As the summer season comes to a close, art festivals and fairs around Omaha make their last show for the year. More than 120 regional and local artists gathered to exhibit their artwork at the 48th annual Rockbrook Village Art Fair last weekend. 

The two-day weekend fair that attracts thousands of art lovers is one of Nebraska’s longest and biggest art fairs, said Andrea Carson, marketing director of Rockbrook Village. 

Artists from across the Midwest and other parts of the country travel to Omaha to attend the fair and show off their work. According to Carson, more than 10 different states were represented at this year’s fair.

“We definitely have a large variety of artists. Every medium you can think of is represented here. We like to think there’s a little something for everyone,” said Carson. 

The art fair showcased a variety of mediums ranging from wood carving, sculptures, jewelry, ceramics, glass, photography and more. 

Sondra Gerber, a metal sculptor from Omaha, creates handcrafted art from aluminum and glass that is painted, polished and cut by laser. Her booth showcased various wall, table and garden sculptures.

In 2001, she opened the Blue Pomegranate Gallery, an art gallery in Omaha that sells a variety of artwork made my Gerber and other artists. Prior to that, she spent years participating in art fairs where she sold most of her work.

After opening the gallery, art fairs came to a pause for her. While she managed the business, she focused more on having artwork to showcase and sell there. Eventually, other artists were welcomed to also have their work sold at her gallery. 

This year, she decided to bring it all back.

“I haven’t done an art fair probably in over 10 years. So this is me, coming back in with my own work again like I did back in [1998]. The gallery was always a whole collection of different artists. So this is a show that’s just for my work. ” said Gerber. 

The “hustle and bustle” and reconnecting with people who collect her work are some of the many qualities that make art fairs enjoyable, said Gerber. 

“Rockbrook Art Fair is really more about the art which I appreciate. It’s less about going to be entertained…it’s more focused on the reason of going [which] is to see the artwork,” she said.

Aside from the fair, visitors could conveniently visit the shopping centers and restaurants that surrounded the booths. There was a food court and a small kid’s tent set up for children to color, draw and play games.