Think of it as a pub crawl of sorts, but without the pubs.
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And with lots of creative talent.
The Fox River Arts Ramble, which takes participants on an art-filled journey through the Fox River Valley from Aurora to Elgin, will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 11.
The works of about 60 artists can be viewed on a self-guided tour of 13 artist studios and galleries in Aurora, Batavia, Elgin, Geneva and St. Charles. The event was created in 2017 in a partnership between Fine Line Creative Arts Center in Geneva, Water Street Studios in Batavia and St. Charles Arts Council. Joining the partnership this year is the Geneva Center for the Arts.
“It was created as an event that would bring attention to the arts that are right there in the Tri-Cities,” said Kathryn Bail Hill, executive director of St. Charles Art Council. “And make it an easy, fun day for people to come around and see what our artists that are right there in the area, what they have to offer.”
A map of all of the locations will be available at foxriverarts.com. Paper copies will also be available at the individual venues.
“The map shows all the way from Elgin down to Aurora where the participating venues are,” Bail Hill said.
Last year approximately 2,500 people visited galleries and studios in the Fox River Valley during the Ramble.
Venues this year include Stolp Island Social, Gallery 1904, and Society 57 in Aurora; Batavia Boardwalk Shops, Water Street Studios, and 407 Elm Street Pop Up Gallery in Batavia; Funky Rooster Tattoo and Art Gallery in Elgin; Geneva Center for the Arts in Geneva; and Riverlands Brewing Company, Susan Neri Waldron, 116 Gallery, 3AM Studio, Fine Line Creative Arts Center, and Kava Diem Organic River Cafe in St. Charles.
Along with individual studios and galleries, multiple artists will be hosted in outdoor tents at Fine Line Creative Arts Center, Geneva Center for the Arts, and Water Street Studios. Fine Line Creative Arts Center will have food trucks on site and musical entertainment. The St. Charles Art Council will host artists at Kava Diem, where an artist reception will be held from 2 to 4 p.m.
“It’s really very exciting to see the amount of talent we have here right in our own backyard,” Bali Hill said. “It’s very uplifting and it’s a fun day.”
The Ramble includes a variety of art mediums, mostly 2D, including pottery, paintings, sculpture, jewelry, textiles and more.
“It’s all different visuals, and it’s really fun to see,” Bail Hill said.
Works are available for purchase at all price points from established and new artists, some of whom are participating in the Ramble for the first time.
“I had one artist at Fine Line who said she’s not ever (participated) before but she just wants to get some exposure,” Bail Hill said. “And I said, ‘this will do it.'”
Asked if the hosting organizations thought of just hosting all of the artists in one location for a giant art fair, Bail Hill said the idea of the tour helps people learn what is available in each area.
“What we’re trying to do is respect the different communities. Like in Aurora, they’ve got their own community and so we wanted to respect that and let people know you could go to Aurora and have some marvelous art. You can go to Elgin and get some marvelous art,” Bail Hill said. “So that’s why we chose to do it this way, where it’s a self-guided tour. Here are where the artists are and you’re welcome to come see their work.”
Each city has an active art community and offers a lot of “wonderful public art,” she said.
“I moved here five years ago and I keep saying to my colleagues, ‘you have no idea what you have here,” Bail Hill said. “It’s a treasure with how much the communities have invested in public art.”
She hopes people take advantage of the opportunity to see “the incredible talent that we have right here in the Fox River Valley.
“I just encourage everyone to get out, even if it’s just one venue, and go see what’s out there and support these artists because it means a lot them and I think it means a lot to the audience,” Bail Hill said. “There’s so many different types out there. It’s just fun to see what people can do.”
Fox River Arts Ramble
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When: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. June 11
Where: various venues from Aurora to Elgin
Tickets: Free admission
Information: 630-443-3794; foxriverarts.com
Kathy Cichon is a freelance reporter for the Beacon-News.