ARTISTS TO JOIN FARMERS MARKET WORKS TO BE SHOWN ALONGSIDE PRODUCE.

Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer

NEWHALL - Coming soon to the downtown Newhall Farmers Market: Art a la carte.

To augment the growing arts district surrounding the market, city officials have invited artists from the Santa Clarita Artists Association to display their works among the peaches and bitter melons at the Thursday afternoon market on San Fernando Road at Sixth Street.

``Since the beginning of the downtown Newhall Farmers Market, we had hopes of pairing artists with the market to showcase local talent,'' said Jenny Aurit, the city's market coordinator. ``People who frequent art galleries also tend to shop at farmers markets. We felt the communities would attract the same kind of people and it would be a nice way to display local art.''

The recent opening of the SCV Artists Association Gallery a few blocks up the street from the market inspired city officials to pursue the displays. Special portable art walls have been purchased and will be debuted Thursday night.

``We are ecstatic and excited for such an opportunity,'' said Marsha Storme Center, gallery manager for the Artists Association. ``It's fun to meet the community. We hope to give each of our artists a chance to be featured.''

Center was able to get a handful of artists for the first few weeks - many of the artists are on vacation - but she's sure they'll be eager for the chance to show their works as the market continues.

``We have 145 artists in our membership,'' she said. ``We had less than 100 before the gallery opened.''

Center, who works in watercolors, pastels and pen and ink, will be one of the artists featured Thursday; she will be joined by oil painter Shirley Checkos. They will be followed by Phyllis Shapiro and Mitzi Scott on July 14; Pat Craig and Pat Golding on July 21, and Eleda Luther on July 28.

``We thought having some of their people display at the market might create some synergy and drive an audience down to their gallery as well as bring more traffic to the market,'' said Aurit.

Aurit worked with the association to provide a lineup of artists for July and August, months when the market is usually packed.

``At this point, we're just planning to have them for a couple of months and see how it works out for everybody,'' she said.

The market itself is coming out of its winter slump; Aurit said the market will run seasonally, opening in the spring and closing during winter months.

``It's started picking up again. We had 19 vendors this week and saw a lot of regulars,'' she said. ``This winter was brutal on the farmers. The weather was horrible, crops were getting destroyed, or they couldn't get here because roads were washed out. We didn't have any lights and it got dark early. It makes sense to open in the spring and close after fall because of the greater abundance of fruits and vegetables then.

``Our goal in establishing the market downtown was to get people who haven't frequented the area to come and see what it's all about, maybe meet some friends and spend some time in the downtown area.''

Aurit said plans to move the weekly market to the new Newhall Community Center in the spring are proceeding on schedule.

``We'll be able to draw from not only our regular base, but also the people at the community center and commuters from Metrolink,'' she said. ``Our objective was to get people down there and feel good about Newhall.''

Carol Rock, [phone]

carol.rock(at)dailynews.com

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Marsha Storme Center will be one of the first artists to be featured at the Newhall Farmers Market, followed by other members of the Artists Association.

David Crane/Staff Photographer