Arts Rundown: Laumeier, Kemper, PXSTL, CAM And More

Got Mother’s Day plans? Maybe a backyard barbeque? Gardening? Enjoying the flowers at the Botanical Garden?

One St. Louis  Mother's Day weekend tradition is the Art Fair at Laumeier.

You don’t have to wait until Sunday to go out to the sculpture park, as the event starts Friday. In fact, if you are there Friday or Saturday, you might find the perfect Mother’s Day gift from among the 150 artists who have been selected for their work in ceramics, fiber/textiles, glass, jewelry, mixed media, painting, photography/digital, printmaking/drawing, sculpture and wood.

Some of the artists will be new and some are old favorites, such as 2013 award winners Carolyn and John Ruff of Springfield, Mo.; Helen Springer from Milford, Mich., and Robert Copeland of Chattanooga, Tenn.

While you're there, don’t forget the exhibit open at Laumeier. Mound City looks at St. Louis’ past, even before Laclede and Chouteau. The artists “explore traces of native culture in our contemporary world ranging in topics of disappearance and destruction, resurrection and monument.”

One of those artists is Alison Saar. Her Leelinauat Laumeier brings a Native American legend literally into the branches of the gardens trees.

The Figge Art Museum said of a 2011 show Alison Sarr: Still … “She uses the everyday experience, history and associations of her materials, African art and ritual, Greek mythology and the stark sculptural tradition of German Expressionism to infuse her work with a primal intensity that challenges cultural and historic references and stereotypes.”

To read more about the artist, go to the Phyllis Kind Gallery and the Lux Art Institute. 

But back to the Art Fair:

When: 6-10 p.m. May 9; 10 a.m.-8 p.m. May 10 and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 11.

Where: 12580 Rott Rd.

Cost: $10; 
$5 for children ages 6-11; members and children under 6 are free

Information: www.laumeiersculpturepark.org/programs_events/art_fair

In addition at the Art Fair at Laumeier, you can also enjoy:

• The Art of the Vine: 6-9 p.m. May 9; $12 wristband gets unlimited samples in the Wine Tasting Tent from such wineries as Bommarito Estate Almond Tree Winery, Blumenhof Vineyards & Winery, Noboleis Vineyards, Peaceful Bend, St. James Winery, Sugar Creek Winery

• The Art of the Ale presented by Schlafly: 5-8 p.m. May 10; $10k for tasting a variety of beers, ales and Schlafly’s new Cider. Meet Ambassador Brewer Stephen Hale who will be answering your questions, sharing stories of the brewing process and its history.

Kemper to Grand Center

Some of the area’s most interesting places to experience art are working together on openings this Friday. Tune into Cityscape tomorrow and read Nancy Fowler’s article on our web site about what is happening. But here are the basics:

Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum

Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis

Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts

Bruno David

The Dark Room

In Old North

And in Soulard