A look at last year’s Swartz Creek Art in the Park. This year’s event will be Aug. 25. SWARTZ CREEK — The 2012 Art in the Park-Fine Art Festival will be held on Aug. 25 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at Elms Park in Swartz Creek.

This year’s event will feature over 45 artists, with the artwork spanning across many different mediums, including watercolors, pencils, acrylics, pastels, textiles, metal, wood, glass, jewelry and photography.

“It’s outstanding art with a high level of design and originality,” said Richard Mattson, a member of the Swartz Creek Kiwanis Club and cochairperson for the 2012 Art in the Park-Fine Art Festival. “The quality of art is putting us up there as one of the better shows in Michigan.”

Further, this year’s festival will host a living art display by students from Corunna High School, where the students dress up as historical figures and pose as living art statues.

Face painting was one of the many activities for children at the 2011 Swartz Creek Art in the Park. This year’s event will be Aug. 25. File photo “They are actually human statues,” Mattson said.

The festival will also feature artwork developed by physically and mentally challenged students from the VSA program. Mattson said the VSA program uses art to improve the communication skills of its students.

The 2012 Art in the Park-Fine Art Festival is sponsored by the Swartz Creek Kiwanis Club, the Swartz Creek Area Chamber of Commerce and the GFWC Swartz Creek Women’s Club.

This will be the fourth year that the event has been held, and it serves as a fundraising project for the Swartz Creek Kiwanis Club.

“It raises funds for a good number of youth programs,” Mattson said.

Funds raised by the event will support such youth programs as Camp 911, Kiwanis House, Whaley Children Center as well as scholarships for local high shool students.

“We do a lot of things for kids,” said Doug Stephens, a member of the Swartz Creek Kiwanis Club and cochairperson for the 2012 Art in the Park-Fine Art Festival.

In addition to art, vendors will be selling Mexican food, hot dogs, ice cream, kettle corn and other food items at the festival.

“There will be a little variety there for everybody,” Mattson said

The GFWC Swartz Creek Women’s Club will be hosting a raffle as well as a silent auction featuring artwork donated by artists. Proceeds from the auction and raffle will go to benefit the Women’s Club.

Finally, children will be able to partake in art projects and enjoy such activities as face painting and balloon art in the Kids Zone.

“There will be entertainment for kids so they can be part of the art world,” Mattson said.