Painter Dawn Adams said art is a circular process. Artists create a piece, someone sees it, and then the artist lets it go. But with art shows cancelled during COVID-19, the process was incomplete.
Artists had little time to interact with patrons, and more time to experiment with new ideas.
“But you know what, I would appreciate going to an art fair again and getting feedback,” Adams said. “Because that’s one thing art fairs are really wonderful for- you get to sit there and talk to people about your work.”
Luckily for artists such as Adams, in-person fairs are returning, including the 4 th Street Festival of the Arts and Crafts in Bloomington this Labor Day weekend.
The festival is downsizing from 125 to 80 artists in order to provide at least 10 feet between each booth. Spoken word and music stages will be virtual.
“You might see totally different bodies of work and because it’s been a shakeup in terms of who applies,” Adams said. “It will be a really different looking show. So, for the patron who comes it’ll be interesting.”
Adams said a lot of older artists retired during the pandemic, but others took time to experiment and expand their craft - like potter Rebecca Lowery.
Lowery is vice president of the 4 th Street festival and works out of her home studio. She began doing wholesale orders during the pandemic in order to provide a second income.
Lowery uses old designs for wholesale but said she still had time to expand her style.
“My new work is a lot of, a lot more textures, and a lot more painting on it with a lot more colors and is a little bit darker,” she said. “Which might be a reflection of the pandemic, I don’t know”
Lowery experimented for 18 months, but that does not mean she has 18 months’ worth of work to sell. She spends most of her time fulfilling wholesale orders.
As a result, she is going to have to be more particular about the shows she attends.
“I prefer going to towns where people like my work,” Lowery said. “ I know I’m going to get a good response and be able to interact with an art friendly community, which Bloomington has always been.”
The Fourth Street Festival of the Arts and Crafts will take place between Grant Street and Indiana Avenue Saturday, September 4 from 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. and Sunday, September 5 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
