Capturing the ‘art’ of Green Bay
Artigras is in a new location but still the same showcase for artists
By Erin Hunsader
The fine arts fair that is Artigras returns to Green Bay March 5 and 6 with a few changes – the biggest one being the location, according to Molly Carey, Design and Marketing Specialist for Mosaic Arts, one of the event sponsors.
“This is the 32nd annual artigras… It’s at a different location compared to previous years. The last one was at the K-I Convention center and this year we’re at the Resch Center,” Carey said.
Some of the other changes one might find at this year’s event involve the children’s programming, Carey said.
“We have a couple things we kind of changed up a little bit. We always have a children’s area – something hands-on, like painting. This year we started a program in Titletown called U R Art (2019), where people can read a book and then paint something that revolves around that story,” Carey said. “So we took the same idea and in the hands-on children’s area, a book is going to be read and then participants can take a rock and paint it to reflect that book and that rock will go into an installation that is going to be in the community.”
Amidst the changes, Carey said she and other organizers are just excited the event is taking place this year as, like many other events in the community, artigras had been canceled in past years due to the pandemic, which had lasting effects.
“We really took a hit (with COVID-19) because our biggest fundraiser for the artists is to have the event (Artigras) and when things like this started getting canceled, it hurt the artists and us so you had to reevaluate how to move forward – what can we do to make these events happen and if we can have them,” she said.
Carey said she did notice that the artists didn’t waste any time letting the pandemic get in the way of their creativity. She said they shared how they used time during periods of shutdown to continue to be creative.
“A lot of what I’ve seen is that artists were able to experiment with new medium (during periods of shutdown due to the pandemic). A few of the artists were telling me that – they had the time and the availability to be creative and then, that way, things would come to them and you go to a new show and you have this crazy variety of stuff you put all of your heart into,” Carey said.
Artigras also offers patrons an opportunity to view and purchase work from the artists as well. Something one local artist is looking forward to experiencing.
Mike Burman, whose medium is photography, said he is excited to participate in Artigras for the first time.
“This event offers me a chance to participate in a very large indoor art show. Most large art fairs take place during the summer and during the ‘indoor season’” Burman said. “The venues and fairs are quite small so I’m really glad Green Bay is offering something like this because I think it’s very rare to have a show of this magnitude indoors. I think many people forget about art when it’s not summer and this can really show the Green Bay art market in a great light.”
Besides the photography of Burman, Carey said there is a whole palette of artwork on display at Artigras.
“There are artists that are painters, there’s ceramics, glass, wood, medal, mixed-media. You name it, there is such a variety of mediums. We even have fiber,” Carey said. “It’s a variety of people and businesses.”
Artless Bastard, Evergreen Productions and Swanstone Gardens are a few of the businesses that will be on hand, Carey said.
Artigras is March 5 and 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Resch Center complex.
Erin Hunsader is the Editor of Green Bay City Pages. She can be reached via email at [email protected]