Ann Arbor Art Fair Rock Bands Spray Paint Artist

Harrison Township resident Michele Novak, correct, talks with Michael J. Mikula about his drinking glass sculpture at the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair on Ingalls Mall.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

• Find a roundup of Ann Arbor Art Fair coverage here.
  

Before spending more than 3 hours in the sun on Wednesday, I was an Ann Arbor Art Fair virgin.

But not a virgin to artists' wares and fairs overall.

My family is a large fan of festivals, carnivals and craft shows. Our summer — and oftentimes, winter — vacations growing up always consisted of very traditional, Pure Michigan-blazon adventures. And typically, our destinations would depend on the festivals or fairs taking identify in a particular boondocks.

The Ionia Free Fair, Greenville'southward Danish Festival, the Douglas Wine and Art Stroll, Saugatuck'south Venetian Festival, the West Shore Arts & Crafts Off-white in Ludington, Petoskey's Art in the Park, Grand Rapids' ArtPrize — we've seen them all.

But after Wednesday's Ann Arbor Art Fair feel, I will say that if there is one fine art festival not to miss, it's Ann Arbor's. If the to a higher place festivals are your scene, then Ann Arbor actually offers a combination of them all. And, equally cliche as information technology sounds, there is something in that location for everyone.

Here are some dos and don'ts — including what to striking and miss — from the eyes of an Ann Arbor Art Off-white newbie.

i. Practice accept the bus into downtown Ann Arbor.

Locals who take witnessed the traffic gridlock and craziness of the parking situation in downtown gave me this advice, and I did non regret taking information technology. While others tweeted about being stuck in traffic or waiting in line for the parking garage during their morning commute, I was sitting on the bus reading their tweets and with only near 10 other people around me.

2. Don't try to encounter all of Fine art Fair in one chunk of fourth dimension.

I had the idea that for this column, I would fourth dimension how long information technology took to go through each of the four, concurrently-held art fairs — from one end of downtown to the other — traveling at a slightly faster than "mosey" step and stopping at the occasional booth to browse and take in the pieces and wares.

I wanted to be able to tell readers how much time to destine to get a "full" Fine art Fair experience.

Bad idea. I couldn't practise it.

In that location was simply too much to take in that I got distracted from my mission. Plus, how tin can yous not people-watch at a fair this size? That'southward half the fun!

Its size is one of the reasons the Ann Arbor Art Off-white easily surpasses whatsoever usual "art in the park" experience. And the variety. With artists from more than 47 states and three countries, there are some really unique pieces, which leads me to my next "practice."

Grosse Pointe residents Stephanie Manos, left, and her sister, Joanna, look at jewelry by artist Sandy James at the Ann Arbor Street Fine art Fair on E. Washington St.

Angela J. Cesere | AnnArbor.com

3. Exercise check out "The Original" Ann Arbor Street Art Fair around Ingalls Mall, between Northward Academy and Washington streets.

I can't even begin to tell you my favorite booths from the Street Art Fair, just the pieces stood out from the rest. The pieces hither are phenomenal, from a complete living room of funky black and red metal furniture; to exquisite hand-blown glass; large jacks hanging from a wall; a more often than not enclosed booth resembling a shipping crate filled with wildlife paintings; and jewelry that makes a argument.

Here you likewise will find the art demonstration tent, which is worth taking in if for no other reason than information technology's breezy nether the giant trees off N Academy and makes a the perfect spot for a nap, as one elderly woman proved Midweek afternoon.

4. If you are in Ann Arbor for the art, don't be discouraged by the sidewalk sales.

Country, Liberty and Main streets were the nearly packed with people walking around on Wednesday, but if yous are on a time crunch and are looking for distinctive pieces, either for gifts or your dwelling, some of these blocks appeared to exist more than about the sidewalk sales, mixed with some flea market fare.

My advice: Don't exist discouraged by the sidewalk sales and keep going; in that location'due south art nearby. The disbelieve perfume, every bit-seen-on-TV knife sets and knock-off designer sunglasses booths just kind of dampened the "art" experience for me.

"Architectural constructionist" Andy Striewski, the former Ann Arbor creative person who created this slice, has been showing her piece of work at Fine art Off-white for 25 years.

