Elgin artist to sell work at folk art fair

Chris Robinson has always dabbled in some sort of art project, trying various things over the last several decades. Years ago she made hundreds of Santa and Uncle Sam dolls — hand molded or carved faces dressed in old fabrics and quilts.

Her work qualifies as “folk art” and she has recently become more serious about painting. It's a style she said is hard to explain but imitates the work of folk artists from years ago.

Robinson of Elgin admires the Grandma Moses technique. She uses acrylic and oil on more standard canvasses, but also on old wooden things she finds at auctions, rummage sales, flea markets or thrift shops. Sometimes she'll see something and think it would make a great pumpkin or background for a fall theme.

One old portrait she even looked at and decided the woman featured would make a good witch for Halloween.

“I don't buy it if I don't see the potential in it,” Robinson said.

Robinson will display her work at the 29th annual Autumn Country Folk Art Festival, an art and craft show running from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at the Kane County Fairgrounds on Randall Road just west of downtown St. Charles.

Tickets for the show are $8 Friday, $6 Saturday, $4 Sunday and free for children younger than 15.

Robinson said she goes to about four or five shows per season, less than she used to. She focuses on fall shows where her Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas designs work the best. Robinson gets some income from selling her paintings but she said she doesn't consider it work.

“I kind of lose myself in painting,” Robinson said. “It's an enjoyable thing for me.”

If she has the chance, Robinson said she paints several hours each day. Some of her inspiration comes from the items she buys throughout the year, but other times its current events that draw her to paint a scene.

One of the paintings she will display at the folk art show is of the royal wedding on canvas.

Robinson will be joined by about 40 other artists for the three-day, juried show, which means artists had to impress judges to be invited to participate. The specialized content will range from replicas of antiques to folk art like Robinson's to historic crafts.

This will be the first year Art of the Heartland, Inc., organizes the event after 28 years being run by Lee and Judy Marks. The new organizers plan to maintain the integrity of the show that has been built up since 1982, upholding the festival's reputation as one of the most respected of its kind.

For show details, see artoftheheartlandinc.com.