Art al freco
Annual Art in the Park festival means big business for artists in struggling economy.

Paul Jackson was 21 when he first exhibited at Columbia’s Art in the Park festival. It was 1989, and Jackson recently had relocated from Mississippi with plans to attend graduate school.

The unknown painter didn’t have any prints of his work to sell, but he was offering original watercolors depicting items such as crayons and musical instruments.

He sold one large painting at that year’s event - for $1,700.

"At that point, it was a big rush," he said. "It still is, really, that somebody not only likes your work but is willing to support it with their hard-earned money."

Fifteen years later, Jackson is still selling his work at the two-day festival, sponsored by the Columbia Art League. This year’s event will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and next Sunday on the Stephens College campus near Broadway and Dorsey streets. In addition to booths featuring the work of artists, the festival also includes musical and theatrical performances, dancing and children’s activities.

Art in the Park is in its 46th year, and Jackson said he has had a booth there 14 out of the past 15.

His asking price has risen considerably over the years. He said it’s not unusual these days for him to sell a painting at Art in the Park in the $20,000 range. For those with shallower pockets, he said, he sells note cards for as little as $15.

"I think it’s Columbia’s best cultural event and also one of the most well-established," Jackson said. "It’s probably tied with some of the biggest art festivals in the country in terms of age."

There will be more than 100 artists exhibiting at this year’s event, 25 of whom are from Boone County. Art in the Park is a juried festival, and art league Director Jill Stedem said about 40 artists were turned away from this year’s event.

"Basically, the goal of it is to expose people to the arts who normally wouldn’t come into a gallery," she said. "Art in the Park is a social event. It’s a way to do shopping, hear music and try different foods."

Surveys conducted at last year’s event indicated that many who attend have young families. To cater to parents and their children, next weekend’s festival will include a children’s stage featuring storytellers, performances and art demonstrations.

"We are doing a lot more children’s entertainment," Stedem said. "We’re just trying to do more that might appeal to kids. We want this to be a family event."

Jackson said he sees Art in the Park as a point of stability in Columbia’s changing art market. It is a tenuous time for artists and art organizations in Columbia. This month marked the closing of Legacy Art & BookWorks, the seventh gallery to close here in eight years.

Jackson closed his own downtown gallery, Illumia, in July.

"With all these galleries closing, it’s one of the few things going on for Columbia," he said of Art in the Park.

Though the festival is thriving, Stedem said, the struggling economy has affected the art league.

Since 2000, the not-for-profit organization has seen its funding from the Missouri Arts Council drop from about $15,000 to $2,000. Sales at the league’s gallery on Ninth Street also have slumped.

"It’s been a real struggle trying to sell artwork with the economy the way it is," she said. "It’s been hard for the artists, and it’s hard for us, too."

This year’s event will feature a raffle in which more than a dozen works of art - including a Jackson print - will be given away. Proceeds from the raffle will support the art league’s educational programs.

While selling work at Art in the Park has become routine for Jackson, artist David Spear is preparing for his first time at the festival.

Spear has one of the area’s most recognizable artistic styles but hasn’t tried to sell his work at festivals here before. He is the artist whose bold work hangs in the local restaurants Sophia’s and Addison’s: An American Grill.

The 29-year-old was working at a feverish pace last week in his downtown studio, putting the final touches on paintings and preparing the tent he’ll use next weekend.

"I’m hoping I can sell enough prints to where I can keep working on what I want to work on," said Spear, who also works part time as a bartender at Addison’s. "If it rains next weekend, I’m going to be looking for another job."

Spear said he hopes to sell some originals - ranging from $800 to $2,500 - as well as prints, which sell for $100 to $250 each.

"This is my first one, so I really don’t know what to expect," he said. "Hopefully, some people will stop by our tent."

Beth Perrin, a local jewelry artist, will show her work for the second time next weekend. She first exhibited at Art in the Park in the mid-1990s but hadn’t made it into the show again until this year.

"The competition is really stiff to get in, but it makes it a much better show," she said. "There are plenty of shows for folks that do stuff in lace and wood - the crafty set. This is more of a genuine art show."

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Reach Liz Heitzman at (573) 815-1715 or lheitzman@tribmail.com.

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