A Closer Look: The City and District Partnership

2017 State Street Art Fair is among us and as we get closer to the big weekend, the District is working closer than ever with the city of Ann Arbor to make it the best and safest fair yet. State Street District has cultivated strong communication with the city officials in preparation for the event because we are stronger if we work together. Change is on the horizon for the Ann Arbor Art Fair after implementing a geographic information system (GIS) to improve the safety and layout of the event. The partnership with city officials made it possible to digitize the fair using the GIS system, which allow people to easily view, understand, and examine the geographic location of the Ann Arbor Art Fair.  

The digital system implementation should positively impact the safety of this year’s fair and all events to come. These changes will enable City personnel to effectively and efficiently respond to any community need. The system will also provide responders with needed information about those participating in the fair and the street space that is use for the production of the fair. After discussing these important changes with city officials, it is understood that emergency responders now have information at their fingertips so they can quickly access the site. Maneuvering around the fair and understanding the setup in the city should greatly improve with the accessible GIS map. Emergency responders have a better knowledge base on barricades and important reference points for city safety. In addition, the GIS system will allow all of the city services to be identified in one place. This new information layer allows for various departments within the system to work together when preparing and responded to community need during the fair.  

This movement in establishing a better use of technology has increased communication between the city and the district, which will ultimately lead to safer, organized events. That being said, some suggestions from city officials on how to prepare for the fair as an attendee include dressing appropriately, drinking plenty of fluids (not just the dehydrating kind), and knowledge on where to go in case of emergency. The great strides made by working with the city officials has State Street District excited and committed to making our 50th Art Fair the beginning of positive changes.    

Artist Showcases Work For 37th Year in Ann Arbor

This year marks 50 years for the State Street Art Fair and for a majority of those years, the State Street District’s fair has featured the passionately talented Catherine McClung. Catherine is an artist who has been showcasing her art here in Ann Arbor for 37 years. That’s right, THIRTY-SEVEN years.

Catherine always knew she wanted to be an artist and explored this in all facets of her life. She spent some time utilizing her background in education to teach children how to capture nature through art while working at a summer elementary program. These experiences only fueled her passion for art and nature further, motivating her to pursue and create her own artwork.  

She often asks herself while creating, ‘What do you want other people to see?’ Catherine sees beauty and inspiration in the nature around her. She is so intently aware of her surroundings that she often finds herself absorbed in watching birds, aweing the foliage and overall immersing her creative mind in nature. To capture these inspirational moments, she will occasionally utilize photography and carry her camera just in case something needs to make it’s way to her paintbrush.

Painting was not always the obvious route of artistry for Catherine, but a comment from a close friend saying ‘if I could paint like you, I would do that’ steered her in this form or creativity. From then on, she discovered a way to convey her passions and interests through paintings.  

These pieces are so incredibly loved by the people of the State Street Art Fair that collectors in the past have camped out in her booth just to purchase the piece that touches their heart.

Having been an artist in the fair for 37 years, Catherine has experienced all that Mother Nature has to offer while displaying her artwork. She remembers past years of tornados, sweltering heat up to 104 degrees, and even cold rain. These moments never lead her to ease up on her passion and highlight her commitment to express and share her creativity.  

When Catherine is not too busy at her booth in Ann Arbor she makes time to visit the Museum of Natural History, where she spends time gazing at the mounted birds. Catherine is looking forward to coming back and reviving her spirit this July while reconnecting with loved friends and collectors of her art.  

She even has some new works that include the gilding of gold and silver. This innovative artist is excited about this unique process and the effect it has when combined with the watercolor medium. Also, for the first time during the Ann Arbor art fair, she will have an exhibit at the University of Michigan hospital in the main lobby. It is called, "His Eye is on the Sparrow."

Just like her artwork, Catherine has made a meaningful and lasting impact on the fair and all visitors are highly encouraged to give her booth a visit. The State Street Art Fair is pleased to showcase her art yet again at its 50 year anniversary July 20th-23rd.

Rock The District Returns On April 22nd

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Last year's inaugural 'Rock The District' drew in over 3,000 music fans to downtown Ann Arbor

The State Street District is hosting its second annual Rock the District music festival. Building off of the success of the of 2016’s inaugural show, the District is once again providing a completely free concert on the corner of Maynard and East William. A jam-packed line up of live performances, curated by hosted by Sonic Lunch’s Matthew Altruda, includes Theo Katzman, The Go Rounds, Misty Lyn & The Big Beautiful, Chris Dupont and Girls Who Care.

“I am so proud of this year’s Rock The District lineup and beyond excited to dance the night away with thousands of Ann Arborites to some jaw dropping incredible music.”

— Matthew Altruda

Theo Katzman, of the band Vulfpeck, headlines this night of artists, all of whom have roots in the state of Michigan. As Katzman has appeared in multiple funk shows with his band, he is eager to perform in front of his native Ann Arbor as a solo act to showcase his Rock and Roll sound.

The Kalamazoo quartet, The Go Rounds, have also been a constant in the Michigan music scene over the past 5 years. Their powerful and dynamic live shows have earned them a reputation as one of the best live bands in the Midwest.

In partnership with Ashley’s Downtown, this 5pm-10pm event will feature a beer garden providing cold beverages throughout the night. This Maynard block party serves as the perfect Ann Arbor venue featuring multiple access points and its surrounding of fabulous places to step away and grab a bite to eat.

