Art Fair Day Two, Part One. A Million Artists! Or Just One.

...And this brings us to Friday morning of Art Fair. It was raining in my half-sleep this morning. Now it is damp and sprinkling off and on (anyone will tell you, it ain't Art Fair without wet weather~), so here I am finishing last night's post, as I caffeinate. The interior dampness is due to milk spit-up, as the Baby lives up to her demographic's profile. She excels at the over-the-parental-shoulder cascade, which captures the length of one's clothing. This morning, she successfully spat up into my right sleeve, coating material up to the upper arm. Afterwards, she usually beams at us. "Oh THANK you," we say. She stays modest. And you non-baby readers are all,"Oh my GOD, why do new parents think anyone wants to KNOW this?? God." or you vacated awhile ago, before my Mammoth Baby post. Please accept my half-hearted apologies.

Onward to Thursday:

Since a helpful friend gave me the skinny on some fine stealth parking, today's venture downtown to ArtFairland was much less of a journey in and of itself, though my wandering began later in the day. A nice full morning and afternoon of La Dumpling before I skipped out, preventative umbrella swinging from my arm.

My first goal was the far reaches of South University, but I decided to cut through Liberty on the way there: Good Call, Me! Satisfaction should be credited to Booth D240. I had the lingering feeling of having missed something yesterday -- and this was surely it. Maggie Bokor, of Portland Maine, was a sculptor in her previous art life, and this can be seen and felt in her tactile, moveable pieces. Before trying on the first necklace, I warned her that I am not in the market for jewelry, since I have a new baby who has discovered how to *grasp* things. I'm considerate like that.



        "Do you breast feed?...She'll love playing with that!"
        "...she's strong, though--"
        "Mmmhmmm. I also have a friend whose baby traces her fingers around 
         and around the circles in her Echo necklace. Over in the side case."

So. She had established her strong salesmanship skills, while I had maintained my flimsy non-buying stance. The pedants in the Seagrass necklace were wonderfully touchable and organic in their movements. Whether with or without pearls (the grey ones!); dangling higher or lower; in bright silver finish, or darker, fully oxidized. Bokor creates the pendant designs first using pmc (precious metal clay), casts them in sterling, and then finishes with a patina.



And then, of course, once you try on one (or several variations of one), trying on a couple others seems to be the logical course of action. 

Horrible photos, but love for all three necklaces

A better image of the "dew drop cluster necklace" here and the large "radiance" necklace here.

Meanwhile, our conversation ranged far, into how life changing events can change you at all levels, down to the chemical; how people around you can invest themselves in your decisions and handling of life; the role of art making around transitions, etc. A nourishing kind of conversation. She comes across as grounded, warm, and insightful; making it easy to go deep. Without being precious, she sees her role as jeweler and artist extending beyond the objects created to teaching others, to aiding/witnessing transformation and self-realization {my paraphrasing}.

She eventually called her boyfriend (also a printmaker! and educator, app creator) back from a nearby cafe to join in the convo; and they checked out my recent test prints for Cakeasaurus (whee!). Separately, they are also big fans of Beck's Song Reader ; and my impression is, they'd play something for you/with you at the drop of a hat {my promise, not theirs}. So bring a hat.

Jewelry has been her full time business since 2007, with wholesale added on four years later; this is the first time she has sold at the Ann Arbor Art Fair. (Once again: Booth D240, in the happy blacktop between the Cupcake Station and Robot Store)

OH MY GOD IT'S ALMOST NOON, time to run there and then off to Dumpling's 4 month check up! 

