Kaneland art festival aims to inspire, teach students
Mesmerized by a group of oil paintings on display Sunday at Kaneland High School, 7-year-old Audrey Smith inched closer to the colorful artwork before turning to her mother.
"I want to paint like this," said Audrey, a first-grader at Kaneland Blackberry Creek Elementary School.
The artist, Jeanine Hill-Soldner, soon found herself answering questions and offering words of wisdom to her young admirer. She, too, had been interested in art from an early age, she said, urging Audrey to take classes and exercise her creativity.
"It's important, not just for the kids but also for parents, to realize that art should be kept in our schools," Hill-Soldner said. "All of the arts are really important for our humanity and for children."
Inspiring students through professional art has been the purpose of the annual Kaneland Community Fine Arts Festival since it began 18 years ago, said Maria Dripps-Paulson, executive director for the Kaneland Arts Initiative. While showing off their work, the featured artists are encouraged to engage with families and perform demonstrations.
"Art and life are connected in everything you do," Dripps-Paulson said. "Those artistic ideas are what develops creativity in order to develop new and exciting innovations."
Sunday's event included basket weaving, quilting, photography, woodworking, glass fusing and other forms of visual art. In the high school's auditorium, visitors could also watch live music, dance, theater and comedy performances throughout the day.
About 3,000 people typically attend the festival each year. The event also showcases more than 500 pieces of art from students in Kaneland Unit District 302.
Eva Johnson said she enjoyed the inquisitive looks on kids' faces as they passed by her station, where she and her family members were weaving baskets and caning chairs. Drake Baskets, based in Genoa, was started by Johnson's grandfather and now has four generations of artists.
For Emily Parson of St. Charles, the festival offers a chance to share her love of quilting.
"It's really fun that there are so many families coming through and so many little kids because you never know what could spark somebody's interest in sewing or doing something like this at a young age," she said.
Jenny Smith, Audrey's mom and an Elburn resident, said being able to browse different types of artwork and speak directly to artists was a great experience for her daughter. Audrey's art was also on display at the festival.
"She's a budding little artist, and she loves to paint," Smith said. "This is very inspiring for my daughter."