Arts council continues West Shore Art Fair

LUDINGTON — Fine art aficionados will notice some subtle yet exciting enhancements at one of Ludington’s longest-running art events – the 2013 West Shore Art Fair. In its 45^th year, the 2013 West Shore Art Fair, July 6-7 at City Park will undergone a number of changes this year to elevate the stature and quality of the event.

The West Shore Art Fair is sponsored for the first time by the Ludington Area Arts Council (LAAC). Until this year, the event was sponsored by the West Shore Art League, which is disbanding. The LAAC has refined the focus of the fair to juried fine art and fine crafts with more stringent application criteria judged by a panel of experienced artists. Planners sought the highest-quality fine artists in their media to apply, and from more than 150 applicants, 75 juried artists were hand-selected to exhibit across a variety of categories including fiber, jewelry, clay and glass, and other two-dimensional and three-dimensional art.

“The LAAC is thrilled to support this long-time Ludington art tradition and take it to even greater heights with fine, quality art and an all-around enhanced experience for attendees,” said Erica Karmeisool Reed, executive director of the LAAC.

Additionally, the LAAC recruited a group of committee leaders with a variety of professional expertise and event experience who have volunteered their time to orchestrate the event.  The LAAC also hired an event coordinator, Paula Jury Jarvis, to manage the show and help coordinate the committees. Most recently the executive director of the Great Start Collaborative for Mason, Lake and Oceana counties, Jarvis created the Lakeshore Children’s Chorus at the Ludington Area Center for the Arts in 2012 where she serves as musical director, involving area children from second through eighth grades.

In addition to being a marketplace for purchasing original, hand-crafted art, the fair also is a celebration of visual and performing arts, featuring art demonstrations, an art framing service, live performances, a Ludington Visiting Writers booth with works published by local authors, food stations and a children’s craft area that will include a “parent-free” shopping area where children can purchase art for only $5. Proceeds from the art fair support arts education, programming and operations of the Ludington Area Arts Council.

Also new this year, a commemorative 2013 West Shore Art Fair poster by Pentwater artist John Gerts is available for $10. The poster is a print of an original watercolor by Gerts depicting an arts-oriented Ludington lakeshore scene. A limited number of posters will be available for purchase at the fair or in advance via PayPal.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

The planning committee is looking for volunteers to assist with various duties, including artist check-in, information booth, artist assistance, children’s activity area, children’s art shopping area, grounds team and section leaders. Volunteers are asked to commit to a four-hour shift, and they will receive a commemorative tee-shirt for their time. Those interested should contact secretary@ludingtonartscenter.org or call the LACA office Tuesday through Saturday, 12 to 5 p.m.at 231-845-2787.

 Visit www.ludingtonartscouncil.org or follow it on Facebook at facebook.com/WestShoreArtFair.