MELANIE KOFF
Special to The Jewish News
A
udree Levy hung
up her paintbrush
18 years ago, after
she ruptured a
disc in her back
while setting up her paintings
at an outdoor art show.
Drawing on her experiences,
Ms. Levy channeled her
creative energies into organiz-
ing the first Ann Arbor
Winter Art Fair. The indoor
show proved successful, and
five years later she also began
sponsoring the Arm Arbor
Spring Art Fair. Both shows
have become an Ann Arbor
tradition, annually attracting
about 14,000 customers over a
two-day period.
Next weekend (April 6-7),
the University of Michigan
Track and Tennis Building
will be host to the 13th an-
Levy's shows since the first
spring fair 13 years ago. "I feel
she is a fantastic promoter.
While many shows have too
much of one type of art, she
makes sure there is a
balance," Ms. Carson said.
Born in Detroit, Ms. Levy
raised her four children in
Ann Arbor. She moved to
Dallas eight years ago, and
relies on her facsimile
machine and telephone to
organize her shows long-dis-
tance.
"I'll be hosting the Ann Ar-
bor shows forever and ever,"
said Ms. Levy. "I lived in Ann
Arbor 26 years, so it is like
coming home twice a year."
Although she has been
working as an art fair organ-
izer for 18 years, she still
bubbles with enthusiasm
when discussing her job.
"I can hardly wait to get to
the office in the morning," she
began to work with me, I
decided to add shows, but even
then we have to find an indoor
facility, and not too many
cities have an appropriate
place to have an art show,"
said Ms. Levy.
Booth fees are used to adver-
tise her show and pay for the
show's expenses. The admis-
sion receipts are her reward
for bringing in the crowds.
David is Ms. Levy's only
child who has stepped into the
art world. A daughter lives
nearby in Dallas, while a se-
cond daughter lives in Israel.
She also has a son in San
Francisco.
Ms. Levy is confident that
one day she will turn the
The show will feature 250
artists from 27 states on
April 6-7 in the U-M pack and
Tennis Building.
nual Spring Art Fair. It will
feature 250 artists and craft-
speople from 27 states.
Ms. Levy attributes her suc-
cess as one of the nation's
renowned art fair organizers
to her experiences traveling to
art fairs around the country as
a portraitist. As a fair pro-
moter, one of her first
priorities was to have an in-
door show, so artists could set
up their artwork and leave it
up throughout a weekend
event.
Detroit artist Hilda Carson
said indoor art shows have
benefits for both the artists
and customers. "The indoor
shows have an altogether dif-
ferent feeling from the outdoor
ones," she explained. "You
don't have to worry about the
weather, and the atmosphere
is more relaxed!'
Ms. Carson has been ex-
hibiting her artwork in Ms.
said. "I work 8-10 hours a day
every day. My creative
satisfaction comes from think-
ing of new ways to advertise,
or developing new shows!'
For the past year-and-a-half,
Ms. Levy's 31-year-old son,
David, has been assisting his
mother with the business.
Although not an artist
himself, David noted, "I've
been around art all my life!'
David said when he worked in
retail management, he would
use his vacation time to help
his mother supervise art
shows.
This year, the Levys will
host an art fair in Dallas. Last
fall, they organized their first
show in Milwaukee. David is
currently scouting future art
fair sites, and has his eye on
South Bend, Ind.
"A show takes a great deal
of work, at least eight months
to put together. Once David
Audree Levy talks to an exhibitor
at the Spring Art Fair last year.
business over to David. But, "I
will never have my fingers
completely out of it. I never
could sit and do nothing!'
Even during her artist days,
Ms. Levy was no stranger to
organizing art shows. Early in
her career, she began inviting
artist friends to exhibit their
work on a plot of land owned
by her family. The impromp-
tu shows continued through-
out the summer and when
the weather turned colder,
Ms. Levy rented a Detroit
hotel banquet room to con-
tinue them.
A few years later, Ms. Levy
helped to organize the first
State Street Summer Art Fair
in Ann Arbor, an event which
is now known as one of the
country's largest and most
respected.
When she organized the
Aim Arbor Winter Art Fair in
1973, the fair featured 125 ar-
tists and grossed $130,000
over a three-day period.
Next weekend's Spring Art
Fair is expected to bring in
$350,000 for the artists. They
represent a variety of media,
such as painting, blown glass,
pottery and sculpture, with
items priced from $5 to
$1,000.
Ms. Levy's shows are strict-
ly juried, which means an ar-
tist must be invited to par-
ticipate. Once an artist has
been accepted into one of her
art fairs, the artist is
automatically invited to take
part in future shows.
Ms. Levy said the Ann Ar-
bor spring fair will feature a
wide variety of paintings,
home furnishing accents and
wearable fashion accessories.
But one type of art customers
won't find at her shows is
"country crafts!'
Mt. Clemens artist Jerry
Lehr has taken part in a
number of Ms. Levy's Ann Ar-
bor shows over the years. He
said artists hold Ms. Levy's
fairs in high regard because
they consistently feature "the
right combination of artwork!'
Added Mr. Lehr, who will ex-
hibit his paper mosaic art-
work at the spring fair, "She
pushes quality, not only from
the artists but in the total
presentation of the show. The
little touches she adds, like
having live music, brings back
the customers year after year!'
The Spring Art Fair will
take place in the U-M Track
and Tennis Building, at State
and Hoover streets. Show
hours are Saturday, April 6,
from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and
Sunday, April 7, from 11 a.m.
to 6 p.m. Admission is $3 and
children under 10 are admit-
ted free.
Ms. Carson, who will exhibit
fabric sculptures at the spring
fair, said, "Even though it is
a tenths and track building,
somehow it's transformed in-
to quite a nice gallery." 0
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
71
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
A sure sign of the season is the Spring Art Fair in Ann Arbor.
Audree Levy continues to promote the annual event
from her home in Dallas.