Filling the Lincoln Building with works such as oil paintings, ceramics, mixed media and more, Historic Yellow Springs, a history museum in the village of Chester Springs, Pennsylvania, hosted its annual Yellow Springs Art Show from April 26 to May 11. The show has been running for 52 years and has grown into a community event that showcased more than 4,500 works of art by 220 artists this year.
“The primary goal of the chair of the Yellow Springs Art Show is to bring in funds to help support the upkeep of the village,” said Maureen Fendrick, a volunteer at the art show for 18 years who helps with the annual setups. “So, what we do is raise funds to help them keep everything going, from the 140 acres to the buildings and the studios and things like that. We are a major part of being able to keep thevillage alive.”
The art show is a juried event, in which a group of people select new artists each year. To be considered, artists are required to fill out an application and bring the jury four pieces of artwork that are ready to present, which involves it being framed, appropriately priced, clean and more.
“There’s a lot of things that can go towards a piece of art, (such as) not looking presentable,” Fendrick said. “And sometimes the artists don’t always look at that type of stuff, and that’s what will either get them in
the show, or they may get rejected, so it’s a rigorous process.”
General admission for visitors is free, and anyone can purchase displayed artwork
they like in the gallery. Historic Yellow Springs also hosts a variety of special events such as an opening gala and a happy hour, which require paid tickets. This year, over 8,000 people attended the show and the museum sold over half a million dollars’ worth of artwork.
Fendrick and the volunteers who help run the art show feel that it has brought joy to the community as well as given new artists an opportunity to showcase their work. The show is especially important to support the village of Chester Springs and honor the tradition of celebrating local art.
“There are moments that touch you each year throughout the show,” Fendrick said. “You know, we’re providing traditions for families.”
Lexi Lin can be reached at [email protected].
