St. Louis Art Fair

Very diverse and needless to say — creative event. Lot’s of talented and some weird artists :)
I loved the jazz band from the stage. There were a few «artistic» but fully functional glowing chairs with beautiful colors. One of my favorite pieces were wooden jewelry boxes as well as the art pieces made of recycled glass. September had nearly perfect weather for this event and I hope I get to do this again next year.

This was an amazing event! Great for the entire family with so many different art forms to embrace.
Oil, acrylics, acrobats, jewelry, sculptures… you name it, it’s at the Clayton Art Fair.
Streets are blocked throughout the perimeter so plan to park and walk. Bring a little cash (or a lot) depending on your lifestyle and pay grade lol. There’s so much to see and do.
Make a day of it.
Thank me later.

Ok, this is a nice little art show in the streets of Clayton. You get to see a lot of different styles of art from photography and oil painting to ceramics and jewelry. One street is dedicated to food and there is a small stage with live jazz music in one of the parking lots. It makes for a nice afternoon of art and people watching.
However do not expect to buy anything as the prices are highly expensive. Seriously nothing under $ 50 dollars and that was a small pair of earrings.

I enjoy perusing the art, but I generally walk away feeling more like I visited an outdoor art museum than actually went shopping for art. The pieces are all very pricey. However, there are some really neat pieces and artists, and I like that you can often speak with the artist if you are interested! Plus it’s a fun people watching experience, all crowds come out.

Thank god for booze! If I had to walk around this thing and not drunk I may be suicidal. Most boring day of my life. And all these nasty worn out moms have completely ruined my women’s tennis outfit fantasies!
Hate you Clayton

pretty good event on a Friday or Saturday evening. always very well attended. good art, many artists, art for various budgets, but often too hot to be enjoyed during the day. wonder why organizers don’t move it later in September or even early October knowing St. Louis weather… the mixed drinks at the fair are not good, but Clayton restaurants are open having specials on drinks to go. the food choices at the fair this year were not particularly exciting or numerous, so we skipped.

So I’ve gone to the St. Louis Art Fair (approximately held the weekend after Labor Day) yearly since I’ve moved to St. Louis, and with each passing year, I get just a little bit more and more disappointed. It is a lot of fun, but it is usually very expensive and on the too unique side.
The talent is readily there, shown in approximately 150 – 200 booths a year. Apparently this year there were 60 new artists showing for the first time, which is kinda cool because it keeps things fresh and new. You don’t want to see the same people over and over again. It’s a conglomerate of media from sculpture to oils to watercolor… the list just goes on. And the exhibits are really super unique, from delicate jewelry made from special stones to porcelain teapots to baskets made from Charleston grass. There are also exhibits bordering on the strange side… such as the humans with animal heads and sculptures in shapes that I’m not even sure what they are supposed to represent. So it’s pretty interesting, but be prepared to shell out the money if you want it to take home… prices have risen drastically since I’ve started attending. Artists were selling 4×6 pictures for $ 30! A sculpture may cost thousands of dollars. And the rationale of buying a piece of artwork that consists of a wall of three dimensional jacks? I’m not sure if there is any.
On the flip side, there is something for everyone. You can browse the art exhibits, take in the endless parade of food booths, or participate in some art yourself. They always have music going on and stuff for the kiddies to do. But don’t expect to be able to decorate your entire house on a minimal budget.

The St Louis Art Fair is a fun outing, with lots to see and eat. It’s especially charming at dusk or after dark, when the tents are lit up and the bands are playing on each of the stages.
In terms of art, it’s not very accessible. Which is to say, I can’t afford anything there. There are lots of interesting pieces to look at, but it’s a little discouraging when you can’t bring any of it home.
I enjoy coming here, but I never expect to come away with anything but a full tummy and an empty beer cup. Maybe someday I’ll be able to take home some of the art, but for now I’ll stick to eating and browsing.

I like the Clayton Art Fair with some major qualifications. I actually want to see the art. I don’t want to eat, smoke cigars, drink, or snob around like I’m cultured just because I’m standing next to an urban photographer’s booth but not actually looking at any of his pieces. Accordingly, I try to go when it opens, and I usually go both days because if you really want to look at each booth, it will take some time (and it’s free so why not). The parking is also better in the morning, you can talk to the artists more easily, and nothing is sold out yet. I have gone in the evening as well … I don’t recommend it if you actually want to see the art. BUT if on the other hand you want to have fun and socialize (because you went in the morning and already saw the art), Saturday night is the time to be there. It’s a fun social event at night. So, I go in the morning for art and in the evening for fun.

This is probably my favorite event in all of St. Louis. I wait in breathless anticipation for it all year. It’s a dazzling showcase of all the best talent in the country. It’s a juried competition, so the artists you see have been up against tons of other talented folks, all vying for a spot in the Fair.
According to the Web site, the Art Fair is consistently ranked one of the nation’s top fine art fairs. Each year the Saint Louis Art Fair attracts over 150,000 art enthusiasts who purchase more than $ 2 million worth of art at the festival.
That’s pretty impressive! I’m always amazed by the creativity and originality displayed here. My favorites have been wax sculptures of people that look as if they’re real. In fact, most people stand there forever trying to decide if they’re fake or not. I also love the photography — some of the most beautiful I’ve ever seen, even crazy ones like nudes with fruit themes.
There’s a lovely food court area, showcasing many of the city’s finer eating establishments, live music and lots of activities for the kids. It’s a fantastic event, always held in early September. Not to be missed!