<p>Among the hundreds of artists taking part in the annual Penrod Arts Fair, people can see vibrant paintings and confounding sculpture.</p>
<p>Abstract artwork will make viewers use their imaginations to guess what lies in the hodgepodge of colors and forms. In-your-face portraits force observers to take a different look at beloved musicians and historical figures. Unique wooden furniture and whimsical animal scenes give people something they’ve never seen before.</p>
<p>And that’s just the contributions from Johnson County artists taking part in the art fair.</p>[sc:text-divider text-divider-title="Story continues below gallery" ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
<p>The Penrod Arts Fair has become a central Indiana cultural tradition, bringing together more than 300 artists from around the country to display their creations. Attendees stroll the shaded grounds of Newfields, the home of the Indianapolis Museum of Art, taking in abstract paintings, landscapes, woodwork and more.</p>
<p>With a sterling reputation and an attendance of more than 20,000 people, the fair is in demand for all kinds of creative-minded people. For a handful of Johnson County-based artists, the event is an opportunity to reach a wide variety of people who are committed to supporting the arts.</p>
<p>“At Penrod, you get a lot of people from all over, from downtown and the northside, that appreciate art,” said Sean Fagan, a Franklin artist specializing in custom furniture. “It’s a big show, and it drew me in because of the people you can reach from that one show and one day who can see your pieces, and hopefully become lifelong customers.”</p>
<p>The Penrod Arts Fair was founded in 1967 by a group of volunteers interested in supporting cultural activities and education throughout the Indianapolis area. The name “Penrod” is a reference to a literary character from Indianapolis novelist Booth Tarkington.</p>
<p>Though the Penrod Society supports a number of arts activities throughout the year, the fair is the most visible of its activities. In addition to the more than 300 artists taking part in this year’s event, organizers have set up six stages of entertainment featuring jazz, dance and symphonic music.</p>
<p>More than 20 food and beverage vendors will be on hand, including Bazbeaux Pizza, Ruth’s Chris Steak House and Bargersville’s own Johnson BBQ Shack.</p>
<p>But the highlight is the art.</p>
<p>Patti Paris Owens will be taking part in Penrod for the second straight year. She will be set up in the “yellow” section of the festival, located in the grassy area closest to Michigan Avenue and 38th Street.</p>
<p>Paris Owens, an abstract multimedia artist from Bargersville, considered the 2017 fair a success. It allowed her to sell a number of pieces and make contacts with art lovers throughout the area that proved beneficial throughout the year.</p>
<p>“It was better than I expected,” she said. “That being said, I learned from last year. I remember what I didn’t have and what people were interested in, so I make sure I have particular colors this year that I maybe didn’t have last year.”</p>
<p>Based on what patrons were asking for in 2017, Paris Owens has added paintings featuring more warm colors — reds and oranges — to supplement her repertoire of atmospheric abstract work. She has also diversified the number of large paintings that she’ll feature, because those tend to sell better, she said.</p>
<p>The show will also be a chance to display new approaches to her art that she’s challenged herself with.</p>
<p>“I’m experimenting with different techniques, different kinds of blades, but also pours, where I’m doing reactive-type techniques where the paints are moving around, and I have to control them in a way that creates what I want to create,” she said.</p>
<p>Greg Potter will also be taking part in Penrod for a second time, having participated in 2016. The first time the Franklin artist applied, he was put on the waiting list to be part of the fair.</p>
<p>Less that a week before the event, Potter received a phone call that he had a spot.</p>
<p>“I didn’t know if I had enough paintings ready. I thought, ‘What am I going to do?’ But we told them yes, and it was exciting. We thought this could be a way to get our foot in the door, be a regular at Penrod,” he said.</p>
<p>His focus is whimsical animal paintings. Porcupines sail stormy seas in a tea cup. Rain slicker-wearing penguins stand watch on a boat. A pair of lemurs are placed in an Adam and Eve scene.</p>
<p>The paintings proved to be a hit his first year at Penrod.</p>
<p>“We sold every piece we had, despite the weather. It was still a good success,” he said.</p>
<p>Greenwood artist Chuck Horsman will display the colorful fame- and pop culture-inspired portraits during the art fair. In the past, he’s depicted abstract-influenced images of David Bowie, Kurt Cobain and the Beatles, among many others.</p>
<p>His most recent focus has been on historical figures. Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Andrew Jackson and Benjamin Franklin are all subjects that he’s tackled recently.</p>
<p>“They’re a lot of fun to do, because there are a lot of cool things I can do in the background,” Horsman said. “I usually do some things in the background that point to that person’s life.”</p>
<p>After doing other art events, Horsman found that the subjects of his work is a great way to attract potential customers and start a conversation about his art.</p>
<p>“It makes me feel good that something I painted makes them want to come up closer, instead of just walking on by,” he said.</p>
<p>At an art fair, people expect to find paintings and sculpture of all different kinds. But Penrod will also showcase artists working in unique mediums.</p>
<p>Fagan has done WAMMfest in the past, but this is his first year at Penrod. With his decision to focus more on his artwork, he hopes that it serves a springboard for more opportunities to display in the future.</p>
<p>He had spent 20 years in the construction industry, and is a lifelong woodworker. Only recently, he decided to branch out and start creating his own custom furniture. His focus is on unique, long-lasting pieces using unique cuts of wood that give people a completely original centerpiece that becomes a heritage piece.</p>
<p>“It’s great to create a piece for somebody and really put your heart into something, and see people get really excited when they see it,” he said.</p>
