Highland Art in the Park to host VIP Preview Party prior to 2-day outdoor event
Art in the Park will host a Preview Party from 6-9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, prior to the two-day outdoor art show in Highland.
Pre-pledge dollars allow people to attend the Preview Party and use their money to buy art. People will receive an opportunity for themselves and a guest to view artwork Friday, Oct. 7, before opening to the general public.
Eat complimentary hors d’oeuvres and drink complimentary wine. Listen to live entertainment from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Jazz Combo. Talk with the artists and use “Art Bucks” equaling the pre-pledge dollars with any of the artists throughout the show.
People should send a check for $100 to Highland Arts Council, PO Box 33, Highland, IL 62249, with pre-pledge dollars in the memo. After they receive the pre-pledge dollars, a preview party invitation will be mailed. People may pick up “Art Bucks” in the amount of the pre-pledge dollars at the preview party or any time during the show.
Edward Jones financial advisers Matt Armentrout, Kevin Dewaele, and DeAnna Domalgalski will sponsor the Preview Party.
People will hear stories like these …
“I am drawn to many genre and styles of art,” says Susan Kunz, painter from Trenton. “My challenge is to bring all these contradictions together into an altered reality. Inspiration can be anything, colors, objects, feelings or a word. This provides endless inspiration and subject matter for the surreal world I paint.
“In the beginning things are fuzzy and fluid. I don’t have concrete expectations for the final painting. I explore relationships between opposites. I enjoy the physical process of painting, color blending and building texture. As I add color and texture the painting takes on a life of its own and guides me to the finish. The choices made while creating art reveal so much about an artist without their knowing. The end result describes my relationship to the world.”
Tony and Christy Bodnar live in Maryville. Tony, principal by day and glass artist by night, teams up with his wife, Christy, to create beautiful glass pieces.
Tony says, “My glass work is about movement, creating color, layering, and representing my industrial past.”
Christy added, “My husband and I create handcrafted blown, fused, and cast glass. Collaboratively, we create glass that is functional, decorative, and sculptural, often combining parts made in the hot and warm studio.”
Arthur Schnur, artist from Edwardsville, works with a mix of mediums.
He says, “My work is a combination of woodworking and ceramic sculptures that primarily reflect nature, especially those creatures associated with water.”
Whether it’s an orca whale, a whimsical fish, or a lion fish framed to hang on a wall, people will find something from nature they love.
More about Art in the Park
Family-friendly Art in the Park happens 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 8, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 9, at Lindendale Park in Highland. Enjoy the Kids Kreation area, Art Gallery ... Just for Kids, live music, good food and the beauty of artwork.
The council is happy to be celebrating Art in the Park’s 18th successful year of showcasing the art culture of the region and the nation and bringing this directly to the community of Highland. Lindendale Park is handicap accessible, and parking is free.
For more information about the event, visit: highlandartscouncil.org/art-in-the-park-attending.
