arts & entertainment

Left to Right: Master woodworker David Levy's work includes this game cabinet, game table, puzzle table and cutting board.

Fair List Ut Them All

A season of art encompassing every corner of Metro Detroit kicks off this weekend.

Suzanne Chessler
Contributing Writer

in the wood we use, setting apart different
materials while showing a blending effect.
We use domestic and international woods
found through suppliers and books as we
constantly look for various grains:'
Levy's business, Hardwood Creations,
also features the work of his wife, Carolyn
Levy, and John Deveer. Their projects can
be seen and ordered through his website,
davidlevycreations.corn.
Levy, who is Jewish, is thinking of add-
ing Judaica to his line although not offer-
ing any at this time.
"A new piece for this year is a stool with
an Asian appearance says the artist, who
earned his bachelor's degree in design
at the University of California-Davis and
worked summers in logging camps. "The
stool, which has a maple veneer, features a

D

avid Levy brings wood designs
to one of the first art fairs of the
season — Art Birmingham —
organized by the Birmingham Bloomfield
Art Center.
Levy, whose projects have grown from
household and office pieces to furniture,
will join some 175 artists from around the
country 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday and 10
a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, May 14-15, in Shain
Park.
"We're going to be showing cutting
boards, game boards and desk accesso-
ries," says Levy, 54, based in California and
visiting Michigan fairs for 30 years.
"We try to have contrasting appearances

May 14-15: Art Birmingham,
Shain Park. (734) 662-3382;
ArtBirmingham.org.

May 21-22: Fine Art at the
Village, Village of Rochester Hills,
Walton at Adams. (248) 689-8734;
fineartatthevillage.com .

May 21-22: East Lansing
Art Festival, downtown East
Lansing. elartfest.com .

June 3-5: Grand Rapids
Festival of the Arts, downtown
Grand Rapids. (616) 459-1300;
festivalgr.org.

June 4 5: Art on the Grand,
downtown Farmington. (248) 473-
1856; downtownfarmington.org.

curve and floating top."
Levy, who travels to an art show about
every other week, ships larger items
through a freight company.
"I like the medium of wood because I
like working with it and find the science
behind it interesting," he says. "Ideas for
designs come from visuals — seeing
things and being creative with them."
Travels to art fairs have inspired some
Levy designs, whether because of calling
attention to the natural environment and
building configurations or hearing the
suggestions of customers.
"We do special orders depending on
how complicated they are," he says. "Our
most popular items are the cutting boards
and game boards."
The list of fairs that follows, just like

June 17-19:Belleville
National Strawberry Festival,
multiple locations. (313) 383-
8920; nationalstrawberryfest.com.

July 9 10: Art in the Park,
Halmich Park, Warren. (586)
795-5471; warrenfinearts.com.

June 24 26: Arts and Acts,
downtown Northville. (248) 349-
7640; www.ci.northville.mi.us .

July 13-16:Wyandotte Street
Art Fair, Central Business
District. (734) 324-4502;
wyandottestreetartfair. org .

June 25 26: Michigan First
Art Fest, Lathrup Village
Municipal Park.
lathrupvillageinthepark.com .

July 15-17: Farmington
Founders Festival, downtown
Farmington. (248) 477-1199;
foundersfestival.corn.

July 1 4: Stars & Stripes
Festival, 31 N. Walnut St.,
Mount Clemens. (586) 493-4344;
funfestinc.com .

July 20-23: Ann Arbor Street
Art Fairs, various locations.
(800) 888-9487; visitannarbor.org .

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July 2 3: Jazzin' on Jefferson,
downtown Detroit. (313) 331-
7939; jazzinonjefferson.com .

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July 28-30: Sterlingfest, Dodge
Park, Sterling Heights. (586) 446-
2489; sterling-heights.net .

June 11: Berkley Art Bash,
12 Mile between Tyler and
Wakefield. (248) 414-9157;
b erldeychamb er. corn.

