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PREVIEW: 2013 Ann Arbor Art Fair expands, adds new park-n-ride location

Kalahari Resorts to bring its Safari Adventures, Bichini Bia Congo Dance Theater and more

PHOTO BY GLORIA RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com

Large crowds at last year's South University Art Fair in Ann Arbor, Mich.

by Jason Rzucidlo americajr@americajr.com

LISTEN: Interview with Maureen Riley, Executive Director of the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair

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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- An estimated crowd of 500,000 plus will descend on the University of Michigan central campus for the 2013 Ann Arbor Art Fair, which kicks off on Wednesday and runs through Saturday. More than 1,100 artists will be displaying their works making it one of the largest art fairs in the nation. For the first time ever, the Summer Art Fair will be connected to the South University Art Fair adding a few more blocks to the event. In addition, a new park-n-ride location has been added to Huron High School this year. Kalahari Resorts will have a major presence at the art fair with its Safari Adventures, Bichini Bia Congo Dance Theater and a cooling misting station.

This year's featured artists include: Geoffrey Harris of Lexington, S.C. at the 54th Annual Street Art Fair, Gina Krawez of Fort Payne, Ala. at the 46th Annual State Street Art Fair, John Booth of Minneapolis at the 44th Annual Summer Art Fair and Sean Brown of Denver at the 14th Annual South University Art Fair. They are all featured on the cover of the official art fair guide published by Art Showcase Magazine. Also, their official event posters will be available for purchase at the respective art fairs.

"We do have a couple of new things this year that I want to let everybody know about," said Maureen Riley, executive director of the Street Art Fair. "We have a new Northside park-and-ride shuttle for all of our visitors from Wayne and Oakland county that have not had the convenience of a park-and-ride shuttle and the ease that it provides. We have now added one at Huron High School with easy access from U.S. 23, just take the Geddes Road exit. You can hope on the Trinity Northside Trolley."

How will this year's Ann Arbor Art Fair be different from the last few years?

"Every year, there's many, many new artists and returning artists have new works," she added. "I don't think the art fair ever is stagnant. There's always new works to look at. We have a new feature this year that is the Kalahari Resorts misting station. They are bringing things to keep our visitors interested in Kalahari Resorts from actual animals to Congolese Dancers and information about their theme parks and African-themed waterparks."

Please tell more about the large-scale street painting that will be going on during the run of the art fair.

"We have a Detroit-based artist named Taurus Burns, who is recreating Botticelli's Birth of Venus. It should be very amazing to watch him work. He'll start when we start the fair on Wednesday and it will be completed by the time we close on Saturday. We'll watch Birth of Venus come to life before our eyes."

Riley said the four art fairs have worked together more this year than in the past.

"We've been working hard to be more collaborative for the last few years," the executive director explained. "For the first time this year, an unexpected change, it led to a slight modification in our footprint. So for the first time, we all four touch. The traditional AATA shuttle stop that's on South University had to be relocated a block further south on State Street because of construction and that meant that we extended our footprint a block south on State and connected the South U. Art Fair directly to State Street."

Which artists are coming from the farthest away to display their works at the Street Art Fair?

"We have two artists that are coming from Japan. That is certainly the furthest that we've ever experienced. I'm not sure about the other three fairs, but Japan is pretty far."

Midori Ueda-Okahana from Koganei-shi,Japan will be located at Booth 209 and Takashi Yamashita from Tokyo will be at Booth 221 at the Original Street Art Fair.

Since the economy is bouncing back, how would you say that will affect the art fair?

"I certainly hope it affects the art fair positively," she added. "We are seeing a trend in the industry this summer. Artists are reporting that sales are up from what they've been at the last few years. In fact, we actually had a couple of artists that had to withdraw from the show because they don't have any work left from successful shows that have preceded us."

Can you tell me more about some of the bands that will be playing there?

"We have three stages: the Art Fair Main Stage, there's the iSPY Stage and then there's the Fountain Stage in the Street Art Fair," the executive director explained. "The Fountain Stage is the area that I'm involved with. It's a community and acoustic stage. We're really proud that we present the opportunity for area organizations and musicians to play before the public that isn't often available to them. For instance, the Washtenaw Community College Dancers and we have the Cottonwood Cloggers and we have Daycroft Montessori School. We present an avenue for them for folks to really show their talent. Boy is there some talent out there."

I understand there will be some artist demonstrations again this year.

"We have an extensive demonstration program where on the hour, every day, our artists demonstrate their creative process," Riley said. "It's everything from photography to jewelrymaking to woodworking and more. It's actual artists that are participating in the art fair and in the Potter's Guild that demonstrate how to do what they do."

How will that be different from the art activity zone?

"In the art activity zone, you actually get to do the art activity. Unlike the demo area where you're watching and learning from the artists, in the art activity zone, you'll get the chance to get your own hands dirty whether its making clay project or a sculpture or a sculptural relief with MOCAD or a large-scale flower with the DIA. You get a chance to make these items and take them home with you."

Are both of those activities free of charge?

"Yes, for the most part they are," she added. "The 2Clowns Face Painting does ask for a donation. But the rest are all free."

The 2013 Ann Arbor Art Fair kicks off on Wednesday, July 17 and runs through Saturday, July 20. Hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

For more information about the Ann Arbor Art Fair, visit www.artfairs.visitannarbor.org or download their iPhone app here.

Graphic credit: The Ann Arbor Art Fair

For the first time ever, the Summer Art Fair will be connected to the South University Art Fair. In addition, a new park-n-ride shuttle has been added at Huron High School.

Painting by Sandro Botticelli c. 1486

Taurus Burns will recreate Botticelli's Birth of Venus as a large scale street painting at the festival.

Photo credit: Safari Adventures Animal Park

Kalahari Resorts will bring its Safari Adventures, Bichini Bia Congo Dance Theater and more.

Graphic credit: Jacobs Media

Click here to download the official Ann Arbor Art Fairs app for iPhones.

Complete Coverage of the 2013 Ann Arbor Art Fairs on AmericaJR.com