Local favorite artist Paul
Scarborough will, once again, be the featured artist at the annual Chadds Ford
Elementary School Art Sale & Show. Scarborough isn’t sure of the exact
number of times, but said he’s been the featured artist six or seven times
since first getting involved in 1974.

The artist is pleased with what
he’s seen over the last 38 years of participation.

“It’s always been fabulous, but it gets better all the time.”

He said the show, now in its 63^rd
year, continues to succeed because of the relationship between the volunteers,
the arts community and the general community.

“The success is due to their
enthusiasm to get more and better artists and to upgrade their promotional
efforts and the general attitude of the community toward the school,” he said.
“They love the school. They love to support the artists and a lot of them only
buy at the art show. They make sure the Art Show gets the commission.”

Money raised from the art show
benefits the Chadds Ford Elementary School PTO.

Scarborough thinks the
relationship between the school and the arts community has developed and grown
since getting a solid beginning when Betsy Wyeth started the art show in 1949.

“Over the years there’s been a
close relationship with the artists. Artists have donated to the school,
original artwork for the school’s collection and they have it hanging all
through the school. They’ve had Jamie [Wyeth] and Andy [Wyeth] and Frolic
[Weymouth] and Ann McCoy, all the artists have been involved…So it’s been a
long relationship with the arts, the artists and the artists support the
school.”

He added that CFES is a
community-oriented school: “It all works hand in hand.”

Scarborough said the arts’
community has developed in Chadds Ford because of the Wyeth family and the
general attitude toward art.

“It’s kept the whole momentum
of the operation a success. The area lends itself to the art.”

This year’s show, Friday and Saturday,
March 23 and 24, at CFES, will also have special guests, authors Barbara Walsh
and Catherine Quillman. They will hold a discussion and offer a book sale and
signing on Saturday.

Walsh recently released her
first children’s book, “Sammy in the Sky,”
illustrated by Jamie Wyeth, who will pre-sign a limited number of books, which
will be available for purchase and co-signing by Walsh at the show.

Quillman, former arts
journalist with the Philadelphia Inquirer, is author of “100 Artists of the Brandywine Valley,” a comprehensive guide to the
artistic history of the Brandywine region.