Art up North

June 14, 2006

Northern Michigan’s beauty is rivaled only by the artwork that area galleries and summer shows bring. The Petoskey and Harbor Springs area art scene doesn’t disappoint with this jam-packed summer schedule.
Petoskey kicks off its summer art fun with the Seventh Annual Downtown Gallery Walk on Thursday, June 15. From 5:30 – 9 p.m. participating galleries will have refreshments, hors d’oeuvres and many artists on hand. Everyone is welcome and each gallery visit earns participants a dot on their walking map that will be turned in for tickets at the AfterGlow party at the end of the night. Tickets will be drawn to raffle off participating galleries’ donated art. There is no charge for the event and additional tickets can be earned for each purchase made. Over $10,000 in prizes will be given away.
Well into its summer season, the Crooked Tree Arts Center (CTAC) in downtown Petoskey is offering the Alma Print Show through June 18. This traveling show treats visitors to a diverse collection of print methods and techniques.
In CTAC’s Edith Gilbert Gallery through June 25 is the 20th Century Photography Masters exhibition. On loan from the Crouse family’s private collections, the exhibit features, among others, the work of Ansel Adams, black and white pictures of Marilyn Monroe and Steve McCurry’s photo of an Afghan girl made famous by National Geographic.

JULY
Fourth of July visitors to Harbor Springs will be welcomed to the 31st Annual Juried Art Show held in Zorn Park. Hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. for this yearly tradition. Nearly 108 entrants were accepted from 175 applications and booths selling everything from paintings to pottery will cover both sections of the park. “We’re proud to have artists from all over the country,” says Michelle Zoerner of Harbor Springs Community Schools. “There is something for everyone.”
From July 8 through August 27 CTAC will have two plein air exhibitions. En plein air is a French term that translates into English as ‘in open air.’ True plein air artists paint from direct observation of life, often outdoors, with no photographic reference. The National Plein Air Competition in CTAC’s West Gallery showcases 51 paintings juried by local plein air artist Bill Hosner. The second show, Before Their Eyes – En Plein Air, will be in the Edith Gilbert Gallery and will feature the work of nationally known artists Scott Christensen, Gil Dellinger, Daniel Gerhartz and Hosner.
Gil Dellinger, a featured artist in Before Their Eyes at CTAC will offer pastel and acrylic demonstrations on Saturday, July 9. Location and times will be announced July 7. Please visit www.crookedtree.org for more details.
On Wednesday, July 12, the Harbor Springs Women’s Club will present its 23rd Annual Art Fest at Nub’s Nob in Harbor Springs. From 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. visitors ($4 entry fee) will see a variety of arts and crafts. “You name it, it’s there,” says Ruth O’Gawa, member of the H.S. Women’s Club, “watercolor, oil, fabric art, ceramics, a wide range of jewelry and painted, woven clothes.”
The annual art fest is a fund-raiser for area organizations. “The proceeds go to community needs,” continues O’Gawa, “Manna Food Pantry and Women’s Resource Center scholarships.”
D’Art for Art, the area’s biggest fund-raiser, sponsored by CTAC, takes place the evening of Thursday, July 13 at Brek-N-Ridge Farm in Harbor Springs. A $500 ticket guarantees each couple an original work of art, a “meet the artist-preview the art” cocktail reception, dinner, music and the satisfaction that comes from supporting the arts. Tickets go fast for this annual event. Visit www.crookedtree.org for more information.
Petoskey’s foremost art tradition, Art in the Park, takes place on Saturday, July 15 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. “It’s a special event for the regional area,” says Becky Goodman, downtown director for Petoskey’s Chamber of Commerce, “and it’s more to get people to visit our downtown community.”
Featuring 125 artists out of nearly 300, the show is the area’s largest juried event. Local artist Joey Haderer runs the popular Children’s Area where kids can buy inexpensive pieces of art or create their own. Local service organizations, Zonta and Habitat for Humanity will offer food booths.
The third annual Native American Indian Art Fair sponsored by the Andrew J. Blackbird Museum will be held Saturday, July 22 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. in Harbor Springs’ Jean Jardine Park. Many area Native American artists and historians will be showing their wares. “We expect to see everything from quillwork to beading, from traditional to contemporary,” says Kathy Lott, executive director of the Harbor Springs Chamber of Commerce and museum board member.
A Plein Air Paint-Out will take place Saturday, July 29 at CTAC. All artists are welcome to participate in this day-long event. Registration will be 8-9 a.m. and artists must return with their finished artwork by 6 p.m. framed and ready to display. (A framing station will be setup at CTAC – artists must bring their own supplies.) On Sunday, July 30 there will be an opening reception of all artists’ work from 2-4 p.m. Work will remain on display and for sale in CTAC’s lower gallery until August 27.

AUGUST
Bay Harbor swings into the art scene with its seventh annual Summer Art Fair on Aug. 4 and 5. The festival will feature a juried fine arts show and craftspeople along with music and children’s entertainment. Admission and parking is free and everyone is welcome. Visit www.levyartfairs.com for more information.
On Saturday, Aug. 19 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. the 30th Annual Juried Arts & Crafts show will be held in downtown Petoskey’s Pennsylvania Park. “When (the Petoskey Jaycees) disbanded,” says Carrie Selby of Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Northern Michigan, “they turned it over to us.” The show – a fund-raiser for Big Brothers’/Big Sisters’ volunteer mentoring program – will continue to offer nearly 100 booths selling a variety of items and will coincide with Petoskey’s Festival on the Bay.

For more detailed information on the above events, please visit the Petoskey Chamber of Commerce website at
www.petoskey.com or the Harbor Springs Chamber of Commerce website at
www.harborspringschamber.com.