Shop local for the holidays and delight your family and friends with one-of-a-kind art gifts by Darby Ortolano (ceramics) and Sue Gindlesparger (metals, jewelry). See samples of each artist's work below.

On Sunday, November 18 (2018), Shop304 will host this pop-up art sale from 1 to 5 p.m. in downtown Carbondale, Illinois. Stop by ArtSpace 304  at 304 W. Walnut St. in Carbondale! See map below.

​In support of The Women's Center, Oak Street Art members set up shop at the Old Feed Store venue in Cobden, Illinois, on Saturday morning, November 3, 2018. 

Sue Gindlesparger (metals, jewelry) and Darby Ortolano (ceramics) were on hand for good conversation and to share the work of all seven Oak Street Art members. 

We were especially delighted to be invited to participate by Women's Center board member Stephanie Dillard. Stephanie also happens to be a talented stained glass artist featured in the 2018 Oak Street Fine Arts Fair.

A portion of all Oak Street Art sales from this "Feed the Need" fundraiser went directly to the Women's Center. In particular, proceeds were earmarked specifically for services to Union County survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.

​Oak Street Art member Ann R. Fischer brought home First Place at the 2018 Shrode Photography Competition. Awards were presented by Shrode Art Center Director Carrie Gibbs at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mt. Vernon, Illinois, during an October 20 reception​.

​Two other OSA members, Darby Ortolano (ceramics) and Shirley Krienert (fiber, mixed media), accompanied Ann and are shown in the last photo below.

With veteran photographer Ray Marklin as the judge, 39 out of 212 pieces were included in the final exhibit, which is on display at the Regenhardt Gallery at Cedarhurst through December 30, 2018. See the full set of exhibit photos here. 

Two of Ann's pieces were selected for the final exhibit, but First Place went to "Abstract, Colored Straws," shown below, which Ann says is one of her favorites. 

Two Oak Street Art members are happy to have works on display in the Civic Center Corridor Gallery in Carbondale, Illinois. 

The exhibit Focal Point is sponsored by Carbondale Community Arts and includes photos by our own Darby Ortolano (first photo below) and Ann R. Fischer (second photo below).​ 

Running from May 31 through June 29, 2018, the exhibit is available for viewing on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., as well as during public events. We hope you will stop by the Civic Center at 200 South Illinois Ave. in Carbondale (map below). 

In addition to seeing photos by Darby and Ann, you will also find images by many other southern Illinois community members, including two artists who participated in our 2018 Oak Street Fine Arts Fair: Eldon Benz and Helen Ashraf. 

A few weeks before the 2018 Oak Street Fine Arts Fair, we spent a fun morning talking with reporter Chanda Green as Byron Hetzler snapped photos. 

We loved the new feature story, Collective Souls: Oak Street Artists Nurture the Connections between Art and Community. Pick up a copy of the (beautiful, full-color, glossy) magazine where The Southern Illinoisan is sold, and see Chanda's story and Byron's photos online at the Life & Style website here. ​

It's spring! Three Oak Street artists will be showing and selling their beautiful work in downtown Carbondale on Sunday, April 8, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. 

Come see ceramics by Darby Ortolano (sample below), prints by Luca Cruzat, and jewelry by Sue Gindlesparger (sample below). The Shop 304 Spring Art Mart is a curated pop-up sale featuring about 20 local artists, along with local favorite Jen's Joe coffee. 

Drop by Artspace 304 (Carbondale Community Arts) at 304 W. Walnut Street in Carbondale. A map is below, and we hope to see you there!  

Two Oak Street Art artists are showing pieces at the Hartley Gallery's "Botanical" show in Herrin, Illinois. 

Rachel Malcolm Ensor (painting; see photo below) and Darby Ortolano (ceramics; see photo below) will have their work on display March 1 through May 5, 2018, along with that of a number of other regional artists. See event flier below for artist roster. 

Everyone is welcome at the artist reception on Saturday, March 24 from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m.

The Hartley Art Gallery and Event Center is located at 100 S. Park Ave., Herrin, Illinois. See map and gallery exterior photo below. You may also phone the gallery for details at (618) 957-8142.

Oak Street Art members Rachel Malcolm Ensor and Darby Ortolano both had art work accepted into the The Shrode Fine Art and Craft Competition and Exhibition at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts. 

Rachel’s mixed media piece Alternate Universe #3 (above, left), Darby’s Red Teapot (above, middle), and Darby's Reverie #2 (above, right) were accepted for display in the Regenhardt Gallery. 

The annual exhibit was open to all artists 18 years and older living in southern Illinois. Artists could enter a variety of media including painting, drawing, printmaking, clay, fiber, mixed media, wood, fine jewelry, metal, and sculpture. There are five prestigious awards: Best of Show ($400), Best of 2-Dimensional ($250), Best of 3-Dimensional ($250), and 2 Honorable Mentions.

Darby  won Honorable Mention for Reverie #2 (above, right). 

Congratulations, Darby and Rachel! For more images, see the photo album on Facebook.