2024 Beaux Arts Spring Fair at the Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds -- May 11 and 12.
Saturday, May 11, and Sunday, May 12
Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, 2815 West Locust Street, Davenport IA
An eagerly awaited springtime event taking place over Mother's Day weekend in Davenport's spacious Mississippi Valley Fairgrounds, the 2024 Beaux Arts Spring Fair will treat visitors to an outdoor celebration of visual arts and fine crafts on May 11 and 12, with the annual event featuring food, live music, children's activities, and works for sale by more than 80 artists and Midwestern vendors.
The Spring Beaux Arts Fair has become a Mother’s Day tradition that draws daily crowds of around 8,000, and this year marks the 70th anniversary of the Beaux Arts Fundraising Committee. The committee was incorporated in 1953 to support the Davenport Art Gallery on 12th Street. The Beaux Arts Costume Balls were used as a fundraising event for many years, and many well-known area artists were listed as initial members, including Isabel Bloom and her husband John, both students of Grant Wood. The fair was established in 1967, making the Beaux Arts Fair one of the longest-running art fairs in the Midwest. Fair attendance and artist participation expanded on a yearly basis. In 1970, to celebrate the new Wiese addition, the Beaux Arts Fundraising Committee started a second fair, making them one of the few bi-annual art fairs. The fairs are held annually on Mother's Day weekend, kicking off the season of outdoor summer events, with the second fair held annually on the weekend after Labor Day.
Presenting finely detailed artworks and gift options in mediums including painting, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, and more, this year's scheduled Beaux Arts artisans and art retailers include: Chris Abigt (Chris Abigt – Art); Doug & Sandra Adams (Twisted Tree Gallery); Judy Baker (Painted Wildflower); Will Beard (Willustrations); Roger Alan Beck (Rohger Alan Beck Photography); Vahan Bedeian (Blue Grass Gold & Silver); Michale & Jackie Blankenship (Turning Blind); Carroll Brandt (Glass Mosaics on Natural Stone); Kent Broadbent; Moriah Bruening (Mo Metals); Mary Campbell (517 Design Studio); Dale Cantrell; Steve Wolf Cole (WolfCole Photography); Robert Cornman (Mind Works Inc.); Jerry & Jacque Crable (Uniquely Yours Metal); Sean & Trang Cusic (Dragonflies and Cards); Jim Cvronk (River City Pottery); Tyler Davis (David Woodworks); Mark & Donna Dreyer (The Art of Pens); Dan & Deb Fenn (DL Fenn); Denis Fournier (Bedangled); Hannah Gebhart (DinoCat Studio); Steve & Sandra Gerry (Gerrys); Eric Gooding (Artisan Jewelry by Eric Gooding); Cristina Greenfield (Whimsy Garden Decor); Robert Hale (Creations by Hand); and Petra Hallwas (Petra Photography Art).
Also selling and displaying their works at the Beaux Arts Fair: Zanetta Hoehle (Tumbled Wire Designs); Todd Hughes (Copper Horse Woodworks); Jeff Ignatius (Phase Change Photography); Tiana Jones (Hanai Designs); Daron Krueger (Daron Krueger Photography); Laura Larabee (L. Larabee Studio); Brian Lord (Makin' Sawdust); Glen Lowry; Susan Moenck/Sally Ellis; Val Newmann (Stoneware Pottery by Val); Kent Nickels (Kelevtov Studios); Joel O'Brien (Color Splash Ranch); Cheri Olson (Painted Rocks by Cheri); Rich Robertson (Cricket Hill Pottery); Wayne & Karen Ruff (Rustic Artifacts Ltd.); Doug Schmidt (Schmidt-Marken Designs Pottery); Kyle Shatek (Shateks Wood Chalet); Heather Shore (Heather Shore Designs LLC); Jean & Dennis Simonsen (Mings Studio); Kamie & William Smisek (Dream Chimes); Lois Smith & Kay Woods (Art by Lois & Kay); Tom Suter (Tom's Foolery); James & Andela Thibault (Golde); Claire Thoele (Claire Thoele Art & Design); David Van Hook (Riley's Corner Studio); Jon Walton (Jon Walton Photography); Barbara Weets (Barbara A. Weets Watercolors); Jay Wennersten (Wennersteins Etchings); John Weyer (Weyerworks); Robin Willey; Leonard & Carolyn Wilson (The Glass Haus); Kathleen Withers (Kaity Klothes); Sloane Wolfe (Creative Wolfe); May Xiong; and Christina Ziegler (Ziegler Designs, LLC).
As this is the 71st year of the Beaux Arts Fair, the first 71 mothers to stop at the information booth will receive a small gift. All proceeds from the fair generously support the Figge Art Museum’s educational programs and exhibitions throughout the year, and as a juried fine arts and fine craft fair, awards will be presented in several categories including a $250 prize for Best of Show and a $50 prize in following categories: Clay, Drawing/Printmaking, Fiber/Leather, Glass, Jewelry, Mixed Medium, Painting, Photography, Sculpture, and Wood.
"We are proud to bring together a diverse array of artists, offering attendees a chance to explore a wide range of artistic expressions,” said Beaux Arts Committee President Linda Hardin. “This event is a testament to the vibrant arts community in the Quad Cities, and we're delighted to support the Figge Art Museum's ongoing commitment to art education."
The May 11 and 12 Beaux Arts Spring Fair will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, admission is free, and more information is available by calling (309)706-1434 and visiting BeauxArtsFair.com.
