St. Charles Organizes First-ever Spring ArtWalk April 28-30, 2006
ArtWalk Will Kick-off St. Charles’ New Art District
Downtown St. Charles is the site for the first-ever ArtWalk in St. Charles, April 28-30, 2006. The juried ArtWalk, which is free and open to the public, will showcase 50 professional regional artists who will exhibit their work in a dozen sites on Main Street in downtown St. Charles and in the Foundry Art Centre, 520 North Main Center. Art work will be offered for sale and the artists will be on-site to interact with the public and discuss their work. Hours for the ArtWalk are:
Friday, April 28, 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 29, 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 30, 12:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
The ArtWalk, which is sponsored by Saint Charles Riverfront Arts, will feature a wide range of art mediums such as Raku pottery, sculpture, lifecasting, abstract paintings, jewelry, digital art, blown glass, photography, watercolor, and mixed media. Highlights include award-winning impressionistic landscape artist Billyo O’Donnell, named one of the top 50 plein air artists in the country by The Laguna Art Museum and selected to create the American Heart Association’s annual St. Louis Landmark Holiday Card for four consecutive years; metal sculptor Larry Pogue whose pieces are in collections all over the world and have been seen in sculpture parks nationally, including Laumeier Park, and in St. Louis Muny Opera productions; Marilynne Bradley, an award-winning watercolor painter who is listed in Who’s Who in American Women Artists; Serena Boschert who specializes in hand-painted ceramic vases, decorative pieces, and ornaments. In addition, internationally-renowned visual artist Philip Hitchcock will present a live-model lifecasting demonstration on Sunday afternoon in the Foundry Art Centre.
According to Nadine Boon, Director of Economic Development for the City of St. Charles and chair of the ArtWalk, the St. Charles Spring ArtWalk is the kick-off to a new direction for downtown St. Charles. “We are building an art district on Main Street. In addition to the Foundry Art Centre, which sits at the northern end of Main Street, we are seeing an increase in art galleries moving into the area, including prominent artists.” One such notable person is award-winning digital artist George Denninger. Denninger has moved his studio from his long-standing site in St. Louis County to a permanent gallery on Main Street. “I see tremendous potential in what St. Charles is doing and want to be a part of it. Main Street is the perfect place for an art district since it already offers boutiques, fine dining, bed and breakfasts, wineries, and a strong pedestrian clientele.”
The commitment of the community to this new art district is evidenced by the support of the area businesses. The artists’ will be exhibiting their work in a dozen buildings, from restaurants to office buildings, on Main Street. Many of the local restaurants will be providing hors d’oeuvres at the venues so visitors can sample some of the fine dining opportunities available in the area while enjoying the various displays of art work. This arrangement will provide visitors with a relaxed and enjoyable way to walk up and down the quaint street, taking in all the variety that exists on Main Street. Tony’s On Main Street will be hosting a Martini & Wine Bar.
In addition to the artists’ work, the ArtWalk will feature entertainment throughout the weekend including a free concert by the St. Charles Symphony on Friday evening at the Foundry Art Centre. Various musical groups will be strolling along Main Street during the three-day event. On Sunday afternoon, the ArtWalk will hold a reception in the Foundry Art Centre, 520 North Main Center, featuring food and entertainment. The reception is free to the public.
The ArtWalk is supported by sponsors and Saint Charles Riverfront Arts, under the auspices of the St. Charles Historic Downtown Association. The vision of Saint Charles Riverfront Arts is to create an art and entertainment district that enriches the spirit through music, dance, art galleries, fine dining and unique shops. The ArtWalk will be the kick-off event to further this vision.
