Thirty local artists are setting up shop among the trees at Shaw Nature Reserve this year, turning the Gray Summit property into an open-air gallery for its annual Art Show. The two-day event runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day, with painters, photographers and potters showing nature-inspired work against the backdrop of Missouri's wooded landscapes.
According to FOX 2, Ellie Stevens, senior manager of events at Shaw Nature Reserve, helped introduce the show's return for its latest edition, which features local artists displaying paintings, photography and pottery amid the reserve's natural scenery. Patty Muenks, an artist with Heartheart Studios, is among the participants showcasing work at this year's event, the station reports.
A Tradition Nearly Two Decades Deep
The show isn't new to the reserve. An annual Art Show & Sale has been held at Shaw Nature Reserve every year since 2006, according to greatriverroad.com, which notes that about 22 artists typically participate each year. Past iterations of the show have featured a wide range of media, including paintings, photography, sculpture, wood carvings, baskets, wearable art, pottery, fibers, jewelry and glass, per the same account.
In a prior listing for the show, the Missouri Botanical Garden described artwork spanning glass, ceramic, wood and metal sculpture, painting, folk art, paper, photography, jewelry, basketry, fibers and more, with pieces displayed and available for purchase throughout the rustic cabins at the Dana Brown Overnight Center. That listing, dated November 2, 2024, also listed the show's hours as 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
A Reserve Rooted in Conservation
Shaw Nature Reserve spans 2,400 acres and operates as an extension of the Missouri Botanical Garden, the greatriverroad.com listing notes. Garden members get into the reserve for free, according to the same source, a detail that threads the art show into the broader mission of the land it sits on.
Organizers point attendees to shawnature.org for more information on the event, FOX 2 reports. The show gives visitors a chance to browse handmade work while wandering a property better known for its hiking trails and native plant displays than for gallery walls.
