Great Art is Everywhere

Woodard Lipe Fine Art & Auction is proud to sponsor the 2026 Saint Louis Art Fair—an event built around something we believe deeply: exceptional art can come from anywhere.

“Fine art” sounds like a something reserved for famous names, major museums and artists whose importance has already been established. But talent, originality and brilliance aren't confined to New York galleries or names in art history books. They are located in studios, small towns and communities everywhere—including the St. Louis region.

The work of Robert Roy Malone (1933–2018) is a perfect example of local brilliance. Malone lived and worked in Southern Illinois, far from the traditional centers of the art world. Yet his work is collected and known throughout the country by museums and collectors of exceptional printmaking. Sophisticated, inventive and unmistakably his own, he is one of the great masters of his time. 

Many times, the work of a local artist is more brilliant, complex and meaningful than art that has generated a buzz in the "art world." It's immensely satisfying to discover an artist you didn't know and then realizing that the work is extraordinary.

That's one reason we love the Saint Louis Art Fair. For one weekend, outstanding artists (not all local, of course) showcase their talents, viewpoints, and unique works in one location. You may recognize some names. You may recognize none. Neither determines whether the art is worth your attention.

At Woodard Lipe, we believe living with original art should be personal, approachable and, above all, interesting. Sometimes the most rewarding piece in a collection isn't the one everyone recognizes. It's the one you can't believe you were lucky enough to discover.

And when the Fair is over, keep looking. There is remarkable art to be discovered close to home.