniature, carved, wood-burned and other.

Located in the Lewis Hall, this is the third year for this special division to showcase the many gourd artists and their art.

This year Debbie Tompkins received Best of Show.

Each division received a first-, second- and third-place ribbon.

The gourds were judged under the American Gourd Society (AGS) guidelines. This year's judges are all AGS-certified and include California Gourd Society Presidenty Marilyn Crayton, Sylvia Nelson and Barbara Cody.

Linda Pyers, also an AGS-certified judge, served as clerk and tallied the scores and Linda Kelly served as head judge.

Megan Lynch and Bill Evans will be performing at the Old Time Bluegrass Festival at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010. Evans will be participating in a banjo workshop open to musicians attending the festival. Courtesy photo.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Come prepared to participate in the informative and hands-on opportunities offered at this year’s Anderson Marsh Old Time Bluegrass Festival on Saturday, Sept. 11, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Anderson Marsh State Historic Park near Lower Lake.

There will be a children’s sing-a-long with Scott Somers and Tom Nixon.

Instrumental workshops will occur throughout the day.

Paige Anderson from Anderson Family Bluegrass will be offering a workshop on Guitar.

Joining headliner Bill Evans for a banjo workshop will be one of the festival favorites, Upper Lake musician Pat Ikes.

Andi Skelton will be joining headliner Megan Lynch for a fiddle workshop.

Lake County’s own Don Coffin will lead a workshop on mandolin, and Lakeport’s Jim Williams will offer a beginning guitar workshop.

Bring your instruments and play along, urges Gae Henry, of the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association, the event presenters.

Advance tickets can be purchased at the following locations: in Clearlake at Marie’s Lakeshore Feed, Bob’s Vacuum and Highlands Senior Center; in Lower Lake at 2 Goomba’s Deli; in Middletown at Earth Goods (formerly Moontide); in Lucerne at Lakeview Supermarket & Deli; in Lakeport at Strings & Things, The Band Box, Watershed Books and Lakeport Senior Center; in Ukiah at Dig! Music; in Sebastopol at People’s Music and in Santa Rosa at The Last Record Store.

To get advance tickets on line, go to the Bluegrass Festival link at www.andersonmarsh.org. Tickets may also be ordered by mail.

Send your mailing address, phone number and a check made out to AMIA to PO Box 672, Lower Lake, CA 95457. There is an additional $3 service charge (per total order) for tickets that are purchased on-line or by mail.

Seniors (60+) can get a $3 per ticket discount by purchasing advance tickets from either the Lakeport Senior Center, Lakeport or the Highlands Senior Center, Clearlake.

The Bluegrass Festival supports the preservation and educational work of the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association (AMIA), Children’s Museum of Art & Science (CMAS) as well as local schools and service groups and succeeds because of community backing and involvement.

This year, some of the proceeds from the 2010 festival will go to support the Lakeshore Fire Protection District.

For more information contact AMIA at 707-995-2658 or go to www.andersonmarsh.org.

Artist Karen Mantele's work will be on display at the Lightning Rod Gallery in Upper Lake, Calif., during the months of August and September, 2010. Courtesy photo.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – Lightning Rod Gallery is hosting artist Karen Mantele during the months of August and September, with an artist’s reception weekend planned for Friday, Sept. 3 through Sunday, Sept. 5, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. each day.

Mantele’s current series on display titled “Chakra Dancers” bursts from the gallery walls with uplifting joy and vibrant colors.

Mantele was born in the small town of Greeley, Iowa, to a family that was at the forefront of organic farming dating back to 1959.

One of 11 children, she knew that one day she would venture out of Iowa to travel and move west.

She came to Lake County in 1976 and earned a degree in environmental studies and urban planning. She has been working in that field for more than 14 years, but has always enjoyed creating works of art.

One of the pieces in Karen Mantele's