A great many things to a great many people, art can be interpreted as a pact between consumer and creator. The deeper the connection, the greater the value.

In very much the same sense, the Lititz Art Association's 57th annual Outdoor Fine Arts Show can be portrayed through both the eyes of the viewers and the eyes of the artists.

"The show is set up so you can meander through, and in and out of booths," said Carolann VanWyen, a member of the Lititz Art Association's board. "It's a serene setting. Some booths are set up so you can linger. You should feel moved by the artwork, and each artist is presenting something different. The whole Lititz park is a beautiful setting, and it's relaxing. And if that's not enough, people can walk across the street and there's the hustle and bustle of downtown."

Lititz Springs Park, 24 N. Broad St., will again serve as the venue for this year's edition of the Lititz Outdoor Fine Arts Show on Saturday, July 27, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is free to attend, and it will be held rain or shine. Refreshments will be made available through concessions.

More than 8,000 people from Lancaster County and beyond are expected to attend. About 130 artists from six states will be showing and selling their work, including VanWyen and 23 other members of the Lititz Art Association.

"I think part of the art show experience for viewers is a need to be attracted," said VanWyen, a watercolorist. "I greet everybody. Some people just want to walk around. Some people want to engage; they want to ask questions. It's about interacting with the people. I want my booth to flow. I don't want it to be overwhelming. When it's calm, people can linger. I set it up so people can feel good."

The art on display will include work in oil, acrylics, pastels, drawing, ceramics, mixed media, sculpture and watercolors.

"If you're making something through something that already exists, that's a craft," said VanWyen. "Fine art is made from a blank canvas. It's meant to be hung and displayed for viewing pleasure. We also want diversity. Many artists have their own style, their own technique. They either have a message or a style that's interesting. With fine artists, you see a piece of them in their work. The artist is giving a piece of themselves."

The Lititz Outdoor Fine Arts Show was founded by Village Art Association of Lititz president Floyd Hackman in the late 1960s. Originally conducted on the sidewalks downtown, the show was later moved to the more spacious and accommodating Lititz Springs Park.

The 100-member Lititz Art Association also sponsors the Lititz Parkwalk in October, the Holiday Gift Show in November and the Square Foot Art Show in April.

"If you're an artist, you're constantly evolving in your ability," said VanWyen. "Artists create from a place of passion, and hopefully someone else likes it too. That's why people love to have original art. They see a piece and they're connected with it. That moves them to make the purchase."

To preview some of the work available at the Lititz Outdoor Fine Art Show, go to http://www.facebook.com/LititzOutdoorFineArtShow.

For additional information on the Lititz Art Association, visit http://www.lititzartassociation.com/.