Batavia festival has art for everyone
As children grow up, lots of things change — clothes, shoes, haircuts ... even their taste in art.
Batavia resident Sandra Burke, who attends the Art in Your Eye fine art show and festival every year, bought three matted painting reproductions at the fair Saturday in Batavia.
Burke’s kids, Evan, 6, and 4-year-old twins, Ethan and Meghan, got to pick one piece each, all depicting children playing in various settings. “We painted the playroom and pulled a lot of baby stuff because we’re not babies anymore,” she said.
The event, usually held in August, was moved to September this year, said Susan Norris of Sugar Grove, who showed her salt and wood-fired pottery.
The fair features more than 70 artists.
“It’s a lot slower than last year,” Norris said. “Maybe people just didn’t have the hang of it. But Sundays are usually better.”
Artist Shawn Barbagallo said he was more than happy with Saturday’s sunny weather in the 60s after last year’s fast-moving but powerful rainstorm. He and his father, Jim Barbagallo, are potters from Rockford.
The older Barbagallo made little clay “smiley faces” that he handed out to children, like 4-year-old Ax Carley of North Aurora.
Ax’s mother, Jenn Wilson, said the family spends a lot of time in Batavia.
“We love any opportunity we, and he can have to really enjoy art and see how it’s produced,” Wilson said. “We just have such a great, creative community.”
Sandra Williams of Park Ridge stumbled upon the art fair after a business meeting in Batavia. She bought a small rock decorated with a Chicago Bears logo.
“It’s for my brother. He’s big fan, but he’s got everything. I thought it would make a great paperweight,” she said.
Among this year’s new attractions are R/Evolving Circus, a bicycle-powered, 8-foot carousel operated by Batavia artist Greta Bell, a poetry slam, and a children’s art project based on umbrellas donated by Totes, said coordinator Rebecca Allen.
Sue Phillips of Sycamore came to see her 12-year-old grandson, Jason, participate in the poetry slam.
“It’s nice when kids find something that they get excited about,” Phillips said.
Annie Baldwin, 19, a Batavia native now living in Chicago, agreed. “I came to support my fellow artists,” she said. “Spoken word is the perfect way for youth to experience theater and find people to connect with on all different levels and different topics.”
Art in Your Eye continues from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Batavia Riverwalk Park, 100 N. Island Ave.