Priscilla Richardson

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Plan now to drop everything so you can be in Fincastle all day July 28.

That's the date for Fincastle Heritage Day, a huge event. It will showcase crafts, including seven heritage crafts demonstrations, as well as music, food and history, plus a lot of art created by 23 local artists.

Because Fincastle is one of the official lead cities for celebration of the 400th anniversary of Virginia, Historic Fincastle is rolling out its best for company.

One result: You'll get to see Roanoke Street and the courthouse area full of art and crafts. From 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., the artists will display and sell a variety of works, rain or shine. Plus, 67 students will display their art entries from the Botetourt schools competition.

You certainly don't have to know anything about art to have a good time at the show. Troutville professional artist Magae Hartzell, who uses just the one name Magae, says she's always intrigued by people's tastes in art. "I love asking them what they like. They always know which ones they like even if they cannot explain why. Something speaks to each person, hopefully, and I just love that."

Don't confuse the street art show with the Gather to Gavel, a highly popular art auction event to be held that night at the Kyle House. It requires an admission fee. You get goodies to eat and drink, as well as the opportunity to bid on art, handmade jewelry and pottery.

The entire day celebrates the talents and sophistication of all of us, because artists need audiences. Art does not just hang or sit there. There's "an interaction between art and the viewer," said Magae (pronounced Maggie). She dropped her last name professionally because of the one-name example set by Van Gogh, who signed his paintings with only his first name, "Vincent."

A Fincastle art event draws artists because of the great way the Bank of Fincastle treats them, according to Fincastle artist Ed Bordett. The prizes, supplied by the bank, total "around $1,500," he said. Bordett and artist Helen Hubler, who are co-chairing the event, are bringing in an outside professional judge to award the prizes.

Bordett is working on some fresh works to present during the show. "I typically have wet paint on a piece when I go into a show," he admitted.

One of many professional artists here in Botetourt, Bordett, 55, makes his living by traveling to juried shows. A juried show means that he has to submit photos of his works beforehand to compete just to get into the event.

"I just got back from Chicago; that was a great show for me," he said.

Bordett calls himself a painter/printmaker. "I do a lot of oil paintings of urban scenes. Then I use them to make original hand-pulled silk screen prints."

His son David, 16, a student at James River High School, sometimes travels with him to these shows. "He's a pretty good salesman for me."

Magae, an art teacher who with Bordett helped start the Market Gallery at 23 Salem Ave. in Roanoke where her current show hangs, manages to stay mostly in one place. A professional artist for 19 years, following a 21-year corporate career, she loves Botetourt. However, "artistic opportunity is closing up here," she said. "The two Fincastle galleries have dried up, and only Ed Bordett's shop is left. Yet, there are probably more artists per square foot here than there are in Santa Fe [N.M.]. It's amazing. And we're talking good artists. No longer do you have to go to New York to get quality art. We have hidden gems in Botetourt in terms of artists."

Magae's style is eclectic, bold and usually colorful. "I do outdoor landscape as well as figurative work, representational or abstract." She worries that because she does so many different things that the buying public will not remember her.

For now, you need to remember that 23 artists will be coming to Fincastle on July 28 with the intent of selling their work. You can see -- and buy -- some gems for yourself.

Go to www.hisfin.org for more information about the entire event.