Community artists bring creativity to Urbana’s Crystal Lake Park

Urbana, Ill. (WAND) — Some of the best art can be found right in your neighborhood park. Hundreds of people walked through Crystal Lake Park in Urbana Sunday to enjoy community art.

“I do a lot of art fairs, and this has come to be one of my favorites,” ceramics artist Richard Wehrs said.

Wehrs is an artist from Peoria. For decades, he has worked with pottery. Now, he is showcasing his ceramic pieces to hundreds of visitors at the Crystal Lake Park Art Fair.

He said the most enjoyable part is interacting with people in the community.

“I think of my work as being play-centered. It’s me making what the heck ever I want and whatever amuses me. And I’ve found that what amuses me happily also amuses other people as well,” Wehrs said.

Dozens of artists traveled in to share their creativity with locals. Allison Norfleet is a mixed-metal artist from St. Louis. She said the loving community keeps her coming back.

“It makes us go back to our studios and want to create more because we’re brightening somebody’s life,” Norfleet said.

For the artists, many pieces found a home. And for the visitors, a walk through the park became a chance to discover something deeper.