ART IN THE PARK - A painting called "Fasnacht," by Wooding Bobette Tusa, hangs on display Saturday as people look at artwork at the 23rd Saxonburg Festival of the Arts. Don Wonderling of Saxonburg was the featured artist at this year's event, but about 40 total vendors displayed works that were judged and sold.

SAXONBURG — Mary Lieb of Indiana, Pa., is selling one form of art so she can pursue another.

Lieb, 17, and her mother, Rita, were two of about 40 vendors at the 23rd Saxonburg Festival of the Arts Saturday and Sunday on Main Street and in Roebling Park.

The festival brought thousands of visitors to browse and buy hundreds of pieces of artwork on display along with crafts and carnival foods.

Mary Lieb, a harpist, has been making fleece scarves, hats and blankets for four years to pay for her instrument of choice: a 6-foot, hand-carved harp from Venus Harps in Chicago that costs $20,000.

"I plan on going to college for something else, but I will always play harp," Mary Lieb said.

She has been playing for four years and plays concerts and gives lessons to supplement her income.

"Each blanket brings us a little closer," Rita Lieb said.

"We love it, but we're ready to be done with the fleece," she added with a laugh.

Oil and acrylic art by 2008 featured artist Don Wonderling of Saxonburg were displayed in the Saxonburg Memorial Church along with photography, ikebana Japanese flower exhibits and other fine art.

"It's a good chance for people to get together and see each other outside of a school or work setting," said Chris Campbell of Saxonburg.

His son, Phil Campbell, 15, played guitar with the Knoch High School jazz band at the Roebling Park pavilion.

"This is my second year doing jazz band, and we do this every fall. I love it. It's a lot of fun," Campbell, a sophomore, said.

More than 300 entries of fine art were submitted by artists from Pennsylvania and Ohio for the show. Several cash prizes were awarded to top winners in each category based around the this year's festival theme of water.

"I really like the crafts and the people. I come every year. Saxonburg is a great town," said Donna Erb of Tarentum.

With Erb was her friend, Jennifer Bray of Etna, who brought her 3-month-old son, Owen, to gaze at the assembled art.

"I came with full pockets and an empty belly," Bray said. "I hit the gyro stand as soon as I got here, but there's lots of other cute stuff to buy."