Wednesday, July 16, 197
Page Eighteen
THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Art Fairs highlight summer
By SUSAN ADES
Summertime in Ann Arbor is
somewhat of a paradox. Many
people remain in town long
after the school year madness
has degenerated into an unfa-
miliar lull - they enjoy the
relaxed atmosphere. Yet, the
excitement and frivolousness of
the annual mid-July Ann Arbor
outdoor art fairs seem to high-
light the season for everyone.
"All of a sudden quiet little
Ann Arbor is flooded by thou-
sands of people," exclaimed
Geri Rickman, an Art School
junior. "Booths start going up
and people are camping out and
there's all kinds of art all over
the place." -
THREE independent art fairs
descend concurrently upon Ann
Arbor streets, bringing displays
of wood carving, log sculpture,
water colors, macrame, leather-
craft, pottery and paintings by
artists and craftspersons from
all parts of the U.S.
The event has a fifteen year
history which dates back to the
time when Ann Arbor mer-
chants, wishing to attract pa-
trons to the town during the
annual mid-summer "Bargain
Days," decided to hold a juried
art fair.
Today, the extravaganza is a
nationally-known arts festival
which has grown to overshadow
its reason for being. The Ann
Arbor Chamber of Commerce
estimates that nearly 200,000
,b
SAM'S STORES, INC.
207 EAST lIBERTY
people pass through the city
during the fair, viewing and
buying the works of more than
950 exhibitors.
THE ANN ARBOR Street
Fair, sponsored by the South
University Merchants Organiza-
tion, is the oldest of the three
fairs while the State Street Fair
and the University Activities
Center (UAC) sponsored Free
Art Fair developed as less re-
strictive alternatives to their
stringently juried forerunner.
Held on South University and
East University, the Street Fair
includes 156 uniformly construct-
ed booths sheltering the crea-
tions of 250-300 renowned artists,
the majority of whom come
from Michigan (including sev-
eral Ann Arborites) while over
20 states and Canada are also
represented.
The Street Fair is juried in
the sense that participants are
chosen on the basis of slide en-
tries of their work as well as on
their reputations. Artists who
are placed on the invitational
list are then asked to pay a $25
registration fee.
"OUR ARTISTS have gone
through a rigorous process an
that shows up in the quality
our fair," said Dick Brunvan
coordinator of the Street Fai
"The Fair is designed to
fluid to show what art is today
not to give artists a chance t
make a lot of money In fou
days," he added.
Meanwhile, around the corne
down East University, the Fre
Arts Festival flourishes with i
blend of displays. This fair i
easily distinguished from th
juried fair by the array of on
ginal booth designs.
"SOME PEOPLE do elaborat
geodesic domes and multi
leveled structures, and some
still back in the days of blanket
and tables,"' said Chris White
co-ordinator of the UAC Artist
and Craftsmen Guild, the
ganization to which all 500 Frei
Arts Festival participants mus
belong.
The festival abounds with ex
hibits by University faculty an
students, among others, provid
ing amateurs -- closed out o
the Street Fair by the tight jur
system - a showcase for thei]
artwork.
See FAIRS, Page 19
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ART FAIR SPECIALS ao
M '.
500 E. Liberty-Ann Arbor
761 -6212
Open Wed., Thurs, Fri. till 9 p.m., Sat. till 5:30
.... .. ... .. "... ... ...u.- ....::: .v:: ! . . J... v':.1 . "". .. ... .. ., .... ..rte
1 WEEI(
For
Readersof
AJIAges
tomre
ANN ARBOR
baobab
FOLK ART GALLERY
123 W. Washington
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108
(313) 662-3681
INCLUDED IN THE PRESENT COLLECTION ARE:
South American Antiquities
Woolen Weavings from the Bolivian Andes
Bolivian Colonial Silver Work
Molas: textile art from the San Blas Islands, Panama
Makonde Sculpture from Tanzania
Senufo hangings, graphic representation from the Ivory Coast
Afghani rugs and weavings
Hand carved Peruvian gourds
Jewelry fashioned from African and Latin American
beads and silver
GALLERY HOURS:
tuesday-friday 12-10/saturday 10-6