Fine art to mingle with Naperville's Riverwalk during fair
Out of 500 applications to participate in the Riverwalk Fine Art Fair in Naperville each year, the Naperville Art League accepts about 120 artists.
Debbie Venezia with Arts DuPage, who has planned the show for the past 13 years, says that selectiveness illustrates the quality and caliber of artistry that will be on display when the event returns for its 33rd year Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 15 and 16.
There is, for example, an all-originals policy, barring artists from bringing bins of reproductions of their work (or anyone else's).
The theme is fine art, not crafts a kid might make to post on the fridge.
And the field of roughly 120 to 125 artists strikes a balance Goldilocks would appreciate between disappointingly small shows and giant shows that overwhelm, Venezia says.
“If you get too big, I think people just become numb to the art. You just plow through instead of appreciating it,” she says. “Smaller shows, it's like you're still hungry, you still want more.”
But come craving fine art and Venezia says the Riverwalk fair will satisfy.
“The show has those cornerstones, so attendees who come every year will be able to find their favorite artist, but then they'll also find a whole new array of artists,” Venezia says. “It's a nice mix.”
The key is not to allow the art to become stale. A jury empaneled each year to review the work of applicant artists is in charge of preventing stagnation or sameness.
“We enjoy it when returning artists change their work and style and do something different as they continue to grow,” she says. “What they bring this year is very different than what they've brought last year.”
Some artists come from far away, like West Coast states that require 14-hour road trips to roll into Naperville. Others come from down the road. The Art League pampers them all with breakfast both days, large booths in which to display their works, “booth sitter” volunteers to keep an eye on things if they need a quick break and a Saturday evening reception between display days.
“Ultimately, the focus for the Riverwalk is always on the artists,” Venezia says.
The result is talented creators happy to come to a fair when the weather typically cooperates, despite it being at the end of the Chicago-area outdoor art season. It all adds up to a bright visual display along the Riverwalk and Jackson Avenue, from Main to Eagle streets in Naperville's downtown, available for browsers or serious shoppers between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The fair also has music that Venezia says “doesn't fight with the artwork,” but provides something “lyrical” in the background. Performers include an a cappella group known for performing in Hawaiian shirts and the Allegro!!! elite string ensemble of young musicians from the Western Springs School of Talent Education and the Naperville Suzuki School.
“They're a showstopper. They're wonderful,” Venezia says about Allegro!!! “They're young kids, grammar school up to middle school, wearing all black outfits with a big red feather boa. They play the violin and dance, and their music is beautiful. It's amazing what they do.”
33rd annual Riverwalk Fine Art Fair
<b>When:</b> 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, and Sunday, Sept. 16
<b>Where:</b> Along the Riverwalk and on Jackson Avenue in downtown Naperville, between Main and Eagle streets
<b>Who:</b> Hosted by Naperville Art League, featuring 120 artists in various media
<b>Cost:</b> Free admission; art for sale
<b>Info:</b> <a href="https://www.napervilleartleague.com/riverwalk-fine-art-fair-2018/">https://www.napervilleartleague.com/riverwalk-fine-art-fair-2018/</a>