July 8 10: Art in the Park,
downtown Plymouth. (734) 454-
1314; artinthepark. corn.

July 29 30: Orchard Lake
Fine Art Show, Orchard Lake
Road between 14 Mile and Maple.
(248) 684-3748; hotworks.org .

June 11-12:Clay, Glass and
Metal Festival, Washington at
Fifth, downtown Royal Oak. (248)
547-4000; royaloakchamber.com.

July 8-10:Trenton Mid-
Summer Festival, downtown
Trenton. (734) 675-7300;
trentonmid-summer.corn.

July 29-31: Concours
d'Elegance of America, Inn at
St. John's, Plymouth. (248) 643-
8645; concoursusa.org.

June 16-18: Liberty Fest
Fine Art & Fine Craft Show,
Heritage Park, Canton.
(734) 394-5360; cantonfun.org .

July 9-10: Royal Oak
Outdoor Art Fair, Royal Oak
Memorial Park. (248) 246-3180;
ci.royal-oak.mi.us .

Aug. 5-6: Allen Park Arts &
Crafts Street Fair, downtown
Allen Park. (313) 928-1469;
cityofallenpark.org .

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Art Birmingham in its 30th year, includes
events that offer work in many styles and
media, such as paint, glass, ceramics, metal
and fiber. Often, artists have been selected
by independent juries and are surrounded
by craft activities for adults and children,
performing artists and food courts.
One big change in this year's events
has to with the Concours d'Elegance of
America, with a new name and a move of
all activities to Plymouth.
Another change will be noted by
patrons of what has been known as
Lathrup Village Art in the Park, which also
has a new name: Michigan First Art Fest.
With additional changes made as the
season progresses, it is important to check
the particulars before heading to any of
the following, arranged in date order:

Aug. 12-14:Milford
Memories Summer Festival,
downtown Milford. (248) 685-
7129; milfordmemories.com .

Aug. 12-14: Great Lakes
Folk Festival, downtown East
Lansing. greatlakesfolkfest. com .

Aug. 13-14: Shelby
Township Art Fair, Shelby
Township Municipal Grounds.
(586) 731-0300;
shelbyparksandrecreation.org .

Aug. 13 14: Brighton Fine
Art & Acoustic Music
Festival, downtown Brighton.
(810) 227-5086; brightoncoc.org.

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Aug. 13-14: Monroe Fine
Art Fair, Loranger Square in
downtown Monroe. (734) 242-
1472; downtownmonroemi.com .

Aug. 19-21: Ypsilanti Heritage
Festival, Riverside Park, Depot
Town, Frog Island and downtown
Ypsilanti. (734) 483-6071;
ypsilantiheritagefestival.com.

Aug. 20-Oct. 2: Michigan
Renaissance Festival, Holly.
(800) 601-4848; michrenfest.com .

Sept. 2 5: Arts, Beats & Eats,
downtown Royal Oak. (248) 334-
4600; artsbeatseats.com.

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Sept. 5: Art in the Village,
Franklin. (248) 626-9666.

Sept. 9 11: Art & Apples
Festival, Rochester Park. (248)
651-4110; artsandapples.com .

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Sept. 10: Daily in the Alley,
4632 Second, Detroit.
dallyinthealley.corn.

Sept. 16 18: Funky Ferndale
Art Fair and DIY Street Fair,
Nine Mile at Woodward. (248)
546-1632; downtownferndale.
com/DDA/ArtFair.

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Sept. 24-25: Common
Ground's 37th Annual
Birmingham Street Art Fair,
S. Old Woodward between Maple
and Daines. theguild.org.

Oct. 13-15: Our Town,
the Community House,
Birmingham. (248) 644-5832;
communityhouse.corn.

Oct. 14-16: Great Lakes
Art Fair, Suburban Collection
Showplace, Novi. (248) 348-5600;
greatlakesartfair.com. II

May 12 a 2011

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