On Oct. 4 and 5 the picturesque Historical Shaw neighborhood hosted its 16th annual art fair. The weekend event exhibited work from 135 artists from across the United States.

The fair was an open-air exhibit displaying various artistic genres and styles. Within two St. Louis blocks, there were dozens of booths, each exhibiting a single artist’s work.

Juried artists put their best works on display in the hopes of procuring a sale. Beyond the art, though, were children’s activities, music, food and live art demonstrations.

The art spanned an array of medias and themes, including digital photography, drawing, glass works, painting, sculpture and jewelry.

One of the more interesting booths was one dedicated to the glorification of found objects in which the artist managed to make a bowling ball turned water fountain seem like a desirable addition to any home.

The majority of the art shown was purely decorative, a category that does not stimulate much artistic discussion, nor does it challenge any artistic convention. This is the art that one would purchase to go with a newly redesigned living room.

More interesting and refreshing than the art shown, however, was the neighborhood and atmosphere of the event.

Mansions line the aptly named Flora Place and provide an historic setting for this show. Flora Place is one of the oldest and most intact neighborhoods within St. Louis historic districts. The acutely manicured gardens of these million-dollar homes are as much on display as the art is, and it is not solely the items for sale that invite the viewer to engage, but also the ambience that is guaranteed with the price of admission.

Children made crowns from recycled paper, and musicians wove in and out of the scattered crowd of people, playing their pipes for the benefit of a rather unappreciative audience.

This fair very much catered to people looking to buy art for their homes. A student looking to buy some art to adorn a dorm room was sorely out of luck.

The prices of the works mirrored the exclusivity of the accommodating neighborhood and were, arguably, outside the fiscal capabilities of most average college students.

The Historical Shaw district is located on Tower Grove Avenue just east of the Botanical Garden.

While the art fair has disassembled, its host neighborhood remains for students to explore, enjoy and, most likely, envy.