JULY 15 • 2021 | 39

ARTS&LIFE
ART

T

wo distinctive jewelry 
designers and a whim-
sical assembly artist are 
among the participants joining the 
multi-media creative contingent as 
the Ann Arbor Art Fair resumes 
showcasing new work.
Although this year’s event will be 
three days — July 15-17 — instead 

of four, the three artists are glad 
to travel the distances from their 
out-of-state homes so they can 
once again meet with customers 
and display the pieces made during 
pandemic isolation. 

CONTEMPORARY JEWELRY
Michele Friedman, based in 
Chicago, will be at the original art 
fair and has brought an unusual 
material, wool felt, into her sterling 
silver-based necklaces, brooches 
and bracelets. Like the other two 
artists, she defines herself as cul-
turally Jewish but not currently 
offering Judaica.
“I treat fiber as if it were a stone,” 
said Friedman, who has been 
developing original pieces since 
1998. “I wanted to do something 
different and experimented with 
texture and saturated color. There 
is depth, not just thin material, and 
the fabric is water repellant and 
durable.”
Friedman, who began showing 
her work in Ann Arbor in 2007, 
had gone to the Parsons School of 

T
among the participants joining the 
multi-media creative contingent as 
the Ann Arbor Art Fair resumes 
showcasing new work.

three days — July 15-17 — instead 

Ann Arbor Art Fair is back 
for three-day event.

SUZANNE CHESSLER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Art 
in the 
Streets

LIFE
Art 
Art 

Streets

COURTESY OF MICHELE FRIEDMAN

Fractured 
Circle 
Brooch

2 Part Hex 
Earrings

Layered Chevron Brooch

continued on page 40