Art in the Park, a Columbia Art League tradition since 1959 — and the unofficial start to mid-Missouri — is rounding the bend. The two-day art bazaar, held at Stephens Lake Park, arrives June 3-4.
Local, regional and even farther-flung artists will show off fine art creations as well as more functional expressions of beauty. Many artists travel to Columbia for the affair and discover a new second home.
There are dozens of artists ready to depart for Columbia. Here are a mere five of those traveling in whose work you’ll want to keep an eye out for.
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Shelby Bork (Ohio)
Branded “Botanical Creations,” Bork’s work lives in the relationships found within nature — between parts of the same plant, a larger landscape or the ways humans enfold nature into our spaces. Watercolor painting and “black and white block prints carved using linoleum and ink based paints” are among Bork’s specialties, according to her website, but she’s reaching into other mediums: oil pastel, jewelry and more.
See Bork’s work at Art in the Park and online at https://borksbotanicalcreations.com/.
James Osterberg (St. Louis)
A winking nostalgia and regionalist’s affection come together in Osterberg’s prints which capture St. Louis landmarks — its treasured people, places and things — as well as tall-tale characters and reflections on Americana. Often, Osterberg’s perspective is funny and askew, but the craft is serious with thoughtful combinations of color, compositional confidence and a definite kinship with subjects.
Catch Osterberg at Art in the Park and online at https://www.jamesosterbergart.com/.
Shannon Roman (St. Louis)
A University of Missouri graduate, Roman creates soulful natural scenes through a blend of “impressionist, expressionist, and surrealist influences,” as an artist’s statement notes. Roman’s skies are especially remarkable, hovering over forests, fields, beachfronts and secluded highways in grand brushstrokes and gorgeous collisions of color. Roman also paints vivacious florals and character-rich shacks holding their own on icy lakes or the edges of “proper” civilization.
Visit Roman at Art in the Park and online at https://shannonnroman.com/.
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Sarah Simpson (Normal, Illinois)
Simpson’s work, most accessible as prints, possesses a mystical charm. With a splendid, illustrative style, Simpson renders fantastical versions of real-life forces: the sun convening a natural party, the moon as eternal guardian, the star as something which might not only be touched but pulled into our lives. These works both provoke smiles and a knowing spark as if someone has seen into our dreams and now we share the vision.
See Simpson’s work in Columbia and online at https://bysarahsimpson.com/.
Melissa Villadiego (St. Louis)
Upholding the wearable creativity folded into each Art in the Park, Villadiego unites the elemental — glass, metal, stone and “hand casted botanicals” — to “create adornments for the free-spirited soul,” according to an online bio. These adornments assume forms such as muted and glittering earrings, stackable rings, succulent rings, lavender essence pendants and more items that acknowledge the beauty of nature and its beholder.
Visit Villadiego at Art in the Park and online at https://shopvilladesign.com/.
Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. Find him on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.