Danielle Arndt I AnnArbor.com

5. Having said that, do visit the following booths on Main Street, in the Summer Art Fair:

• "The Cordwainer" — Berth D202. Custom leather bags, purses, wallets and belts past James and Rombye Perry from Tennessee. Unique, only not across what a reasonable person would pay for a custom leather pocketbook.
• Exotic water sculptures — Booth D306. Maryland artist Yos Belchatovski creates metal, home and garden sculptures that double as fountains. (He even has several hooked up to running water, then if he'south not looking yous may be able to splash a lilliputian on your confront).
• Architectural constructions — Booth D315. I didn't see anything else quite similar onetime Ann Arborite Andy Striewski'southward clocks, shelves and other wall hangings. Made from found objects, fragments of buildings, clay, plaster, paper, stone and plastic shapes, Striewski tries to showroom a connection between women and compages in her piece of work — "their strength, endurance and integrity," she said.

6. Don't miss the large stuff. (And it was also about this bespeak in the twenty-four hour period that I learned: Don't forget cash, water or sunscreen).

What was most heady for me about the Ann Arbor Art Fair was the large-scale sculptures, reminiscent of Thousand Rapids' ArtPrize and differing from a typical summer art prove.

I of the biggest complaints of ArtPrize has been that artists sink a ton of money into i slice or a collection of pieces that they submit to solicit votes from consequence-goers for a hazard to win $250,000, just the sales element is missing. It is not cost constructive for artists to participate, so some people speculate how long the event will last. Whereas here in Ann Arbor, in that location is both the brandish and recognition element besides every bit the opportunity to sell various items. And this is Ann Arbor's 53rd Art Fair.

It was fun to run into local artist Beak Secunda'south sculptures at berth E161 off S Academy Avenue. Secunda was a finalist in ArtPrize 2009 for "Moose."

There are more than large-calibration, metallic brute sculptures by Keith Bradley near the corner of Maynard and William streets — such as: "The Pisser," which you'll just have to see; "The Boca Babe," a giant hippo that doubles as a chair; and "Poopsie" the Poodle. Bradley asked for no photographs, so you volition have to wander down there to check them out.

7. Don't expect for the nudists.

Manifestly once a staple on Freedom Street during Art Fair, the Ann Arbor nudist group (the Southeast Michigan Naturists) was nowhere to be plant this twelvemonth.

And I'll admit: I was searching for them.

I've heard so many stories about the Art Off-white nudist group that I was curious. I'one thousand not sure what I would take washed, had I encountered them — other than turn bright scarlet and hide my eyes from their loincloth regions. Just nonetheless, I was out to experience all of Fine art Fair for my starting time time, so I was a little disappointed by their absence.

George Tait's The Living Statue interacts with fair-goers Wednesday at Thayer and North University streets.

Danielle Arndt I AnnArbor.com

eight. Do indulge in the off-white food.

Information technology'southward not possible to properly enjoy a summer festival without eating some greasy fair food. But with Ann Arbor being close to the foodie capital of the mitten, I was hoping for food with a little more than spunk than the traditional items of shaken lemonade, hot dogs, Gyros, Philly cheesesteaks, pizza and elephant ears.

I found the food court at Ingalls Mall was the place to be. The Academy of Michigan berth was offering "Wolverine Juice," which consists of pineapple, mango and blueberry juices; gazpacho and pad thai. And next to the U-Yard booth, Southfield-based Eskimo Jacks sold ice cream sandwiches with a choice of 2 warm gooey cookies and your favorite ice cream.

nine. Do bring your kids.

The children'south crafts and activities in the Street Art Fair were awesome and educational. Kids could learn to use a potter'south cycle, likewise as make "establish object," monochromatic sculptures with staff from the Museum of Contemporary Art in Detroit. The sculpture project was inspired by a Detroit sculptor named Gordon Newton. The children learned most the artist, his history and the history of the medium while they worked.

x. This is probably the No. ane lesson I learned at Art Off-white Wednesday...

The website makes it sound entertaining and magical. However, awkward was the result of my interactions with George Tait's The Living Statue.

After standing around watching the silvery spray-painted human with two other ladies Wednesday afternoon, wondering how to get the living statue to perform, I decided to drib a dollar into his waste basket.

The statue came to life. Snatched upwards my paw and kissed it, which would have been fine except he left his lips to my hand and held on tight to my fingers until I told another fellow member of the "audience" to take a second dollar from my purse to put in his waste handbasket.

Lesson: Don't give money to the street performer. Or at to the lowest degree know what you're in for if you lot do.

Staff reporter Danielle Arndt covers Grand-12 pedagogy for AnnArbor.com. Follow her on Twitter @DanielleArndt or email her at daniellearndt@annarbor.com.

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Source: http://www.annarbor.com/entertainment/ann-arbor-art-fair-dont-give-money-to-the-street-performer-do-ride-the-bus-to-town-insights-from-a-f/

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