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Close to 2,000 artists will apply, but only 165 will be accepted at this top-notch fair, consistently rated among the nation’s best by artists and critics. Three independent jurors, different each year, select the artists who will participate. “That way, the show never looks the same,” says Cynthia Prost, president/executive director. “It’s broad. It’s diverse. It’s international. People come back every year because they know they might miss out on the work of someone they’ve never seen before.” Meeting artists is one of the perks: They all stay in their booths throughout the show. “The atmosphere is less intimidating than a typical gallery, making the art more easily accessible,” Prost says. “And since there’s so much to choose from, you never know what will speak to you.” For three days in September, the streets of downtown Clayton, Missouri, are ablaze with art. And not just the expected paintings, but also glass, fiber, ceramics, drawings, pastels, jewelry, wood, mixed media, and digital works. (a) Crowds throng the jazz tent. The fair features 22 performances on three stages—all free. (b) Sidewalk scene by Craig Thomas reinterprets Gustav Klimt’s “The Kiss.” (c) Mosaic beadwork bunny by Betsy Youngquist. The Rockford, Illinois, artist won the prestigious Best of Show award in 2006. Award winners are automatically invited to return to the juried fair the following year. (d) St. Louis artist Justin Tolentino creates a public installation. (e) Transparent pitchers by Michael Schunke are only three inches deep, making them easy to display on mantels and bookshelves. (f) Browsers admire glass artist Duncan McClellan’s booth. With overlay techniques and etching, he incorporates imagery in the finished pieces. (g) The St. Louis organization Craft Alliance allows kids to try their hands at the potter’s wheel. (h) Mary Engelbreit (right) visits with Chris Roberts-Antieau. The Michigan artist uses a combination of hand stitching and the sewing machine as drawing tools for her fiber appliqué work. The frame is hand-painted poplar. |
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(i) Miniature teapots with a jewel-like glaze by Fong Choo, a ceramicist from Louisville, Kentucky. (j) Did that one blink? At last year’s show, the English performing troupe Natural Theatre Company staged impromptu street performances that created the effect of statues come to life. (k) Head to the paper bag hat booth and transform one into a whimsical chapeau. Bags are donated by local grocery stores. (l) Janet Woodcock goes beyond “cute” when she photographs animals; she captures their true spirit. Using traditional film and working in a darkroom in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts, she creates limited-edition gelatin silver prints. (m) Michael Hoffman’s oil-on-fresco panels drew crowds. Circle grids, stripes, and bold, rich colors come together in a way that is both abstract and yet individually meaningful to the viewer. “He’s an up-and-coming local artist,” says Prost. “The fact that he won an award his first time out here last year is quite an accomplishment.” (n) Surprises are around every corner. A roaming dragon from LeapFrog Entertainment amuses the kids. (o) Two-dimensional mixed media by Madonna Phillips includes found objects discovered on neighborhood walks and at flea markets. “My work centers on the American propensity to collect,” says the Raleigh, North Carolina, artist. In the piece (o), spools of thread and blocks with Zen symbols combine with old photos. In “Circle Be Unbroken,” mirrored circles draw the viewer into the work. (p) Swiss-born artist Joachim Knill captures surreal scenes with Polaroids made using what he calls the “world’s largest portable instant film camera” (shown with the artist,). Knill constructed the camera himself. Natural objects like fruits, sticks, and stones are part of the installations created in his Hannibal, Missouri, studio. “He’s not mainstream,” says Prost. “That’s why we love him.” 14th Annual Saint Louis Art Fair Here’s your chance to rub elbows with 165 artists up close and in person. Remember, the earlier you come, the greater the selection. Location: Clayton Central Business District Dates: Friday, Sept. 7, 5-10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 9, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Learn more: saintlouisartfair.com, (314) 863-0278 |
