Leader of Belleville’s Art on the Square talks about turnout for this year’s show
A Michigan artist, illustrator and part-time college instructor took home the Best of Show Award from Belleville’s Art on the Square over the weekend.
Taylor Mazer, 33, specializes in pen-and-ink drawings of urban landscapes and “architectural studies” that are painstakingly detailed. Some look like black-and-white photos.
“I was overjoyed, humbled and extremely grateful,” Mazer said of getting the award Sunday morning. “I was just happy to be in the show.”
Some 800 to 1,000 artists apply to participate in Art on the Square each year, according to its website. Only about 100 make the cut.
Mazer started drawing comics and newspaper illustrations in high school. Frequent family trips to Chicago led to a fascination with tall buildings, car-lined streets and other city scenes.
Mazer went on to earn a fine arts degree at Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids, where he now teaches a class called “Advanced Inking Techniques.”
The Art on the Square Best of Show Award comes with a $4,000 cash prize.
“It’s one of the best-run art shows that I’ve ever done,” said Mazer, who participates in about 10 a year. “All the volunteers were very kind and helpful. I can’t speak highly enough about them.”
A list of other award winners are listed below.
Artists ‘pleased’ with sales
Art on the Square is an annual juried art show in downtown Belleville. Artists from all over the country display and sell their work from white tents that surround the fountain and line Main Street.
The three-day, festival-like atmosphere also includes food and drink vendors, musical entertainment and children’s activities.
“Overall, I think things went well,” board of directors President Tom Barnett said Sunday afternoon. “The attendance Friday was very strong. Yesterday was a little soft because of the weather. It was overcast. But today the sun came out, and it’s extremely packed.
“The artists that I’ve talked to seem very, very pleased,” Barnett added. “They’re happy with their sales.”
Art on the Square has been held every year since 2002, except for last year, when it was canceled due to COVID-19. The pandemic also led organizers to move it from May to October this year.
Another change is that Patty Gregory, the show’s founder and longtime executive director, is now Belleville’s mayor. She defeated incumbent Mark Eckert in the April election.
Show organizers sold $114,000 in “art cash” coupons this year, compared to a past record of $125,000, Barnett said. He considers that a big success, given the challenges of COVID-19.
Under the program, people who spend $300 on $50 coupons in advance are invited to a preview party Friday night. They can later use the coupons to buy art.
“It’s just a way for people to show support for the show and for the artists,” Barnett said.
Full list of award winners
Other Art on the Square special award winners include:
- Nolan Prohaska, Joan Voss Renner Award for glass, $2,000
- Shawn Cornell, Ed & Helen Karasek Award for painting, $1,500
- David Dallison, Mayor’s Choice Award, $1,000
- Alex and Gail Marksz, Barb King Award for jewelry, $500
Best of category award winners ($1,500) are:
- Paul Jeselskis, ceramics
- Dewey James, digital/graphics
- Robin Lauersdorf, drawing/printmaking
- Samuel Yao, fine craft
- Nicholas Stelter, glass
- Pamela Fox, jewelry
- Randall Riemer, mixed media
- Scott Hartley, painting
- Radim Schreiber, photography
- James LaCasse, sculpture
- John Mascoll, wood
Excellence award winners ($500) are:
- Jo Jennings, jewelry
- Dawn LaGrave, mixed media
- Joe Cyberski, jewelry
- Mark Sudduth, glass
- Jennifer Ivory, mixed media
- Marie Lamothe, painting
- Timothy Sullivan, ceramics
- Nichole Collins, jewelry
This story was originally published October 25, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
