Springfield Fine Arts Exploration - Day 1

This morning I went downtown to explore some local art galleries. When I got there, I discovered most galleries are closed on Mondays! However, I found a couple that were open, and was able to go to one. It was called

 

and features works by local artists and students. It is either part of Missouri State's "Idea Commons" or closely related - it is just around the corner from the MSU gallery, Brick City (which was open, but not until later, so I didn't get to go there today). Squidfoo is a smaller, storefront gallery, but also a studio where its in-house artists have their own workstations. I bought a small digital print by one of the in-house artists, a student named Debbie Madden (not sure if that's how she spells her first name). This is it:

 

 

I picked up a couple business cards there. The first is the most creative one I saw:

 

front

back

And the other was the one that made me most interested to look up its website:

 

 

 

 

 

Also part of the Idea Commons was a little place called the Idea Factory. And in front of it I found these crocheted decorations:

 

 

This was painted on the sidewalk...in front of a coffee shop, which I found humorous (her tattoo says "water"):

 

 

And last but not least, I came across a "Military Collectables" shop. What does a military collectibles shop have to do with fine art? Well...nothing. Except the step in front of the door was made of this:

 

 

 

(more close-up)

It was a rainy, cold Monday, so my first day was not "amazing," but it was not entirely unsuccessful, either. I enjoy finding new and interesting things.