The last art fair of the summer is here.
With more than 100 artists and artisans featured, Naperville Art League’s 39th annual Riverwalk Fine Art Fair will be held from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Riverwalk Park, 171 Jackson Ave., in Naperville.
Debbie Venezia, director of Arts DuPage and former executive director of the Naperville Art League, heads up the event.
“I can’t be more excited about it. I love running the art fair. There’s something about it that to me is magical,” she said. “The returning artists to me are like family and I love meeting the new artists too and learning about their backgrounds and their process.”
The Riverwalk Fine Art Fair is a juried show that brings in a mix of new and returning artists, Venezia said. Winners from the previous year’s show are invited automatically.
An estimated 40,000 people typically attend the fair, which brings in a diverse range of artists from across the country, he said. They represent 14 different media categories, including painting, photography, ceramics, 2D and 3D mixed media, metal sculpture, glass, wood, jewelry, fiber art and digital art.
“I think you need to have a mix (of artists) so it is a whole cultural experience,” she said. “The more you bring in, the more you can foster that understanding of other cultures. Certainly, art and music are one way to do that.”
The DuPage Symphony Orchestra will be performing three concerts Saturday and two on Sunday. The all-volunteer a cappella group, Acappellago — recognizable for their Hawaiian shirts — will do three mini concerts Saturday afternoon and folk duo Strings and Things will perform both days.
“I think classical music certainly complements the arts,” Venezia said. “The Riverwalk itself is such a beautiful place. The air is usually fresh and the leaves are just beginning to change. You’re walking through and you see all this beautiful artwork and hear the lilting music in the background. It all works.”
Food from Taco Dale of Lisle will be sold, she said, and children’s activities provided.
At the center of the show will be Glen Ellyn-based Pura Vida Talk, a Hispanic enrichment program.
“They have great activities and are probably going to do something with the Olmec heads that area on display throughout DuPage County.”
Naperville Art League has a group of plein air — open air — painters who will be onsite as well, she added.
“Monet was a plein air painter. You come and bring your easel and you look at something and paint what you see,” she said. “There will be painters onsite capturing the river alongside the Riverwalk or the trees or whatever scene captures them. The attendees love demonstrations. Artists will actually create a piece and people can ask questions and learn about different techniques.”
She hopes people attend the fair not just to admire the art but to replenish their soul, she said.
“It you’re struggling, just come out and see the art. It’s almost therapeutic,” Venezia said.
Fair-goers will find pieces at a range of price points, from $25 into the thousands, she said. Some artists will offer pieces for children at under $20.
“You might not realize you’re looking for a piece of art but if something catches your eye and you love it, if it speaks to you, go ahead and buy it,” she said. “You can hang it in your house and it can be a respite and it can take you away at a time when you need to focus on something else and you need a diversion. There are so many things that art can do emotionally to a person. Bring something home that will make you happy when you look at it.”
Annie Alleman is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.
