A pop of color and craft washed over the Water Street District in downtown Naperville on Sunday, July 14, with the inaugural Water Street Fine Art & Fine Craft Fair.
“We have 12 artists here today and all different types of art,” said Nick Ryan, CEO of Marquette Companies and co-sponsor of the event. The juried art exhibition and sale showcased local artists from DuPage, Will, Kane, and Kendall Counties, featuring art in a variety of mediums from painting, sculptures, mixed media, and more–including the Pete Ellman jazz trio, and the Young Artist Makers Tent, presented by the DuPage Children’s Museum.
Artist Maria Ananieva wins the 2024 Best of Show award
Artist Maria Ananieva won the event’s first-ever Best of Show Award with her oil paintings centered around birds, securing her $250 and an invitation back to the show in 2025. For Ananieva, a painting of two bald eagles, birds she had never painted before, represented a key moment in her life.
“It’s the symbol of America,” she said. Ananieva, who grew up in the mountains of Bulgaria, recently became an American citizen and chose to celebrate that with art. “I kind of wanted to commemorate that [moment] with the biggest painting I’ve ever done so far,” Ananieva said.
Peter Foyo, co-sponsor of the art fair, said he was “very proud” to offer the event to the Naperville community. Foyo hopes to welcome nearly double the amount of artists to the event in the future, and said many of this year’s artists are ready to return–something the public was happy to hear.
Adding character to the Water Street District
“I think [art] gives us room to talk about things,” Shiksha, an attendee, said. “People can come here, and pick up pieces to put in their homes or spaces to make it their own. It’s a place of discussion and community.”
Shiksha’s friend, Priya, agreed, adding that art adds “character” to the community. “It makes it interesting. Without it, it would be bland,” said Priya.
With plans to bring back the art fair to Water Street and one day include a fine arts gallery in the mix, Nick Ryan says a top priority is incorporating art into Naperville.
“It brings all the people together, shopping and enjoying–just spending a beautiful Sunday enjoying the art and music and being together as a community,” Ryan said.
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