Marck Kabbany and his friend Rachel Kilian inspect the mixed-media artwork of Lathrop, Mo., artist Peggy Aebi during the May 4, 2008, Art in the Park event at South Park. The 2009 event is Sunday, coinciding with event sponsor the Lawrence Art Guild’s opening of a new gallery space, 1109 Gallery, 1109 Mass.

Sierra Winter always learns something about her artwork when she tries to sell it in public.

The Kansas University senior will be doing that Sunday, when her Alpha Rho Gamma metalsmithing organization sets up a booth to sell jewelry at the annual Art in the Park at South Park. The even is from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

“It’s very important to us,” Winter says. “It helps us to decide what we’re going to make next, and we like the feedback. It also helps us decide what’s not functional.”

The club’s approximately 20 members meet twice a month to discuss their metalsmithing, which in addition to jewelry includes sculptures, utensils and vessels. They sell items to help raise money for scholarships for members’ internships and travel.

“Doing sales like this helps us to be more artistic and practical,” Winter says. “They help us to be more marketable.”

Art in the Park, which is sponsored by the Lawrence Art Guild, takes on a special meaning this year for guild members. It also marks the opening weekend for their new gallery, the 1109 Gallery, at 1109 Mass. The show will include more artwork from Art in the Park participants.

“This is our biggest fundraiser,” says guild president Linda Baranski. “This is one thing we count on for the Art Guild.”

And members will be directing Art in the Park attendees over to the gallery to check that out, too.

“If it works well,” she says of the joint show, “we might do this every year.”