Wednesdoy, July 21, 1976 THE M CH 1GAN DAILY Page Seven Wednesday, July 21, 1976 THE MICHIGAN DAILY Page Seven Ann Arbor's By STU McCONNELL A lot of concrete things help make an art fair successful - good planning, superior artists, a long-standing tradition of high quality. And you can't have a fair without laboriously - con- structed booths, police to direct traffic, maps of the displays, and other such mundane splen- dors. But what about the more eso- teric aspects? What about the "atmosphere" of the city, that quaint charm supposedly lurk- ing behind every magic "no parking" sign? "ANN ARBOR IS a perfect lace to live," says I. E. Rem- sen, one of the artists whose work will be on display during the 1976 fair.. "It has the highest per capi- ta number of artists of any city F'ye ever seen. It's not a large ty, but it brings in all the cul- ral aspects of a big city - good theater, good movies, good bookstores, good concerts, good radio stations," he explains. "Ann Arbor has a lot of off- beat restaurants and good ho- tels," says Jim Frenza of the city's Chamber of Commerce. "And there's a lot of com- munity acceptance of the fair. People look forward to it - there's a festive air." SOME PEOPLE SAY Ann Arbor provides a creative haven for the artist. "There's this aura in Ann Arbor," notes Celeste Melis of the University Artists and Craftsmen Guild. "We had some people stop in here from Colorado and they were amaz- ed at the cooperation between the artists." Melis adds that at other art fairs artists will sometimes "hoard" the fair - not tell other artists that there is a fair going on because it means a smaller bite of the pie for them. "That doesn't happen here," she says flatly. "I THINK WHAT impresses charm' artists the most is the open- ness and sophistication of the crowds," ventures Remsen. "They're sophisticated and shopping - wise are good judges of quality. They know what ap- poals to them, and they're will- ing to comparison shop to see where the best deals are," he says. "There's a kind of carnival atmosphere," says Frenza. "A lot of people don't even buy any art, they just walk around the crowds. You walk through those crowds and you see a mix of faces, all ages and types." FRENZA ALSO believes that Ann Arbor is more compatible with artists' lifestyles than other surrounding communities. "It's looser in Ann Arbor," he says. "The police take a more lures artists casual attitude, they don't has- sle people. Some of the artists even sleep out in the street." Melis adds, "The city pro- vides a good opportunity for an artist to make a living. There are galleries open year roittd.'' While the city provides a quiet, intellectual atmosphere for artists to work in, it invites theta to try and sell their crea- tions at a "three-ring circus." The Art Fair is, after all, the city's biggest draw next to the University football games. "I THINK THE artists would like a more serene atmosphere to let their viewers walk through," Melis laments. "You want to have time to look at things, to view a piece, then step back and examine it, but when yo're shoulder to shoul- der in a crowd that's difficult." Althoeugh many top - caliber artists exhibit in the Ann Arbor fair, the "carnival atmosphere" also leads to commercial schlock, like that of Ilolland, Michigan's art fair where arti- facts with "Ifolland, Mich." written on them are sold. "I'd really h