Art, music take center stage at Warrenville's Prairie fest
Glass pumpkin fans: A whole harvest full of the decorative treasures will be available this weekend at Warrenville's Art on the Prairie festival.
Artist Heather Spiewak, who works at the Corning Museum of Glass, plans to deliver a bushel-full of the pumpkins at her debut appearance at the festival.
"There will be a lot of those at the show. I'll have inventory there, small glass pumpkins and some larger items," she said.
A Warrenville native, Spiewak went to work at the renowned upstate New York museum five years ago after graduating from Illinois State University. A 12-year glass-blowing veteran, she also works and teaches at the Vitrix Hot Glass Studio in Corning.
Glass blowing is no genteel art-making process, though the results are often intricate and polished.
"You have to work fast and hot. It keeps you on your toes. My hands are always busy. My mind is always busy," Spiewak said.
Another of the 25 artists at the juried fine arts fair will be Yorkville painter Judy Kellermann, who teaches painting at Warrenville Park District.
"I do all different things," she said. "Most of my sales have been pet portraits in acrylic."
Kellermann also is marking her first time demonstrating art technique at the festival.
"I'm looking forward to it. Hopefully, I get people to sign up for my classes. I'll put pieces of paper out and let people try themselves," she said.
"They can take them with them. Watercolor can be tricky. Paint gets muddy, it gets thick. Watercolor is supposed to be transparent. It can get out of control. The general idea of watercolor is to be loose."
The festival's visual arts will be accompanied by a musical talent showcase.
"It's an all-arts weekend," said Ruth Brackmann, festival chairwoman and recreation supervisor at the Warrenville Park District.
Musical entertainment will include Banjo Buddies Dixieland Band, Acappellago and the Tin Fiddle Band on Saturday. On Sunday, performers include the Breezeway Chicago Band, Pandemonium Steel Band and Celtic Sounds.
The West Chicago Elementary District 33 Ballet Folklorico Dance Troupe will perform at 3 p.m. Saturday.
For children, there will be free face painting and balloon twisting from 1 to 3 p.m. both days, she said. And for aspiring artists, there will be a chance to create.
"This year, we have the graffiti art canvas," Brackmann said, where visitors will be invited to decorate a small square of the canvas, which will become one large painting, she said.
Brackmann said food and drink vendors will be on-site. And artists' awards will be presented at 2:15 p.m. Saturday.
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12th annual Art on the Prairie Art and Music Festival
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 22
Where: Warrenville City Hall Complex, Stafford Place
Admission: Free
Info: warrenvilleparks.org