Missouri artists
Our artist this week lived from 1860–1925 and was ahead of his time as an impressionist. Shoe manufacturer Lester Shepard Parker’s approach to painting is particularly interesting because it reflects a sophisticated understanding of European impressionism, a style still seen as avant-garde in the 1920s. He repeatedly painted Missouri’s new state capitol building in varying light and atmospheric conditions with loose, impressionistic brushstrokes and vibrant colors.
Lydia Crespo, a St. Charles native, graduated from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2010. Lydia’s specialty is the creation of dyed fabric that is influenced by the natural world, and her shop features comfortable clothing and décor items that showcase her unique fabric designs. Since 2018, Lydia has been showcasing her work at Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles.
Her face practically fills the frame. You can see every freckle—and the determination in her eyes. She’s Abby, a twenty-two-year-old with Down syndrome who wishes servers wouldn’t offer her a kid’s menu. She’s a homecoming queen working at her old high school and dreaming of going to college and getting married.