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50th Art Fair on the Square has familiar feel but new artists

Rob Schultz  —  7/12/2008 7:37 pm

Some came to people watch, others came to gorge on a gyro and pour down some beers and even more came to give their children a chance to get some exercise. In their spare time, everybody looked at some art and bought some, too.

In other words, the 50th annual Art Fair on the Square that got off to a great start Saturday morning wasn't much different than the first 49.

"We try to never miss the Art Fair," said Martha Schurch, who was enjoying one of Madison's most renowned events for the 27th time with her husband, Glen Nelson.

The only time in the past 28 years that the Madisonians missed their hometown art fair was about six years ago when they were on vacation and chose to spend their time going to an art fair in Evergreen, Colo. Schurch recalled that when she wrote a check for some art, the artist noticed that she was from Madison and said, "I've always wanted to get to that art fair."

"So while we missed it," Schurch added with a smile, "we still heard about it."

Nelson was enjoying this year's art fair because he noticed there were several new artists. "They said there were 100 new exhibitors and we said, 'We'll see,'" Nelson said as he stood near the intersection where King, Pinckney and Main streets connect. "Well, we're one-eighth of the way around and there are clearly many new exhibitors."

Schurch smiled when she was asked how much money they have spent at the art fair over the years. "More than he needs to know," she whispered while Nelson attention's was aimed away from the interview.

Almost everybody seemed to be having a good time during a cloudy, cool morning where the breeze was just strong enough to keep the bugs from becoming a nuisance. The air carried a hint of suntan lotion, burning beef and spilled beer as lovers could be seen walking hand-in-hand, parents were guiding strollers and others walked their dogs.

One young family was enjoying some good exercise. "We came to just walk around," said Molly Pape of Cross Plains, who was finishing lunch just off the Square with husband, Kevin, and children Jaden, 4, and Kyle, 2. "Jaden wanted to look at some art and we got lunch. It's a good day out."

So while some were window shopping during a summer where fuel prices and other inflationary prices have sapped wallets across the country, others were busy buying art.

"I'm doing OK. It's still a little early but it's going better than last year for me," said Tom Wargin, an artist from Menomonee Falls who sells high-end bronze sculptures.

Marilyn Frymire, who is from Elkhorn and was making her first trip to the art fair, was having a great time buying art. She purchased a bird-like wrought-iron lawn ornament and a small vase for flowers that her young grandchildren pick for her.

"You can never have a small enough vase," she said.

Frymire, who traveled to Madison with five others from Elkhorn, was pleasantly surprised with the art fair. "It's much larger than we thought and representative of all kinds of art," she said.

Glenda Fahey and Leslie Pawlowski were two more first-timers to the art fair who were having a grand time. They were part of a group of eight people from New Lenox, Ill., that made the trip to Madison Saturday.

"It's an enormous show," gushed Fahey, who bought an original watercolor of a cat for her daughter that the artist autographed with a sketch of another cat on the back of it.

"We hit the Farmer's Market down the road, too," Fahey added.

Mary Michalak and her sister, Cindy Michalak, were making their sixth trip to the art fair from their homes in Milwaukee. "I love Madison and this is the best art fair in all of Wisconsin," said Mary, who bought a painting. "Very diverse. It's nice."

Cindy enjoys driving over for the Farmer's Market and University of Wisconsin football games, too. She mentioned that she's not officially an alumna but did attend the UW. "I was one of those who had to leave," she said sheepishly. "I had too much fun."

But not everybody at the art fair was from out of town.

Susan Montgomery of Madison didn't walk away empty-handed from her trip to the art fair. She bought a vivid photograph of lavender flowers that she plans to hang somewhere in her living room.

Montgomery said she has been going to the art fair for a couple of years. "It's a Madisonian thing to do," she said.

Rob Schultz  —  7/12/2008 7:37 pm