The annual Lincolnshire Art Festival at Village Green North attracted 75 artists from around the country for a two-day show that started Saturday.
Artists came from states such as Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Ohio and Vermont.
More Top Picks Best Byobu Folding Screens
The Lincolnshire Art Festival has been going strong for nearly three decades, organized by Amdur Productions of Highland Park, and this year the show had a special tone courtesy of America’s 250th birthday.
“It’s the First Amendment; it’s one of our basic rights; it’s the freedom of speech, so artists in this country, we just assume that it’s the same everywhere, but it’s not the same everywhere,” Amdur Productions President Amy Amdur said.
“So here in the United States, we’re reminded on the Fourth of July of our Constitution and our First Amendment rights- very important,” she said.
As the show opened on Saturday, Amdur stopped by the booth of artist Reza Torabi of Johns Creek, Georgia. Torabi, from Iran, has been in the U.S. for 14 years and became an American citizen eight years ago. His birthday was July 5.
In Torabi’s booth was an American flag acrylic, oil and spray-painted work called “U.S. Flag.” The American flag piece has messages embedded into the flag that viewers could seek and find, including the GPS coordinates of Washington, DC.
When asked what it means to be a U.S. citizen, Torabi said, “I’m very happy, and I love it. I really like America, and I wish (for) my people in my country in Iran … to live a very good life.”
Amdur said about Torabi’s “U.S. Flag” artwork, “I am so moved by this piece, especially. This piece has so much in it. If you look, you’ll see the words ‘Liberty,’ ‘In God We Trust.’ It’s really moving.”
Other indications that it was the Fourth of July weekend at the show were visitors donning bright patriotic clothing. Many patrons at the free event brought their pups with several small dogs seen sharing a stroller.
Activities for families were popular, including bubble art by Bubble Lady Bubbles business vendor Jill Markland of Urbana/Champaign. Markland went through about 16 gallons of bubble liquid over the show’s two days. Markland was seen consistently making bubbles with wide arm movements and spins, doing that for hours.
“I love it,” Markland said of the exercise. “I just turned 50.”
Also near the live music stage, were Filipp and Jenny Kirik of Buffalo Grove and their children Coco, 5, and Quinn, 10. The girls’ grandmother Jan Waxman of Buffalo Grove and aunt Holly Waxman of Mundelein came to the Lincolnshire show as part of a family holiday tradition.
Jan Waxman said that spending the nation’s 250th birthday together as an extended family instilled a lot.
“It’s bigger than us,” she said. “It’s just spread your kindness, your smiles, respect for people.”
Holly Waxman said, “Lake County is a wonderful place to experience art. There are so many talented artists here, and it’s wonderful to get to come out and see them and support local artists and take home a piece of the community, essentially.
“Take home a memory,” she said.