Tall Grass Arts Association Presents
Park Forest Art Fair:
The Next Generation
The Park Forest Art Fair moves into an exciting new era with the 55th annual fair Saturday, September 18 and Sunday, September 19 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in DownTown Park Forest. A new generation joins venerable favorites at the juried fine art fair, which features more than 80 artists working in media ranging from jewelry, glass, metal and ceramics to watercolors, acrylics, and more.
For many artists, the Park Forest Art Fair is a longstanding tradition. Potter and furniture maker Flynn Sochon is celebrating his 46th year with the Art Fair. Acrylic painter Patricia Moore began exhibiting one year after Flynn and is celebrating her 45th year. Raku artist Phil Mundt is celebrating his 41st. Don Nedobeck, known for his whimsical paintings of cats, and photographer Wynn Hopkins are celebrating their 40th. And pastel artist Marikay Peter Witlock has been returning for 37 years.
“It speaks legions about the art fair that our artists choose to return year after year,” said Janet Muchnik, President of Tall Grass Arts Association, organizers of the fair. “It’s also great to register a number of new, young artists and especially exciting that two, Jonathan Fritz and Coley Mroczek, are children of longstanding exhibitors. Several have ties to those exhibitors. For example, Phil Mundt will be exhibiting in his traditional location on Main Street and near him will be newly juried artist Michael Weiss, who studied art under Phil at Rich East High School.”
Other new artists include David Bratzel, St. Paul, MN; Nancy Steward and Darryl Pfau from Kalamazoo, MI; Jeanna Fearon from Peoria; Kathleen Lerner from Lansing; Sharon Hurst, Hainsville; Margaret O’Meara from Orland Park; Angela Redmond, Maywood; Rosalind Lyons and Colin Thomas from Homewood; Jonathan Fritz, John Cooper and Casey Primeau from Chicago; and three Park Forest artists, Michael Weiss, Joe Pankowski, and Erin Pankowski. “In addition,” added Muchnik, “two artists have returned after several years of absence: Robert Blue and Margi Hafer.”
The 55th Annual Park Forest Art Fair will feature many activities for children. The Youth Art Contest will operate continuously under the gazebo during the fair. The Park Forest Library will host story time and sidewalk drawing on Saturday at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. The Richton Park Library will host demonstrations in martial arts at 11, 1 and 3 on Sunday and drawing hosted by comic book artist Justin Bagget. And, painting murals on the windows of the former Marshall Fields Building will take place on Saturday and Sunday.
The musical group Patchouli will perform on Saturday and Kevin Wright and James Moats of the “Righteous Hillbillies” will perform on Sunday near the flagpole on Main Street.
Food vendors will sell a variety of foods from pizza to pork chop sandwiches. The Lions Club will host a beer garden.
The current exhibit in the Tall Grass Gallery is “Fabulously Focused,” an exhibit of current works by gallery artists. It is open to the public free of charge. Art fair attendees are invited to visit the gallery.
An added attraction of the art fair will take place on Saturday when rose gardeners from Illinois and Indiana display their best blooms in the lobby of Illinois Theatre Center, adjacent to the Tall Grass Gallery. The show is part of the fall convention of the Illinois-Indiana District of the American Rose Society. Art Fair attendees are able to view the rose show beginning at noon, or when judges finish evaluating entries. Members of Sauk Trail Rose Society will be on hand to guide and explain the exhibits.
For more information, visit tallgrassarts.org or call the Tall Grass gallery at (708) 748-3377. Gallery hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
