Arts organization Evanston Made showcased about 150 artists and makers on Oct. 5 and 6 at its Big Art Weekend, which included First Saturday Arts Events, an Artist Studio Tour and a Maker’s Market.
“When I moved here 12 years ago, everybody was like, ‘This is the most artsy community ever!’ And I’m like, that’s strange, because I don’t see them at all,” said Lisa Degliantoni, Evanston Made’s founder and co-director.
That year, Degliantoni founded Evanston Made, which provides arts programming and promotes local artists, to connect local artists with each other and the public. Evanston residents want to support their neighbors and small businesses — they just need the opportunities to do so, she said.
Degliantoni said she believes visibility for the arts is brewing in Evanston.
Art lovers could attend a variety of events on Saturday, an art fair on Sunday and studio tours both days.
“What we’ve learned is that people prefer layers,” Degliantoni said. “It’s not like, ‘I just want to go to an art opening.’ It’s like, ‘I want to go to an art opening, a pop up, a studio.’ That’s what Big Art Weekend is, it’s a chance to meet so many artists and not just do one thing.”
First Saturday Arts Events is Evanston Made’s promotional series featuring a variety of pop-ups, artist talks and exhibits. Degliantoni said it’s a monthly check-in call about what’s happening in the arts community, such as if a new artist is displayed at a coffee shop or a new gallery is opening. Evanston Made makes a long list of free arts events for people to check out on the first Saturday of every month, she said.
Around 15 galleries and venues were highlighted on Saturday, along with events like emerging artist mixers, a sketching class and a family crafting space.
Though many of Evanston’s artists were busy at these events, around 40 others opened their studios to the public for Evanston Made’s 10th annual Artist Studio Tour. The organization created a map of all the studios so patrons could plan their self-guided tour route.
“We saw an incredible amount of engagement yesterday, and then again today,” Degliantoni said. “I just went to deliver more maps to artists because they ran out and one was in the middle of selling a $3,500 painting to someone who was coming in for the first time.”
Joyce Elias, a mixed media artist who opened her studio on Sherman Avenue for tours this weekend, was one of Evanston Made’s first members. Elias said she felt burnt out when it came to art fairs and promotion while she was taking care of her kids, but joining Evanston Made has helped her come back in full swing.
Through its events, Elias said the organization has been very supportive, and she has met so many people, from artists to collectors to community members.
“I think most people know there are a lot of artists in Evanston, but they don’t know the artists, so this gives everyone an opportunity to meet them,” Elias said. “People just love coming in and seeing where we work, seeing the supplies on the shelves stacked up, it’s a really great community event.”
Evanston Made has really inspired the Evanston community to engage in the culture of art, said Helen Pytlewicz, who has sold her photographs at the Maker’s Market for about five years.
The Maker’s Market was born when Evanston Made members approached its directors around six years ago with complaints about art markets in the area. The Maker’s Market now is held in a parking garage at 1800 Maple Ave. and is “different, affordable and waterproof,” according to Degliantoni.
Sunday’s Maker’s Market was held from 12-5 p.m. and featured about 70% new artists, Degliantoni said. It’s great to have consistent vendors but switching it up every once in a while makes it more interesting for the shoppers, she said.
“I think the advertising has gotten better, so we’ve had more traffic and more artists,” Pytlewicz said. “This is the venue that connects Evanston artists for sure. I wouldn’t know them if it wasn’t for Evanston Made.”
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