On September 28th, the Kirksville Arts Association celebrated their annual Red Barn Arts and Crafts Festival in the downtown square for the 50th year in a row. Rows and rows of tents line the streets on either side, full of artists selling their crafts: paintings, clothing, jewelry, prints, wood carvings and many more.
One of the many artists at the festival, Kirksville-based digital photographer Maureen McHale, sat at her booth selling her wares to the people who passed through her tent. This was her ninth year at the Red Barn Festival, and she was no stranger to how the festival operated. McHale was there from 6 am to set up till 4 pm with the rest of the artists, promoting her specialty: nature photography.
McHale works as a solo artist. She shoots, prints, edits, mattes, frames and sells all of her own photos. Her prints — both framed and matted — line her tent, beside postcards with her photography. All her photos depict rural scenery or nature. Barns, landscapes, flowers and wildlife tend to be her domain, usually shot in the golden hours of the day. For McHale, this is essential. McHale shoots her photos early in the day and late at night not only for the lighting, but for the weather and photo quality, especially if the photos have proven to be high quality in specific locations.
“With major photography, the time of year is really important,” McHale said when asked about her work process. “So, if I find that there’s a lot of bloom up in a prairie that’s not too far away, I might visit that sometimes or try to get there once a week, then give it a rest, go back, or try another location in the meantime, like going into woods or gardens.”
This year, 95 art vendors filled the area with art and crafts for sale, with several of the artists arriving from out of state. Alongside the artists, 11 food vendors also lined up downtown to help feed the masses of attendees.
Ashton Clema, arts administrator for the Kirksville Art Association, has been the Red Barn director for two years now. While there are many special aspects of the annual festival, Clema said it’s the traditionality that’s truly given the festival its charm.
“It’s just went on for so long, and it’s a collaborative event where all of the artists in the area — even if they’re not from here — are able to meet, get other ideas and kind of feed off of each other,” Clema said.
Ashton Clema said the festival began during 1974, near the red barn on Truman State University’s campus. The original festival was created by a group of art-oriented citizens and funded by the Missouri Arts Council as an opportunity for local artists and crafters to sell their work, and the festival began to evolve over time as it increased in popularity and influence. At one point in time, it was a two-day show. Eventually, it became the popular event it is today. Directed by the Kirksville Art Association in correspondence with Truman, it is planned every year to coincide with Truman’s Family Day, drawing an additional crowd downtown. And due to the massive success they have every year thanks to this decision, it is unlikely that they will cease to do this any time soon.