<p>The main art fair is Saturday, but a special event will be held on Friday evening to give patrons the first chance to buy in-demand art pieces during the Evening with Penrod, a special fundraiser for the organization.</p>
<p>More than 150 artists will be taking part in the event, and a more intimate setting allows for greater interaction with patrons. Food from some of Indianapolis’ finest restaurants, such as The Oceanaire Seafood Room, Late Harvest Kitchen and Blue Clover, will be provided.</p>
<p>“People have more time to see your work, because it’s only some of the artists taking part,” said Paris Owens, who took part in the Evening with Penrod last year and will be in it again. “There’s wonderful food and drinks, people are milling around relaxed and not being rushed. You have more time to have conversations with people.”</p>[sc:pullout-title pullout-title="Greg Potter" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>Home: Franklin</p>
<p>Art style: Acrylics</p>
<p>What does it mean for you to be part of Penrod?</p>
<p>"It’s a relief to know that your work is good enough to display there."</p>
<p>What was it like for you during last year’s fair?</p>
<p>"It was raining quite a bit. I called it ‘Mud-rod’ because it was so wet out. But we sold every piece. That made me want to do it even more. If people come out between the monsoon that we’re having to buy art, that’s a pretty serious gig."</p>
<p>Why do you think people are drawn to your work?</p>
<p>"It’s pretty fun to paint the animals in different environments. People feel relieved that you’re not there to send some message."</p>[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title="Patti Paris Owens" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>Home: Bargersville</p>
<p>Art style: Abstracts multi-media two-dimensional pieces</p>
<p>How did last year’s fair prepare you to take part this year?</p>
<p>"I totally learned what I need. I can contact customers from last year and tell them where I’m going to be. We’re really looking forward to it, crossing our fingers on weather."</p>
<p>What kind of work will you be featuring in this year’s show?</p>
<p>"They’re abstract and semi-abstract. I do a lot of colors that are light and soothing, but also have the warm tones. That’s what I was missing last year. What I learned from my shows is that I need to have my grouping of warm colors.</p>
<p>Why do you think people are drawn to your work?</p>
<p>"Being abstract, a lot of people like color pieces, but a lot of people like to see things in them, or imagine or interpret their own thought of what they’re seeing in the picture."</p>[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title="Sean Fagan" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>Home: Franklin</p>
<p>Art style: Custom furniture</p>
<p>How did you get into this kind of artwork?</p>
<p>"I’ve always been into working, since I started when I was 14. I worked in the construction industry for 20 years, and recently branched out on my own, wanting to concentrate on more furniture."</p>
<p>What compels you to create these pieces?</p>
<p>"A lot of people are out there looking for something that will last a lifetime, or even that they can pass down for generations. People are starting to be more interested in saving up to buy one really nice piece of furniture they can keep forever."</p>
<p>How do you approach your projects?</p>
<p>"You start talking to a customer and they have their own ideas or a picture of something they’ve seen. You try not to copy something, to put your own spin on it. Then with some of them, you don’t even have a plan. You just start working on them and design it as it goes. You can let your creative juices flow."</p>[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title="Chuck Horsman" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p>Home: Greenwood</p>
<p>Art style: Oil portraits, including pop culture and historical figures</p>
<p>Why did you want to be part of Penrod this year?</p>
<p>"It’s the biggest and best art fair in Indianapolis. I’ve never done an outdoor art fair before, because there’s a lot of investment to it. But I’m part of the Stutz Artist Association, and they have a tent that they’re setting up that we’ll all be under. So it’s a nice easy way for me to test the waters."</p>
<p>What inspired you to look at historical figures?</p>
<p>"I initially decided to do Andrew Jackson because they were saying they were going to take him off the $20 bill. I thought it was kind of timely. But doing these also gave me a lot more freedom. I like to add a lot of color in, and this gives me a lot more flexibility with the colors I chose. Most of the images I found of them were black and white, so I had guess on my own."</p>
<p>What do you hope people take away from your portraits when they see them?</p>
<p>"It’s always fun to get conversations going. A lot of people come up and have their own stories about these people. A lot of history buffs look at the little details I put in there, and then they’d have to tell me stories about Washington or Lincoln. It’s neat that they discover little things I put in there."</p>[sc:pullout-text-end][sc:pullout-title pullout-title="If you go" ][sc:pullout-text-begin]<p><strong>Penrod Arts Fair</strong></p>
<p>What: A gathering of more than 300 artists, with live music, food and a beer garden on site.</p>
<p>When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday</p>
<p>Where: Newfields, 4000 Michigan Ave., Indianapolis</p>
<p>Admission: Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door. Children 10 and under are free.</p>
<p>Parking: Free parking, with a free shuttle service to the fair, will be available at the following locations:</p>
<p><ul><li>Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1201 E. 38th St.</li><li>Light of the World Church, 4646 N Michigan Rd.</li><li>Major Taylor Velodrome, 3649 Cold Spring Rd.</li></ul></p>
<p>A limited amount of paid parking will be available on Newfields’ campus for $30. A limited number of handicap parking spaces will be available at Newfields for those with state-issued disability placards or license plates.</p>
<p>Evening with Penrod: This fundraiser from 6 to 11 p.m. Friday gives people an exclusive look at some of the works being featured at the art fair, with food by some of the region’s best restaurants. Tickets are $175 per person, with VIP access $225.</p>
<p>Information: penrod.org</p>[sc:pullout-text-end]
