Large crowds from all over the country came to visit one small block in the vast city of Chicago for one reason alone: art.
Visitors rushed between vendors, each artist showcasing work that ranged from textiles and paintings to poetry and printmaking. Despite their different mediums, many of the artists at this year’s Magnificent Mile Spring Art Festival held this past weekend shared a common goal: creating connections between people, places and the stories they carry with them.
Organized by Amdur Productions, the Magnificent Mile Spring Art Festival became a hit in downtown Chicago. More than 60 artists from around the country participated in a venue set against one of Chicago’s most recognizable stretches of architecture, transforming the city’s corridor into an open gallery.
For artist Val Fischer, emotions are at the center of everything he creates.
Born on a farm in Austria before moving to Chicago as a child, Fischer said his work is inspired by both the natural world and the city’s architecture. Many of his paintings combine Chicago landmarks with water, parks and open skies.
“I want them to see the beauty of the city,” Fischer said.
One of Fischer’s favorite subjects was the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool in Lincoln Park, a location where nature and the city’s skyline intersect.
“The purpose of art, I think, is to evoke some emotion,” Fischer said.
For painter Kelly Dawson, Chicago’s history serves as both inspiration and subject matter.
A self-taught artist with a background in history, Dawson frequently paints locations throughout the city while researching the stories attached to them. She said every neighborhood contains layers of history that often go unnoticed.
“If you don’t stop to look at things, life is pretty meaningless,” Dawson said.
Rather than seeing that idea as pessimistic, Dawson views art as a way of giving meaning to the world around her.
“By painting things, you connect with people, and you kind of capture a moment and a place in time, and you give it meaning by seeing it and by witnessing it,” Dawson said.
Her work often focuses on the places Chicagoans encounter every day but may overlook. Through painting, she hopes viewers pause long enough to notice the beauty and humanity embedded in the city around them.
“Chicagoans love art, and they love art about their city,” Dawson said. “They love the history of their city, and they’re very knowledgeable about it.”
That appreciation for craftsmanship could also be found in the work of textile artist Kina Joshua, whose handmade bags and accessories lined one of the festival’s booths.
While many industries have shifted toward mass production, Joshua said her work embodies a slower approach.
“I’m committed to slow fashion,” Joshua said.
Rather than focusing on expansion or rapid growth, Joshua said her priority remains creating work that reflects her own vision.
“I’m about creating beauty in the world. I don’t want to get big and huge and be this huge conglomerate,” Joshua said.
For Dawson, connection like what happens at the festival is what give art its significance.
“And then in that, trying to find some meaning in a moment or in a connection or in a memory.
To see someone or be seen that you existed, and try to honor those things,” Dawson said.
Copy edited by Antonio Chaves
