13th Lincolnshire Art Festival kicks off under cloudy skies

Not deterred by the midday rains, the 13th annual Lincolnshire Art Festival kicked off Saturday with exhibitions of paintings, handcrafted jewelry, sculptures, glassware and spark plugs.

Yes, spark plugs.

"It's all about making the people smile," said Wisconsin artist Dick Cooley, a metal sculptor who takes spark plugs, forks, toasters and other recycled metal objects and reworks them into new and unusual creations.

Cooley's been working as a full-time artist for about a decade and attends 26 art festivals a year.

"I went to school for welding, and in the class they asked us to be creative," he said.

He's certainly that - as are so many of the other artists exhibiting at the show, which continues from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the Village Green shopping center.

One artist's tent featured beautiful glassware; another had framed photography.

One was demonstrating Appalachian bow saws, an interesting kitchen item that can be used to cut bread, vegetables or other foodstuffs with incredible ease.

Mundelein resident Ruth Hutter and her daughter, April, took in the show Saturday.

"I love art shows," Ruth said. "I was an art major in college, and I like to see what everyone is doing and get some ideas."

April Hutter said coming to the show was her mom's idea, but she quickly was impressed with the variety of artwork on display.

"There's something for everyone," she said.

There are also a handful of food booths. That's where Lincolnshire resident Jon Boorom and his son, Jon, waited while daughter Hanna shopped for a birthday present for a friend.

"We thought it would be mostly granny art, but it's not," the elder Boorom said between bites of a gyro. "There's some very cool stuff here."

Hanna eventually joined the duo with bagged present in hand. A fairy necklace was chosen for the friend.

"She loves fairies and sparkly things, and it's both," Hanna said.

Village Green is on Old Half Day Road at Milwaukee Avenue. Admission is free.

Free parking is available at Village Green and in lots adjacent to the festival.

The Daily Herald is among the event's sponsors.