Artists dispay work along Fox River in Algonquin

Jeff Kennedy is an industrial designer by trade. His focus is on precision during the workday, but his joy is in letting loose with watercolors once he gets home.

Kennedy was honored with a first place ribbon Sunday during this weekend’s Art on the Fox festival in Algonquin.

The judges focused on an artist’s entire collection, rather than one masterpiece, according to festival organizer Ann Leslie.

“By judging the entire booth, you get more depth,” Leslie said.

Tom Vician, a McHenry County College ceramics instructor, and Art Hand, who teaches photography at the college, judged the contest and awarded ribbons for first, second and third places as well as two honorable mentions.

Paintings, photography, copper and stone works, jewelry and ceramics lined the 40 booths along the Fox River in Algonquin’s River Front Park for the two-day event.

Elizabeth Burgess strolled through the park Sunday, eyeing various pieces of artwork with her 10-year-old daughter, Olivia.

Olivia enjoys painting landscapes and animals so Elizabeth thought the event would give her some ideas for technique.

“Everyone is an artist, it’s just finding your way,” Burgess said.

The mother-daughter pair stopped at Kennedy’s booth to admire his mix of watercolors, gouache, colored pencil and marker in a collection of fish paintings. Kennedy published a book after painting a fishing fly every day for a year. His latest project is structured the same, except with fish.

Leslie, who has organized the festival for three out of its four years, said the Art Commission and the village of Algonquin both deserve thanks for the festival’s continued existence.

“Not all communities have made a place for art,” Leslie said. “They continue to do that.”