Oak Street Art in the Community

Check out this brief visual history of Oak Street Art in the community, and see next section for recent highlights. We aim to serve our community through advocacy, education, and practice.
In May 2019, Oak Street Art was given a Good Neighbor award from WSIU! See full citation here, including a brief interview with a few group members. ​

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS
Oak Street Art in the Community

2025
Sharp Museum and Oak Street art Collective.
Oak Street Art Collective Members Series
In honor of the 10th anniversary of Murphysboro's Oak Street Art Fair in 2026
Luca Cruzat & Darby Ortolano
Sharp Museum, Carbondale Il.
        October 2025: Luca Cruzat and Darby Ortolano (ceramics)
        November - mid December 2025: Sue Gindlesparger ( metal, jewelry) and Nicki Rathert (textile, weaving)
         January - Mid February 2026: Stephanie Dillard (stained glass) and Meagan Majors (painting)
        March - Mid April 2026: Cathy Schmidt (leather) and Madeline Steimle (illustration, glass)
Museum Hours: Tuesday - Friday Noon - 4pm, Saturday 1 - 4 pm
https://museum.siu.edu/

2023

 November 2022 the Logan Gallery located at  1618 Edith St. in Murphysboro was inaugurated.
Starting with several pop-up show with invited artists to present and sale their works.
March 25th, 2023 we had the first exhibit at the gallery. Two artists Martha Briana and Luca Cruzat collaborated on the theme The Multiple: works in printmaking. A one day exhibit to shared their recent works with the community
​April 29th, 2023 , 7th Oak Street Art annual Art Fair
June 19th, 2023 at 5:30 pm, the Mural Creativity was unveiled. Oak Street Art collective completed the project, created and design by Sue Gindlesparger. On view on the wall of 17th St and Edith St. Murphysboro, IL.
September 9th, 10 - 4pm was our fall pop up sale with invited artists that has been participating in our annual Art Fair.

2022 

April 23, 2022  6th annual Oak Street Art Fair
June 25, 2022    Summer pop-up sale. 1618 Edith St. Murphysboro, IL 62966. 10-5 pm
September 24, 2022 Pop-up sale at Logan Gallery (1618 Edith Street, Murphysboro, IL
​November 12, Grand Opening. Holiday season sale at the Logan Gallery

2021

April 24, 2021   5th annual Oak Street Art Fair

2020

Picture
Photo credit: George Mendez

2019

  • December 6, 2019  For the second year, Oak Street Art members will be leading local children in making their own ornaments as part of the Murphysboro Hometown Christmas celebration at the Murphysboro Youth and Recreation Center.
  •  November 20, 2019  Art lesson (leather medicine bag with Oak Street Art leather artist Cathy Schmidt and friends) for second-grade students at the General John A. Logan Attendance Center.
  •  October, 2019  Art lesson (pinch pots developed by Oak Street Art ceramic artist Darby Ortolano and friends) for second-grade students at the General John A. Logan Attendance Center.
  •  October 4, 2019  Open house at new Oak Street Art headquarters as part of Murphysboro’s First Friday celebration in the Logan Historic Arts Neighborhood.
  •  September 6, 2019  Open house at the new Oak Street Art headquarters (401 S. 16th St., “the Jones House”) as part of Murphysboro’s First Friday celebration in the Logan Historic Arts Neighborhood.
  •  July, 2019   Oak Street Art was given a WSIU “Good Neighbor” award! According to WSIU, this award “recognizes those who make a positive impact in the community.”
  •  June 11, 2019   Oak Street Art artists (Cathy Schmidt, Sue Gindlesparger, Shirley Krienert, and Luca Cruzat) led children in making Father’s Day gifts at the Murphysboro Youth & Recreation Center. Leather artist Cathy Schmidt designed the project for children to create personalized leather key chains as gifts.
  • May 2, 2019  At the Jackson Growth Alliance revitalization project’s Artist Visioning Session, Oak Street Art was represented by Luca Cruzat, Darby Ortolano, Cathy Schmidt, and Shirley Krienert.
  •  April 27, 2019   Fourth Annual Oak Street Art Fair on Oak Street between 15th and 17th Streets. Children’s Art Tent with 4 hours of structured projects.
  •  April 10, 2019  Second grade classroom (Gen. John A. Logan Attendance Center) art lesson: Picasso selfie project led by Oak Street Art metalsmith Sue Gindlesparger and Oak Street Art leather artist , Cathy Schmidt. Project conceived by Oak Street Art painter Rachel Ensor. 
  •  February 27, 2019  At the Jackson Growth Alliance Town Hall meeting, Oak Street Art was represented by Shirley Krienert, Cathy Schmidt, and Ann Fischer. 
  • February 20, 2019  ​ Second grade classroom (Gen. John A. Logan Attendance Center) art lesson: Adinkra cloth stamping with Oak Street Art metalsmith Sue Gindlesparger, with assistance from Cathy Schmidt and Shirley Krienert.

