Colorful palette knife paintings of black-eyed Susans, tulips and daisies lean against the walls of artist Olivia Michka’s light-filled Midtown studio. This will be Michka's third year showing at Art Westport, and she’s spent the summer at work on the small canvases and experimental mixed media pieces she plans to bring to the show.
For her day job, Michka teaches art to elementary school students at Académie Lafayette. She started making art in high school, and began painting with oil in college. She said her first showing at Art Westport helped give her the confidence that she needed to start taking painting seriously.
“The support that I received, and the people that bought my paintings the first year was really what told me that I could keep pursuing art as a career,” Michka said.
More than 30,000 people are expected to attend the city’s oldest and largest local art fair. In its 45th year, the fair offers original paintings, sculptures, jewelry, ceramics and photography — all created by artists from the Kansas City metro.
Fair organizers showcase emerging artists like Michka. Because of that, she says the show has a youthful, supportive vibe that's allowed her to grow and experiment as a creator.
“I would encourage any young people who maybe think that art fairs are too fancy for them, that this is a good place to come and just low pressure, walk around and see art," she said.
When friends ask her how to get the most out of the fair, she says it depends on the time of day. This year, her booth is across from the beverage stand, so a first stop might be for a mimosa in the morning or a beer in the afternoon.
“Then just kind of walk up and down,” Michka said. “There's always music playing and there's different stages throughout. So depending on where you are, you'll hear different music wherever you go.”
Where art is local and quirky
Across town, in his Mission Woods, Kansas, studio, Keith Mays is adding a photographic decal of a lotus to a white vase. An earlier career in photography led him to integrate images into the pottery he’s been making at KC Clay Guild. Matching the right photograph with the right vase or cup is key to his process.
“A lot of it has to do with simplifying the images,” he said. “Sometimes the images are simply decoration on the pot, other times there’s a little more narrative storytelling going on.”
As Mays turned the vase, different combinations of lotus flowers revealed themselves.
“That's one thing that I enjoy … finally getting the full picture of the images that are on a pot, which you can't necessarily see all at once,” he said.
Some of the photographs are images he’s taken. Others he’s found on trips to flea markets and antique stores.
“In terms of ceramic art, mine is on the quirkier, odder side of it, even though a lot of my stuff is functional,” Mays said. “But Westport has been a place that's really embraced the uniqueness of it.”
Another unusual thing about the Westport fair is its mentoring programs. This year, Mays is mentoring another ceramic artist, Huey Lee, who will be showing in the emerging artist category.
“This has been a really fun opportunity to talk to Huey about the things he should be thinking about to prepare for the fair,” he said. “What type of work should he bring? How many? You know, what's the price range?”
Mays said it’s important for visitors to keep an open mind.
“My small little bit of advice is to look for the quirky,” he said, “and just sort of embrace the uniqueness of it.”
Lawrence artist Angie Pickman is in her 14th year showing at Art Westport. Her hand-cut paper works are based on the traditional German art form called Scherenschnitte, which means "scissor cuts." It originated in Switzerland and Germany in the 16th century and was brought to Colonial America by immigrants in the 18th century. Pickman’s collages of bison, birds and bears puts a Midwestern spin on the Old World tradition.
Pickman said Art Westport builds community among those who are making art in their hometown and those who appreciate it.
“It’s super fun to see who's working around you and meet other people who are there to appreciate art, and it shows what is actually coming out of our area and what people are doing,” she said. “And I think it's awesome to get local art into local homes.”
Pickman said the fair, covering just over three blocks, is approachable for the first time visitor.
“There's a lot of artists there, but it's really not that big of a show,” she said. “So, you have time to look through it all. And I mean, everybody has such different stuff, you know, from paintings to cut paper collages to glass art. There really is something for everybody there.”
Art Westport runs from 4 p.m.-9 p.m. on Friday, September 5, from 10 a.m.-9 p.m. on Saturday, September 6, and from 11 a.m.-5 p.m. on Sunday, September 7, at the corner of Westport Road and Pennsylvania Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri. Admission is free.
