Downtown Chicago. Photo by Alice Achterhof. Courtesy Choose Chicago.
The Midwestern states are among the most diverse in this country, with many of them having specialized art regions that beckon visitors from all over the world. There are the large metropolises—such as Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit and Kansas City—that have arts districts, museums and countless galleries and events. There are also the bucolic towns that have found their niche by hosting plein air festivals or building artist communities that have thrived for decades. No matter where you’re headed in one of the 12 states, there’s something to explore and satisfy your collecting needs.
Chicago has long been one of the major art hubs in the Midwest, if not the entire country. It has art districts and an internatioanl museum scene, including the must-visit Art Institute of Chicago and Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago. Annual art fairs where galleries from all over the world exhibit fresh two- and three-dimensional art are also prevalent with SOFA Chicago, EXPO CHICAGO and The Other Art Fair Chicago being among just the noteworthy few. There are also an array of art festivals where artists themselves set up and showcase their latest paintings, sculpture, jewelry and other collectables. Some of the most popular are Art in Wilder Park, Old Town Art Fair, the 57th Street Art Fair and Wells Street Art Festival.
Kansas City is also not to be forgotten, with the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art being just two of the museums found in the growing city. Events happening include one of the area’s longest-running festivals, the Plaza Art Fair; the Brookside Art Annual; and the three-day Art Westport with 150 top artists showcasing their works.
Indianapolis is also flourishing with cultural districts, galleries and more to entice any visitor. Among the notable spots are Broad Ripple Village, which is known for its public art, graffiti murals and art galleries; the Canal and White River State Park area, which is home to the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art; Mass Ave, which is called the Arts and Theater District; and the Wholesale District that includes a wide array of shopping and performances.
Looking for something a bit off the beaten path? The Saugatuck/Douglas region is known as “the art coast of Michigan,” while there are 19 art communities throughout Door County, Wisconsin. Brown County, Indiana—named the “Art Colony of the Midwest”—is another noteworthy locale with events, galleries and artists at every turn. There’s also Grand Marais Art Colony in Minnesota, which has several signature summer events that draw collectors in from all parts.
Among those calling the Midwest home are Lotton Gallery, the African American Artists Collective, as well as artists Carrie Pearce, Cindy Kopenhafer and Debra Joy Groesser.
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African American Artists Collective
1522 Holmes Street
Kansas City, MO 64108
www.aaac-kc.com
The African American Artists Collective is an organization run by artists in Kansas City, Missouri. In 2014, a group of artists—Diallo Javonne French, Glenn North, Gerald Dunn, Jason Piggie, NedRa Bonds and Sonié Joi Thompson-Ruffin—met at Gates Bar-B-Q on Linwood and Main in Kansas City, with “Rev.”, better known as U.S. Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II and his assistant Jim Vaughn. The six artists, Cleaver and Vaughn, discussed the African American arts movement in the city and what they were doing as artists in the community.
African American Artists Collective, Locs, digital image, 24 x 36", by Joseph A. Newton Jr.
African American Artists Collective, Sampson, hand-dyed batik fabric, 60 x 54", by Kim Newton.
African American Artists Collective, Bliss, acrylic and airbrush on cotton fabric, 42 x 60", by Charles Swavy Jones.
After the initial meeting, the group met regularly while members of the group continued to work in their respective fields of practice as professional artists. The group, which counts the six artists and Cleaver as its founders, continues to grow as more artists hear about who they are and what they do.
The mission of the African American Artists Collective is to support and advocate African American and black artists in Kansas City, regionally and nationally. Its members cover a multiplicity of practices in the arts and culture community; they represent a broad range within the arts applications, such as painters, muralists, sculptors, public artists, art educators, curators and performers. The collective advances and encourages the professional development of the artists as well as shares networking opportunities, provides peer support and arts education opportunities.
Artists who are members currently operate from three locations—ArtsTech, 1900 Main Artists Collective Studios and Bruce R. Cultural Heritage Center, which is the site for its exhibitions.
African American Artists Collective, Colors, acrylic on canvas, 17 x 12", by Michael Toombs.
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Lotton Gallery
900 N. Michigan Avenue, Level 6
Chicago, IL 60611
(312) 664-6203
glass@lottongallery.com
www.lottongallery.com
Lotton Gallery was founded in 1998, in the heart of Chicago’s famous Magnificent Mile. Centering around the three generations of the Lotton family and their rich tradition of making art glass, the gallery also offers original fine artwork from some of the leading living artist of our time. Living painters create artwork in a range of styles from impressionism to realism, and they paint many different subjects including figures, landscapes, cityscapes and still lifes.
Lotton Gallery, Amsterdam, Centraal Train Station, oil on canvas, 20 x 31", by Jesus Navarro.
Lotton Gallery, Running River, oil on canvas, 22 x 18", by Miguel Peidro.
“Summer is the best time of year in Chicago as travelers from all over the globe come for a visit,” says Christina Franzoso, director at the gallery. “This brings us so many collectors; we have lots of fun showing, selling and buying art.”
