Oak Street Art in the Community

Check out this brief visual history of Oak Street Art in the community, or see next section for highlights from the past few years. We love southern Illinois and contributing to it through art! 
And we were thrilled to find out in May 2019 that Oak Street Art was given a Good Neighbor award from WSIU! Thanks to local elementary school teacher Tabitha Harris for nominating us as part of WSIU Public Broadcasting's One Region, All Neighbors campaign. See the full (but still short) citation here, including a brief interview with a few of the group members. ​

RECENT HIGHLIGHTS
Oak Street Art in the Community

2020

  • April 25, 2020   Fifth Annual Oak Street Art Fair!
  • March 2020   Art lesson (with Oak Street Art printmaker Luca Cruzat and friends) for second-grade students at the General John A. Logan Attendance Center.
  •  February 2020  Art lesson (with Oak Street Art metalsmith/jewelry maker Sue Gindlesparger and friends) for second-grade students at the General John A. Logan Attendance Center.
  •  January 2020   Art lesson (with Oak Street Art stained glass artist Stephanie Dillard and friends) for second-grade students at the General John A. Logan Attendance Center.

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 (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 (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 for July! 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 

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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!