Barrington art fair draws crowds
A drive out to the country proved a powerful draw for art fans, as they turned out in record numbers for the 33rd annual Art in the Barn Juried Exhibition & Sale in Barrington Sept. 22 and 23.
Members of the Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Auxiliary estimated that more than 6,500 people attended the benefit art fair, held in the original farm buildings located on the hospital's campus.
"In one day, we doubled what we drew all of last year," said Sherry Tomasko of Cary, who co-chaired the event with Sharon Vogel of Fox River Grove.
A random sampling of patrons attending the show on Sunday drew the same response: they came to soak up the setting as much as the art.
"I love the setting -- and the variety of art," said Karen Kahl of Glenview, who purchased a hand-painted scarf, a painting and a ceramic piece.
"It's just a beautiful day to be outdoors," added Janet Willingham of Cary, who was drawn to the mixed-media floral paintings done by Russ Erickson of Woodridge.
The work of the 160 artists filled the upper and lower barns, the corn crib, machine shed and mill room, as well as outlet tents.
Live entertainment played in front of benches made out of haystacks, with cornstalks, colorful mums and pumpkins adding to the rural atmosphere.
"We try to make it a family-oriented event," Tomasko adds, pointing to the children's area, which offered everything from free pony rides to painting easels, where young artists could create their masterpieces and hang them up with clothespins to dry.
There were awards, too.
An acrylic artist, described as a "colorist," won "best of show" at the festival. Jack Perry, a 40-year resident of Elk Grove Village and now of Huntley, was chosen by judge Nathan Mason, who works as special projects curator for the City of Chicago's public art program.
"It's my first one," Perry said. "I'm thrilled."
Perry's landscape paintings, done in vibrant color and appearing somewhat abstract, featured scenes ranging from the Moraine Valley along the Fox River, to Starved Rock and even as far as Aix, France.
His training as an architect turned up in the barns and their composition in the paintings, while his love of color and abstract expression set his works apart.
Among class award winners, it was a Buffalo Grove resident mother-son affair, as Sylvia Westgard won best in drawing, while her son, Scott Westgard, won best in printmaking.
Other local winners included Arnold Kinast of Hampshire, who won best in sculpture, and Jacqueline Zemke of Lake in the Hills, who won best in oil painting.