Thousands of art lovers gathered Sunday and Monday in Lake Forest’s Market Square for the 62nd annual Art Fair on the Square.
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Hosted by the Deer Path Art League, organizers describe the fair as a grass roots effort and one of the few local gatherings of its kind run by a non-profit group.
However, that status means finances are always a concern.
While the fair is a well-oiled affair by now, co-chair Pamela Payton said the league faces some fiscal uncertainty, citing the closure of a gallery last fall.
“We’re just hanging on. It’s not easy for non-profit art organizations to do something like this,” she said.
She said the group has a good template to run the event and she feels lucky that it has been around for so long, but the league is always looking for financial support. The group relies on donations as well as the fee that artists pay to sell art, she said.
“There are people here who have been coming for their entire lives,” Payton said. “We’ve had three generations of people attending, like grandparents, parents, and kids. It’s really a time honored event.”
The event is known for its variety, offering exhibits such as acrylic and oil paintings, photography, digital art, jewelry, and sculptures. There are also specialty booths, creative stations for children and an entrepreneurial-focused young artists area.
Prince Duncan-Williams manned a booth featuring his silk art creations. His depictions use vibrant colors and abstract shapes that he hopes visually represent the sounds of New Orleans jazz. Duncan-Williams said he appreciates the event because of the different types of art and artists that come together.
“Surrounding towns here love art,” he said. “The love for art is in Chicago.”
David Roth, a photographer who has sold photos at the fair for 29 years, noted that out of all the places he’s worked and traveled for his art, Lake Forest has been among his favorite because of the people he meets.
“You’re not shoulder to shoulder here,” Roth said. “This is more about art than other fairs I’ve seen.”
Katie Flanigan, a Winnetka resident, took in the sights with her two children.
“It’s nice to introduce them to local culture,” she said.
The group also hosts an emerging artists fair in March, in which the work of students in kindergarten through high school is featured.
Volunteers include many high school students, either satisfying hours for groups like the National Honor Society and Boy Scouts, or others participating out of sheer interest.
“We have art work from all over the nation, it’s fine quality art because of the jury process, and some people even come back to see artists they’ve encountered here before,” Payton said.
Tom Ackerman is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.