2018

  • December, 2018   Oak Street Art sponsored a child for the John A. Logan Attendance Center angel tree
  • December, 2018   Oak Street Art painter Rachel Malcolm Ensor juried regional high school art competition at Cedarhurst Center for the Arts in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.
  • November, 2018  Oak Street Art donated a gift basket of art supplies for Sallie Logan Public Library silent auction.
  • November 30, 2018   All 7 Oak Street Art members worked one-on-one with almost 200 children to create their own tree ornaments for the Murphysboro Hometown Christmas celebration: https://bit.ly/2Q0u3r8
  • November 13, 2018   Second grade classroom (Gen. John A. Logan Attendance Center) art lesson: Making pinch pots with Oak Street Art ceramic artist Darby Ortolano, with assistance from Oak Street Art fiber artist Shirley Krienert: oakstreetart.com/blog/darby-ortolanosecond-grade-pottery 
  • November 3, 2018   Oak Street Art was pleased to set up a table at the Women’s Center fundraiser at the Old Feed Store in Cobden, with a portion of sales going directly to the Women’s Center: oakstreetart.com/blog/oak-street-art-joins-womens-center-fundraiser
  • October 6, 2018   Three Oak Street Art members participated in the General John A. Logan Museum event, A Woman’s Work Is Never Done. Cathy Schmidt hosted a table of Oak Street Artists’ work for sale, Rachel Malcolm Ensor gave a lecture on African American folk quilting, and Shirley Krienert held an embroidery demonstration: https://bit.ly/2VzIE2Q.
  • October 23, 2018    Oak Street Art leather artist Cathy Schmidt and Oak Street Art fiber artist Shirley Krienert taught children to make dreamcatchers at STEAM night by 4-H at the Murphysboro Youth & Recreation Center: oakstreetart.com/blog/steam-nightdreamcatchers 
  • October 4, 2018   Second grade classroom (Gen. John A. Logan Attendance Center) art lesson: Making dreamcatchers with Oak Street Art leather artist Cathy Schmidt, with assistance from Oak Street Art fiber artist Shirley Krienert: oakstreetart.com/blog/second-gradesmiles-with-cathy-schmidt
  • October, 2018  Oak Street Art painter Rachel Malcolm Ensor judged a scarecrow decorating competition at Mileur Orchard.
  • May 28, 2018   Oak Street Art printmaker Luca Cruzat held an open studio day, with a special print (“Wildlife”) made for the General John A. Logan Museum sesquicentennial Memorial Day celebration: oakstreetart.com/blog/2018-memorial-day-openstudio-wildlife-with-printmaker-luca-cruzat.
  • May 14, 2018   Oak Street Art ceramic artist Darby Ortolano brought the Oak Street Art Selfie Station to the Murphsyboro Youth and Recreation Center for Murphsyboro Family Vacation Night: oakstreetart.com/blog/se lfie-station-murphysborofamily-vacation-night 
  • April 21, 2018   Third annual Oak Street Art Fair! Children’s Art Tent with 4 hours of structured projects and an all-day children’s mural: oakstreetart.com/blog/2018- children 

Connect

We love hearing your comments, questions, and ideas.

More Art in Our Community

Explore Local Art Organizations

Learn About Art

General Resources

Ask Us Anything!

Getting Started

  • Resources for other art media coming soon. 

Ways to Help

  • ​You can donate using PayPal at www.paypal.me/OakStreetArt, and it will come to us. Thank you!
  • You can mail a check (made out to Oak Street Art) to 1515 Oak Street, Murphysboro, IL 62966.
  • Other ideas? Please send them along!