Naperville Woman's Club hosts state's longest-running art fair

More than 100 artists from all over the country are coming to Naperville to show their work and support local charities.

The Naperville Woman's Club Fine Art Fair is 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 9 and 10, at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville. On the sprawling grounds of the historical museum village, the artists will display creations in clay, fiber, glass, jewelry, mixed media, metal, painting, photography, sculpture and wood.

The annual juried art show is entering its 57th year, making it the longest-running art fair in Illinois.

The art fair is close to club members' hearts not only because of its long tradition, but also because it allows the club to support several causes as well as its own work in the community while bringing art to the fore.

“Women like to support the arts, and this is a good way to do that,” Naperville Woman's Club President Marie Gnesda said.

Gnesda is also the founding president of ClaySpace Ceramic Arts Center. Arts center members are donating their work and time to make bowls and other ceramic pieces to be sold at the fair, with all proceeds supporting local food pantries as a part of an “empty bowls” fundraiser.

Empty bowls started in 1990 when a Michigan teacher saw the opportunity for her students to raise money for a local food drive. The Naperville Woman's Club uses the idea to help the hungry locally.

Organizing an art fair on this scale takes “a lot of planning,” Gnesda said.

“We have to find a location for the art fair, put up a call entry to find entries, and hire jurors to choose which (artists are) going to be in art fair,” she said.

Three jurors evaluated applicant artists for their originality, technique and booth appearance, choosing the top artists in a variety of media to display and sell their work at the show.

Organizers also need to find sponsors to support all the advertising and work with women's club members to find volunteers, along with hiring food vendors and entertainment for the event.

Naperville Woman's Club President Julie Cunningham said that when the fair originated, artists displayed their work on benches and children were allowed to sell small pieces of their work.

The event is important to the women's club, she says, because part of the club's mission is to support art, education and community service.

“The arts are a vital part of having a well-rounded life and they bring so much to a person's life,” Cunningham said.

The art festival started as a way to bring more arts into the community and has blossomed into a premier event for Naperville.

“It is certainly quite an accomplishment to keep it going for that many years, to watch it grow and become such an integral part of the community,” she said.

The Naperville Woman's Club donates to a wide variety of organizations but each year focuses on one that receives the bulk of the donations. The philanthropy committee researches different organizations and chooses three to present to the members, who then vote on which to focus on. Cunningham says it is always a tough decision.

The chosen charity for this year is the Midwest Shelter for Homeless Veterans, which provides veterans and their families with housing and supportive services.

“I think our organization has a soft spot for veterans,” Cunningham said.

Next year, the focus charity will be different, as club members aim to diversify the organizations they help.

At the Fine Art Fair, all of the artists will donate one piece to a silent auction that raises money for other philanthropic endeavors, such as scholarships and social service agencies.

Kate Keilty, a ceramics artist, will be showing her pottery at the fair. Kielty, who can remember “squeezing clay” from the age of 3, was a regular participant in the Fine Art Fair for 15 years before taking time out to manage the crazy schedule of motherhood. This year, she's returning on her own for the first time.

It feels like “slipping into an old pair of shoes,” Keilty said.

Flamenco Guitar duo Patchouli will perform at noon Saturday and Sunday. Children can explore their inner artists in the Petite Picasso tent.

Naperville Women's Club 57th Annual Fine Art Fair

<b>When:</b> 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, July 9-10

<b>Where:</b> Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville

<b>Admission:</b> Free

<b>Info:</b> <a href="http://www.napervillewomansclub.org">napervillewomansclub.org</a>