The Michigan Daily-Wednesday, July 19, 1978-Page 11
Fair takes crafty twist to reflect trends

By STEPHEN PICKOVER
That first time, many years ago. I
remember it was sometime around
Labor Day, and the early signs of
autumn, Persephone's departure to the
underworld, were beginning to creep in-
to the air. The breeze was cool and
crisp, and as my parents meandered at
an easel or two, I strolled through the
many streets and famous square,
fascinated by the multitude of water
colors, oils, pen and inks, pastels,
lithographs and sculpture, brimming
with vitality.
The Greenwich Village art show, an
early memory which tickles the eye
with a myriad of color.
When I first came to Ann Arbor and
was informed of the Ann Arbor Art
Fair, I thought how marvelous it would
be to recreate those initial sensations.
-And I went for tie first time several
years ago, before the hoipolloi swar-
med the city, like ants attacking a suc-
culent picnic.
One thing should be immediately
clarified. The Ann Art Art Fair is, in
reality, comprised of three individual
fairs which form a large conglomerate
which the unknowing public and I shall
treat as "The Art Fair.'
George Paron, president of the Art
Fair Committee seems highly pleased

and finds them a confirmation of the
fair's quality.
"We are considered the second best
(art fair) in the country," he stated
proudly. "We have over one thousand
applicants applying . . . so we have to
cut them off in February. Of those, we
pick three hundred."
Paron said he finds the fair a
stimulating festival, where both an-
nually established and novice young ar-
tists can get chosen to display their
wares in the juried section of the Fair.
He asserts "there is a cross section of
works to suit everyone's taste."
Bret Waller, director of the Univer-
sity of Michigan's Art Museum, is a bit
milder in his enthusiasm. "One can find
almost anything-from very high
quality crafts to junk . . . there is
something to interest everyone."
Doyou notice that subtle change from
"art" to "crafts." From the looks of ther
show in recent years, it should rightly
be called the Ann Arbor Arts and Crafts
Show, heavy on crafts like pottery,
blown glass and beaded necklaces. Is
that bad? Of course not. The fair has
shifted with the public's taste and
needs. Crafts became a large seller
during the sixties and have continued to
flourish. Now not a year goes by when
fancy candles, fake Tiffany belt buckles
and feathery flowers can't be bought.

But there are those of us who feel that
the art fair has gotten a bit out of hand.
One is Clare Spitler, of Gallery One on
Fourth Avenue. While quick and
delighted to say "there are some ex-
cellent young people starting out ... it's
good experience," Spitler grudgingly
admits that "on the whole (the works
are) rather familiar, rather run of the
mill. It's like a carnival, everybody
trying to make money in three days."
And they make it too, because the
tourists who come to Ann Arbor come to
buy. Spitler wryly comments "they like
something to' take home, like a
souvenir." While it is true that the great
For a quick and delicious peach ice
cream, team fresh peaches with
store-bought vanilla ice cream. Peel,
pit and slice enough peaches to make
a cup; crush thoroughly and fold into
a pint of the ice cream; freeze to
have firm.

blocks of humanity make the Fair more
profitable, it also removes that at-
mosphere of casual perusal, of reflec-
tion so important to art. Spitler ex-
plains: "Artwork needs to be ex-
plored-it's not a fleeting thing, and if it
isn't memorable then it's not good."
Views of quality and atmosphere cer-
tainly differ, but everyone will agree
that there is usually something at the
art fair for everyone.
Buy-Sell
Fine ahtlques, collectibles,
Julia McCoy Fran Cline
100 N. Fourth, Ann Arbor. MI
1-313-"5-4753

.
Buses allay parking
search, street jams
By JUDY RAKOWSKY Parking devoted to participating artists
has been designated on the perimeter of
The Ann ,Arbor Transit Authority the city.
(AATA) will onceragain redirect a few Those familiar with Ann Arbor
customary bus routes during the Art during non-fair times know the hopeless
Fair, in vain attempt to relieve byways parking situation. Even out-of-towners
incessantly clogged with fair goers. should quickly realize the desperate
The Packard bus and the usual scarcity of spaces. Tickets will be freely
Briarwood route will both be altered to awarded so all fair goers should take
shuttle the masses through all the fair heed. If carpools and buses are
streets. Auto-burdened fair attendants vigorously employed, traffic mishaps
can park their cars at Pioneer High Sc- and jams could be reduced, for once.
hool's parking lot and catch a bus to the
stop at Fourth and William Streets.
There a bus transfer schedule will be
posted which can also be found on pages SUM M ER
14 and 15 of this guide. 5~ i u v
Schedules and routes may vary
slightly between day and evening trips.
Fares will be the same, each trip
costing the rider 35 cents.
AATA administrative assistant,
Collen McGee, said the authority will
not be adding any extra staff during the
Fair in view of their grave financial
situation. She also said no extra buses
would go on the road at the time.
The new doubledecker buses, spon-
sored principally by the downtown im-
provement group Ann Arbor
Tomorrow, will also be in circulation Men's and Women's
for the fair. The bright red British
buses will adhere to their route linking Top-SiderS W
State and Main Streets on Liberty. They $500 off
have only been in operation for two'
days, so Art Fair visitors will be among Hiking Boots-15% off
the first riders. Fryes Boots-15% off
Besides relieving weary art fairers,
these buses boast a fair price-free. On BASS- FLORSHEIM- DEXTI
Saturday the doubledeckers swing
through Kerrytown and the Farmer's
Market. They will be running daily at
15-minute intervals from 10 a.m. to 6
p.m.
Despite the efforts of mass transpor-
ters, the crowd-riddled streets will be Downtown
only slightly al;eviated. Numerous 217 S.Main
streets will be bri-icaded for the booths
snrs trhsf: ,es tr ant affic.

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