Galleries Host Tour During Color Season

Oct. 5, 2014

Those who create and sell art hope people will fall head over heels for their paintings, sculptures, jewelry, sketches and the like.

So they created an event entitled just that. Fall For Art is an annual affair, a tour of galleries across Leelanau County.

"This is our ninth event," says John Huston, who chairs the event and owns Glen Lake Artists Gallery in Glen Arbor. It actually began ten years ago, but they skipped a year early on.

This year it takes place Oct. 10-12. A dozen or so galleries are part of the tour, from Empire to Northport, Cedar to Suttons Bay.

Huston says artist Mary Eliowitz was the original guiding light of Fall For Art. "She thought it would be a good way for galleries all over the county to get a nice response," he says.

It’s held each year on Columbus Day weekend. That way it coincides both with a long weekend, as many people have that Monday off, and with what is often a peak time to view the turning of autumn leaves.

The tour begins with the opening of business on Friday at 10am, when visitors fan out across the county. Patrons receive a map showing each participating gallery. They receive a stamp on their map for each gallery they visit.

Friday evening there is a reception from 6 to 8pm at the Glen Arbor Art Association. "We have a member show," says Peg McCarty, who heads the association.

Saturday is open for arts enthusiasts to continue to visit the destinations in whatever order appeals to them.

On Sunday, a closing reception is held at 3pm at Lake Street Studios in Glen Arbor. At that reception, those who have visited each of the participating shops are eligible for a drawing. Each gallery donates a piece of art, with as many winners as there are participating galleries. Michelle Hart Jahraus of Duck to Swan Fine Art in Cedar says she sees the tour as a way to not only sell some art that weekend but to lay groundwork for the future. In order to make it to all the galleries, patrons may not have the time to thoroughly peruse the shops, but they can – and do – return.

"I’ve had people stop (back) or call and say, "˜I saw a really neat piece. Is it still available?’ "It’s sort of like a last hurrah before Christmas," she continues. "People are here for color tour."

Jahraus paints in acrylics and co-owns The Gallery in Cedar with jewelry artist Liz Saile. She says those who stop in during Fall For Art are people who are really interested in art, as opposed to people who might simply be wandering around during the summer looking for something to do.

Malcom Chatfield, owner of Main Street Gallery in Leland, has also been a part of the tour for several years. He agrees with Jahraus, and wishes more galleries would participate.

"It brings people in, people looking for art," he says. "The event should be bigger. A couple years I didn’t do it, then got back on board a couple years ago. I think it’s definitely worth it."

Huston says some galleries are unable to participate, while others have conflicts or other reasons to not be a part of it. "Some have already closed (for the season); some choose not to. We’re not as organized as the wineries," he says, somewhat ruefully.

That’s not necessarily bad, however.

While Chatfield would like to see more galleries and more patrons, he says the smaller crowds of autumn give more space to those who are really into art. "It’s not like the wine stampede," he says with a laugh.

Many of the participating galleries showcase artists at work during the weekend.

"There are demonstrations at some of the galleries," says Huston, himself a potter.

"Last year I had an artist here painting plein air. I serve hors d’oeuvres. I think everybody has an event to make it more interesting," says Chatfield.

Jahraus says one of the key points for her is the fact that in order to be eligible for the drawing, visitors must get to each of the galleries participating. That’s very helpful for those that are either tucked away or not in the midst of communities famed for their arts.

"(It’s great) if you’re not on M-22 or in Glen Arbor, Leland or Suttons Bay. We’re in Cedar. Cedar is a good destination, but a lot of people don’t think of it," she says.

For more information, including the most up-to-date list of participants, visit the Fall For Art Facebook page.