Art Fair Revisted (So Many Links, I Can Barely Lift It!)

I'm hoping against hope that I'll still be able to do significant fair wandering this week, but it's difficult to say.

This is also just around when I began my blog last year, so I thought I'd revisit some old posts and see which artists are returning. If you care to read any old posts -- super cool -- if not, swing by the booths of a few good artists. And have a gyro and some funnel cake or wander a few blocks over from the crowds, to Babos and get a glass of wine and a cheese plate (they're awfully nice over there).

Michael Paul Cole (photography) and Shandor Madjar (jewelry)

http://cakelurking.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-think-kick-ass-is-hyphenated.html

Have they returned?

Cole: Pssssssh. Doesn’t look like it. Go visit him in Minnesota and Idaho in August…

http://www.michealpaulcole.com/architectural.html

Madjar: Yes! Booth… On E. Liberty St/ South Division.

Cody Miller

http://cakelurking.blogspot.com/2011/07/i-think-kick-ass-is-hyphenated.html

Has he returned?

Miller: Doesn’t look like it.

Drunken Men: Yes, most assuredly.

Chris Roberts-Antieau, John Whipple, Lynn Whipple.

http://cakelurking.blogspot.com/2011/07/compatriots-artists-weathermen-thats.html

Have they returned?

Roberts-Antieau: Sho nuff. Booth # A252

Whipples, Whipples, Where are the Whipples? Hiding somewhere, I expect.

Joachim Knill and Matthew Naftzger

http://cakelurking.blogspot.com/2011/07/something-strange-is-afoot-in-hannibal.html

Have they returned?

‘Fraid so. In cahoots and causing trouble at #A379 (Knill) and at # A377 (Naftzger)

Bill Skrips

http://cakelurking.blogspot.com/2011/08/gathering-continued-art-of-bill-skrips.html

Has he returned?

Skrips: Sadly noooooooo, he has flown the coop for nicer climes. Good luck to him, but booooooooo.

I wrote about approximately one tenth of the artists I wanted to focus on last year and I expect to be even worse this year, being ONE WEEK AWAY from using my passport for the FIRST TIME EVER, so um, here are a few snaps from last year:

The sweetness of Floridian Kana Handel. Holding one of her "Things on My Head" watercolors. She just makes me happy.

Brilliant booth display from Joan Rasmussen (will she be here? Look her up.)

It invited audience chalk participation, though most of us were too timid

I am blanking on this ceramicist's name, but she was in the Yourist Gallery, I believe

She's also really sweet and has written a children's picture book. Picture book people are the best!

Peewee repetitions. Recycle, Haha!

I just like it. No parking, but so much shining.

And here we have the creation of one of my favorites, Rebecca Bashara (and husband Scottt MacDonald)

The jeweler herself. Though she sure doesn't want to be photographed.

One of my absolute favorite rings (tied with one from Shandor Madjar) is from Ms. Bashara. The year I bought it, her husband patiently wrapped some wire around the band to tighten it up for me. Nice, talented people. I skulked around her their booth last year and talked to her mother; she told me three anecdotes, all of which were variants of running into an unknown woman, wearing her daughter's jewelry and asking said woman about the piece in question. "You KNOW who MADE that??? That's my DAUGHTER!!" The woman was amazed and so she'd get to repeat it. A very proud Mama. FAN.TAST.IC.

See, now doesn't he look sad? Almost as if he knew his maker, Bill Scripps would not be coming back this year.

 Other awesome:

Nick Wroblewski, printmaker from Viroqua, WI
I usually moon about his booth until I get embarassed and leave.
Feel free to embarrass yourself at Booth A247.

Eric Silva, metalworker, jeweler. Loves to play with natural elements, but render it gritty. If he could use antlers for your necklace, he would. But nooooo, he's more refined than that.  Booth A216.

Brigitte Lang, ceramicist. I just love her. Ann Arbor, MI   Booth A300.

I'll stop there, though there are obviously SOOOOOO many artists worth your time and attention!

Wow. LAZIEST BLOG POST EVER. In any case, I hope everyone who cares to goes out and explores! You never know when you'll find something inspiring...

More armchair art fairing:

Original Art Fair Artist List:

www.artfair.org/tools/artist/directory.jsp

South University Artist List

http://www.a2southu.com/art-fair/artists/

The Guild of Artists and Artisans (Main, Liberty, State)

http://theguild.org/art-fairs/ann-arbor-art-fair/