After 5: Businesses participate in Art in Public Places

As an artist, finding venues to display your work is a challenge. But what if it were displayed in a business, someplace that already has traffic and doesn't charge to showcase your paintings?

For established and emerging local artists, the Springfield Regional Arts Council's Art in Public Places program is gaining steam as an opportunity for public exposure by featuring their work in Springfield-area businesses.

Initial brush strokes

Springfield Regional Arts Council Executive Director Sandra CH Smith started Art in Public Places soon after her arrival in 2007.

"We have such a wonderful concentration of artists in our area. (She) really wanted to find spaces for them," says Leslie Forrester, SRAC's education outreach coordinator. "One of the big struggles is finding somewhere to show. There's not as much gallery space as there are artists."

Initially, the focus was on banks because they typically have large wall spaces - great for showing off artwork. From there, the program developed to include government offices, a medical office and most recently, a law firm.

Painting the picture

St. John's Clinic-Facial Plastic Surgery Drs. Keith LaFerriere and Matthew Kienstra have displayed more than 200 pieces in their office since December 2007. Beth Stern, St. John's practice administrator, contacted SRAC after LaFerriere read in a Springfield Business Journal Daily Update e-newsletter about artwork displayed in banks. He thought their office would be a great place to display local art.

"We're letting people know that we've got local artists here in our community, that we have a wealth of talent right here," Stern says. "We want to be able to show that off."

Additionally, art connects with services the clinic offers.

"There's an artistic component or an aesthetic component to ... what we do in facial plastic surgery in form and feature," Stern notes.

After the initial contact, Smith and Forrester visit an office to determine available wall space. Forrester emphasizes that space is an important issue as some artists only have large canvases, while others may have several sizes. Next, an appeal is sent to the approximately 90 artists in SRAC's registry. Replies come in from those who have available work that fits the parameters.

After determining available space in an office or business, the personality and style of art are considered. Each artist hangs the paintings and is responsible for removing the artwork when the exhibition concludes.

A reception usually kicks off the exhibit, and SRAC provides event publicity, while the business supplies food, drink and set-up. Most sales of the artist's work come from the receptions, though contact information is always available should a customer of the exhibiting business wish to make a purchase. There is no cost to the business or the artist to participate in the program.

A splash of color

Kristi Fulnecky of Fulnecky Law LLC sought out SRAC to bring art into her office, 1530 E. Primrose, Ste. E, where she opened Nov. 5. Moving to a new location was the perfect opportunity to support local artists and enjoy beautiful artwork at the same time, she says.

Fulnecky is on the Springfield Symphony board and an active advocate of the arts. She and her physician husband view their involvement from the perspective of their careers.

"The arts are so important in Springfield because it's a great recruiting tool, at least for our professions," she says. "Having a strong symphony and strong performing arts and visual arts is really important for the culture."

Financial institution Wood & Huston Bank added a splash of color in late summer to its branch at 204 W. Primrose St.

"Banks being a conservative-type atmosphere, it brightened things up quite a bit in here," Branch Manager Shelley Weborg says about the pieces by artists Jan Bennicoff and Joan Smith.

The contrasting styles of the two artists were positively noted by staff and customers, she adds.

"It's nice to have beautiful things to look at," Stern says.