The

FAIII(est)

Of Them

Jewish artists at the Ann Arbor Art Fairs.

SUZANNE CHESSLER
Special to The Jewish News

A

lthough it may be difficult to find
Judaica at this summer's three art
fairs in Ann Arbor, there will be
many Jewish artists displaying a
variety of forms and styles.
They have spent a long time preparing
for the 1998 Ann Arbor Art Fairs, which
run Wednesday-Saturday, July 15-18, along
26 city blocks in the downtown and campus
areas. While not all-inclusive, some results
of that intense preparation are shown here.
"Of course, the selling is important, but
we also like the fairs because we get feed-
back," said Mitch Levin, who specializes in
contemporary furniture with his wife, Susie.
"When we try something new, the people
at the fairs let us know if we're going in the
right direction. We also get to see other art-
work."
During the four-day event, more than
500,000 visitors experience the talents of
1,100 fine artists representing many disci-
plines, including painting, pastels, sculpture,
jewelry, photography, ceramics, fiber and
glass.
Street performers provide entertainment,
and children and adults may participate in
demonstrations and free activities.
The Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, estab-

lished in 1960, is the original juried fair, the
smallest and most selective. The National
Association of. Independent Artists and
Sunshine Artists ranks it No. 1 in the
nation.
The fair invites select exhibitors from
previous years and chose 65 new artists from
a pool of nearly 2,000 applicants this year,
bringing a total of 200.
The State Street Area Art Fair ranks in
the top five fine art fairs in the nation.
Founded in 1968, the fair features the work
of 300 artists with 100 new this year.
The Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair, orga-
nized by the Michigan Guild of Artists and
Artisans, is celebrating its 28th year. It is the
largest and most diverse of the three fairs,
with juried work from almost 600.
Interactive Creation Stations will offer
children art experiences, and there will be
30 demonstration centers.
"These art fairs are spectacular," said pot-
ter Susan Fox Hirschmann, who does about
eight such events each year. "The people in
the area have an appreciation for American
artists and art."

The Ann Arbor Art Fairs run 9 a.m.-9
p.m. Wednesday-Friday, July 15-17, and
9 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, July 18. (800)
888-9487.

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