When Jean Lewis lived in Park Forest, she would attend the Tall Grass Arts Association’s art fair every summer. An art teacher at the time, Lewis thought about how great it would be to one day exhibit work at the fair.
“Then I retired from teaching art and I did it,” she said.
Lewis started painting pastel portraits and placing work in galleries such as Tall Grass and Union Street in Chicago Heights. Now, the Glenwood-based artist is in galleries all over and gearing up for her ninth year at the Park Forest Art Fair, slated to return for the 66th time from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 17 and 18 on Main Street, between Western Avenue and Orchard Drive, around the Village Green.
“I love being there, because the people at Tall Grass really go the extra mile to make the artists feel welcome,” Lewis said. “That hometown feeling is there, and they really put forth the effort.”
Janet Muchnik, a Tall Grass board member who is chairperson of the show, said that artist focus has always been a hallmark of the Park Forest Art Fair. It offers reasonable fees to attract a wide variety of mediums, from ceramics and etchings to sculpture and photographs, paintings and digital works to jewelry and handblown glass. Tall Grass, 367 Artists Walk, provides the artists with breakfast Saturday and Sunday, a big Saturday dinner, snacks during the day, cash prizes, and help unloading and packing up. And the juried show stays away from commercial vendors, opting to keep the spotlight on the creative folks.
“It’s a very artist-friendly show,” Muchnik said. “We really love our artists, and we do everything to make them feel welcome. … For us, it’s not just about making money; it’s about giving artists the opportunity to show their work.”
Muchnik said the juried approach also ensures people will see and be able to purchase great art. Park Forest tries to avoid the “snooty” art fair vibe, Muchnik said, instead encouraging attendees to talk to the artists, learn about their work, motivate their development and, of course, buy what speaks to them.
When she started at the fair, Lewis said people were hesitant at first to visit her space. But connections and interest are formed through those interactions and she now sees return buyers and has more people following her monthly newsletter.
“It picked up as the years went on,” Lewis said. “I made a name for myself and the work began to improve. It just went from there.”
Lewis is excited to showcase a recent pastel portrait she calls “Tranquil Moment.” She said working with the human form through pastels is always exciting, because people are all different and inspire her in unique ways.
“I taught for over 30 years, and I am having the time of my life now,” Lewis said. “This is just something I love doing. That’s important that you have something to do after retirement that really fulfills you. This does.”
Taryn Takacs, a photographer from Highland, Indiana, will be one of eight newcomers bringing work to the art fair this year.
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“I just feel very fortunate to be part of the community and part of this process,” Takacs said. “I’ve always been a creative person. I just didn’t find a way to specifically hone it.”
That opportunity presented itself during the COVID-19 pandemic. When many things were closed initially, Takacs started walking outside more and photographing things with a Nikon D3300 and later a D500. She fell in love with nature photography, especially on her visits to the Highland Rookery.
“The world moves whether you’re there or not,” Takacs said. “We get to see that little tiny moment where these animals, these birds are in their natural habitat. You get to see their normal, natural behavior. You’re not watching it on TV. You get to see it in person. And then, when you take the camera and zoom in on that moment, you’re a little part of nature.”
Takacs said she will have metal prints, acrylics, framed pieces and other work for sale at the fair, as well as the ability to place custom orders. But she is most excited to have an outlet for her creativity now.
“This is where I feel at home,” Takacs said. “It doesn’t matter how stressful my day was or how stressful life is in general. … In that moment, when you’re taking that photo, nothing else matters. It’s that ultimate peace a lot of people don’t find. I was lucky enough to find my happy place. I truly love it.”
Artists for this year’s show are expected to come from all across the Midwest, with a sculptor from Phoenix, Arizona, making the longest trip to get to Park Forest. But roughly 20 of the artists to be featured this year are “very local,” according to Muchnik. That includes newcomers Lia Jackson, a painter from Chicago Heights; Maine Lee, a metal sculptor from Park Forest; and Penny Shnay, a photographer from Park Forest.
Muchnik, who has been involved with the Park Forest Art Fair for roughly a decade, said pandemic cancellations and well-known artists aging out have put the event into a “rebuilding” phase. Still, between 1,500 and 2,000 people typically attend the art fair, and the artists do good business there. The organizers work to improve the layout and marketing of the fair every year, but the core formula for success has largely stayed the same over the years.
“We tweak little things,” Muchnik said. “The fact that it’s a juried art fair and that we’re committed to keeping prices low, those two things are consistent.”
The fair also includes a Kids Art Alley with hands-on activities and a music festival Saturday featuring performances from LondonKay Experience, Raíces Latin Jazz, Blend Acoustic, An American Prayer and Fredi Taylor featuring Nu Source Band. The Grande Prairie Choral Arts Group is slated to perform on Sunday.
Sunday will also feature a tribute to Tall Grass artist Patricia Moore at 1 p.m. in front of the Tall Grass Gallery. Moore, who died this year, was one of the longest-exhibiting artists at the fair. Some of her work is featured at the Tinley Park Convention Center. She also taught aspiring artists and ran the Salon Artists Gallery in Park Forest.
“That gallery was her baby, her work and her love,” Muchnik said. “She meant a lot to the village, the region, the art fair and Tall Grass — and all the other places she taught.”
Bill Jones is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.