“Summer is the best time of year in Chicago as travelers from all over the globe come for a visit. This brings us so many collectors; we have lots of fun showing, selling and buying art.” — Christina Franzoso, director, Lotton Gallery
The gallery’s exhibition calendar is packed with many exciting shows for 2020. Starting with a gallery favorite, Dmitri Danish will have his seventh solo show in August. September brings a much-anticipated solo show for Mary Alayne Thomas and her ethereal encaustic works. Landscape artist Miguel Peidro will light up the gallery with his electric autumn scenes for his second solo show in October. Hyperrealist painter Jesus Navarro is working on several new cityscapes and still lifes for a solo show in November.
Lotton Gallery centers on three generations of glass art by members of the Lotton family as well as paintings that range from impressionism to realism.
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Carrie Pearce
(309) 2314378
carrie@carriepearce.com
www.carriepearce.com
Carrie Pearce was born in Peoria, Illinois, in 1969. She has been drawing and painting as long as she can remember. Her earliest memories include a Walt Disney light-up table and asking her mom to draw her pictures as she described them. Pearce’s first major inspiration came from Ann Adams, an artist who drew with a pencil between her teeth. At the age of 6, Pearce was amazed at her ability, and tried to duplicate her drawings with and without a pencil in her teeth. Pearce attended the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia, where she graduated with honors. 
Carrie Pearce, Girl Stuff, oil on panel, 24 x 18"
In 2007, upon seeing DaVinci’s portrait of Ginevra de’ Benci, she declared, “I want to paint like that.” Her paintings can be described as imaginary realism. Although dedicated to the 16th-century techniques of the Masters, she also finds room for the occasional scribble, inspired by children’s drawings. Pearce describes her work as emotional portraits rather than portraits of people. The people are inspired by turn of the century photos that she finds at antique stores and estate sales. 
Carrie Pearce, JouJou, oil on linen, 60 x 36"
Pearce believes that every artist is unique, and her works express her own vision, voice, imagination, humor and emotions, as seen through turn of the century children often with toys, confectionaries and other delights. “What you will find in my paintings are love, tragedy, humor, emotional upset, color, hypnotic faces, darkness, mystery, funny faces, hoopty-do’s and hoopty-don’ts; I also like to write a short free verse poem with every painting,” she says. “I think it helps the viewer understand my direction. More importantly, it is a part of my creative process. I don't feel as though a painting is complete until I do so.”
Carrie Pearce, Everafter, oil on canvas, 36 x 48"
Pearce is a “Living Artist” with the Art Renewal Center and was one of the 10 finalists for the prestigious Bennett Prize. This year she will participate in a number of exhibitions around the country, with updates available on her website. Studio visits are available by appointment.
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Cindy Kopenhafer
Pleasant Hope, MO
rhframe@yahoo.com
www.cindykopenhafer.com
Cindy Kopenhafer was born and raised on a ranch in Montana and both her mother and grandmother were artists. This instilled in her an appreciation for art at an early age. Growing up on a ranch near the Teton and Missouri rivers gave her the love of nature. Kopenhafer works in several mediums and her art focuses on trees and figures.
Cindy Kopenhafer, Looking Up, graphite on Arches Platine paper, 30 x 22"
Cindy Kopenhafer, Rushing through the Tunnels, graphite and white charcoal on toned paper, 8 x 10"
Her piece Looking Up was juried into the American Women Artists’ 2020 Spring Online Show. She is a member with distinction in the group, and she belongs to several other professional organizations such as the Pastel Society of America, Portrait Society of America, Watercolor Honor Society, Springfield Plein Air and Springfield Life Drawing Group.
In September/October 2020 will be her solo show Trees, Rocks and Streams at the Margaret Hartwell Art Museum in Poplar Bluff, Missouri. At the same museum, her work will appear in the Watercolor Honor Show from December 5 to January 24. Kopenhafer is represented by Waverly House Gifts and Gallery in Springfield, Missouri.
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Debra Joy Groesser
Debra Joy Groesser Fine Art Gallery
5615 S. 77th Street, Ralston, NE 68127
(402) 592-6552
www.debrajoygroesser.com
www.debrajoygroesserfineart.com
Nebraska artist Debra Joy Groesser is best known for her impressionistic landscape paintings, particularly her plein air work. Her ability to render emotion, mood and to capture the spirit of her subjects draws collectors worldwide to her work. She says, “Nothing inspires me more than being out on location, capturing the subtle nuances of color, light and atmosphere that can only be achieved by painting from nature.”
Debra Joy Groesser, Where the Wildflowers Grow, oil on linen panel, 12 x 12"
Groesser is currently working on a series of plein air landscapes titled Yes, This is Nebraska. COVID-19 put a temporary hold on the project due to several locations and state parks being closed, but her plan is to finish the project by late summer or early fall 2021. She is scheduled to participate in the Door County Plein Air Festival in July; the Oil Painters of America’s National Juried Exhibition in October; and also in October the National Juried Exhibition of the American Impressionist Society, where she serves as the CEO/President and holds a Signature membership.
Groesser opened Debra Joy Groesser Fine Art in March 2018, which shows her work, her husband’s woodworking and pieces by guest artists. She is also represented by The Mission Gallery in St. George, Utah; Montgomery-Lee Fine Art in Park City, Utah: Mary Williams Fine Arts in Boulder, Colorado; and Southwind Gallery in Topeka, Kansas. —
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