Armchair Travel: Ann Arbor Art Fair Artist Peek

It's debatable how much I'll get to wander the Ann Arbor Art Fair next week, but just right now, with the baby asleep in a snuggly blanket in the study and a steady thrum of rain hitting our roof, it's a good time to visit the artists' directory for "the original." Starting in the A's, we have numerous returning artists here ... If I have the baby freedom, I'll check out:

• Kent Ambler's woodcuts. Is there a growing printmaker presence at the show, or is it just my imagination? Ambler's prints strike me as more traditional woodblocks, though this may be inaccurate from an art school perspective. More rough hewn? Blockier? Words are clearly failing me. Or I am failing them. Anyhoo, they look similar to the woodblock prints I grew up seeing in my parents' house: bold lines, high contrast between light and dark, palpable texture. While I am most drawn to his single block work, his use of color is also quite good, as seen in "On the Hunt." Separately, block constructs, whaaaaaaaaaat??? In theory, we destroy our woodblocks after an edition, which I have an aversion to; but every once in a while an artist will do something else with the blocks -- or flat out sell them. Looks like he deconstructs his... Booth A532, Hails from Greenville, SC 

• Jerry Brem's large scale mixed media paintings of book shelves hold appeal within their abstracted repetition and color variation; and inspire (a knee-jerk?) fondness. The repetitions of chairs though, aggravate in their floatiness and call to mind a furniture warehouse. Will see how they sit (*sorry*) in person.  Booth A520, hails from Lady's Island, SC

• Curt Miller's prints. His website made me laugh, why not go laugh at him in person? Booth A537, Montoursville, PA

• Katie Mulsoff's watercolors! Yayyyyyyyy, I love her! Returning. One year on, and I still love the pieces on my wall. Had I a bigger kitchen, I would buy some of her produce pieces. Baby currently talks to "Come Together," a still life with bird, with outstretched wings, flanked by ferns and small purple flowers. Warning: her work sells out. Booth A328, Stoddard, WI

• Ray Maseman's narrative multiple plate etchings call to mind older schools of children's book illustration; Listed categories under his Projects tab on his web site gives some of the flavor: "Saints Reimagined," "Sub-Arctic Expedition," "Giraffe Story." Booth A518, hails from Albuquerque, NM

• Sarah Bean's book art. Returning. I *believe* her booth was one that caused a buzz among my artist/book friends last year? Always, book sculptures make me feel ambivalent. Books! Drawn to them. Books were cut up! Makes me cringe. Booth A504, from Redford, VA

• Local painter Karin Wagner Coron's landscapes. Returning. Local readers may have viewed her pieces at WSG on Main Street. I am a long-time admirer. The photo onsite doesn't do justice to her work -- the colors and compositions of her large pieces simultaneously energize and calm -- they'd be a pleasure to live with. Booth A364.

• David Dallison's globetrotting plein air watercolors. Returning. I missed his booth last year, but looks promising. Booth A514, Waukegan, IL  

• Creepy, fabulous, claustrophobic, plush dystopia of National Treasure. Joachim Knill returns. Always popular. always disquieting. Booth A206, Hannibal, MO

On a *completely* different note, artist's statements~~~ This really can help to differentiate you if it's done well. Judging by an initial scan, oiiiiiii, so many generic ones... Either inflated with art speak, or bland and obvious (I allow my viewers to bring their experiences to my work, therefore, *they* complete the art -- yes, thanks, Art 101; I use many media and colors, so it's never boring! ---hmmm, what?) On the flip side, a statement can occasionally miss the mark by striking an oddly personal tone, as in: "I just try to be myself, it is sometimes difficult when the whole world is telling you not to be" (note: this was the entire artist statement). Flip flip flip side -- this bare bones statement definitely needs fleshing out -- it tells nothing of Matthew Hemminghaus' motivation, but admit is -- it kind of makes you want to check it out (Booth A411) : "I build miniature sets in my studio which i use to photograph my chickens."

Also of Note: Artist Demonstrations! Dallison, Bean, and others are demonstrating their craft (photography, clay, fiber, metalworking, more) at select times. Full schedule here.

AND OH MY GOD I CAN'T BELIEVE BABY HAS BEEN ASLEEP THIS LONG. A blanket is being rustled. I will stop while I'm ahead.