“With the continued support of our partners, the State Street District is looking forward to growing this event into the future”

— Frances Todoro

This amazingly free event, open to all ages, could not be possible without the support of Ann Arbor’s 107one. Ann Arbor’s State Street District is inviting families, students and everyone in between to come out and experience this exciting Saturday night.

Welcome Bob and Patti Stern to the District and the State Street Art Fair, July 21, 2016

Yes, we do Windows!

We started in 1993 with a vision of using vintage windows as home accessories and giving them another life as art. By appreciating the historic value and the beautiful craftsmanship of nineteenth century leading and beveling, we have enjoyed blending the beauty of these materials to create our own one-of-a-kind art pieces. We believe each person who appreciates our work is honoring their personal history and their past.

Our newest items are clock head curio cabinets created from architectural artifacts. While mimicking the human form they are both functional and whimsical~ a new twist on the ‘grandfather clock’.

Most of our windows date from the mid nineteenth to the early twentieth century. They are transformed into art by applying various finishes to the frames. The frames are painted for antiquity to create either patina or hand-rubbed, weathered glazed finishes.

Bob & Patti Stern

Terry Abrams: Student and Teacher, Photography with a Passion

Terry Abrams has been teaching photography since 1975, when he moved to Europe to establish photography programs for an American college in Europe. He subsequently lived overseas for 13 years in England, Spain, Germany and the Azores Islands. During this time he travelled extensively throughout Europe, teaching Art and Photography.

In 1988, Terry moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan and began teaching photography at Washtenaw Community College, where he is a full-time faculty member. As Department Chair for seven years, he guided the photography program through the transition from darkroom to digital photography and into a new building and lab facility designed for digital imaging.

Terry has also been a Lecturer in Photography at The University of Michigan and conducts photography workshops at The Maine Photographic Workshops in Rockport, Maine. He co-produced the Great Lakes Digital Conference from 2003-2005, and taught workshops alongside the major innovators in digital photography, including Thomas Knoll, the inventor of Adobe Photoshop.

Throughout his career, Terry continues to be a student of photography. He has had the good fortune to study with Arnold Newman, Paul Caponigro, Michael Kenna, John Sexton, John Paul Caponigro, Lewis Kemper and others.

Terry Abrams has a BFA Degree in Photography from The Maryland Institute College of Art and Design, and an EdM Degree in Educational Leadership from Boston University. He also earned a Certificate in Photography from the Agfa-Gevaert Institute in Munich, Germany.

In 2005, Terry was selected to participate in a Fulbright-Hays Group Project led by the University of Michigan to travel, photograph and study Islamic culture in Morocco and southern Spain. In 2010, he was hosted by the Turkish Cultural Foundation to travel and photograph throughout Turkey as a Cultural Tour participant. He currently conducts photography travel workshops to locations such as Morocco, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Scotland, Greece and Iceland.

In addition to teaching, Terry creates photographs using the latest digital technology. His images are reproduced in books and appear regularly in exhibitions. He began working with digital technology in the 1990s by scanning 8x10 negatives he produced with an antique camera, but today is working mostly with high resolution digital cameras, software applications, fine-art papers and large-format inkjet printers to produce his photographs.

Terry’s approach to photography is to produce images that communicate his visions of design and atmosphere both in black and white and color. His subjects include nature, landscapes and architectural elements from around the world.

A.E. London Studio, Endangered Species Fine Arts of the Wild

Anne E. London is an accomplished American artist whose work combines two her passions: visual art, and the conservation and celebration of endangered species. Through her earlier Intaglio engravings, to her latest work with impressionistic charcoal and watercolor, Anne brings to life breathtaking portraits of the animals in their natural habitats.

She travels frequently to Africa and other wild locations to witness endangered species firsthand and record the face of nature through her “Portraits of the Wild.” Her digital studio holds a collection of her works, photos from the field, and journal entries from her adventures across the planet.

Anne’s artistic journey began over 40 years ago in Los Angeles, during her early film industry career. She worked with actress Tippi Hedren, who founded the Shambala Preserve -- a refuge in California for big cats, elephants and many other endangered species. It was there Anne first realized she could meld her artwork with her love for animals.

Since then, she has won numerous critical national and international awards. As a Signature Artist member of the Society of Animal Artists, she is recognized as having attained the highest level of ability in the field of animal art. In 2005, she won the society’s prestigious Award of Excellence for her piece “Kitabu.” Anne is also an active, signature member of Artists for Conservation, an organization that celebrates artistic excellence in the depiction of nature and directly supports individuals and organizations committed to animal conservation worldwide.

Anne appears frequently in global media, both an artist and a champion of animal rights. She remains passionate about sharing the beauty and majesty of Africa with other animal enthusiasts she meets on her travels, and her role in protecting our planet’s endangered species is one she holds sacred.

She returns to Africa each year with small groups of fellow conservations and friends to gather new ideas and immerse herself in the wild. With her husband Jim Hart, she recently spent a month in the remote lowland swamps of Borneo researching the incredible orangutan, learning about its habitat and why the species is so endangered.

Beyond studying wildlife, Anne also works with local schools in remote African communities to introduce children to art. In 2012, she and Jim founded Arts for Animals, an innovative program for young African students that links “creativity with conservation.” Arts for Animals teaches children to draw endangered and threatened animals while stressing the importance of preserving their wildlife and their habitats. (For more information, visit www.artsforanimals.com.)

Anne moved her studio several years ago to Mandeville, Louisiana. With new spaces and energies, her art has continued to evolve as Anne adopts new materials and techniques. She recently featured work in galleries, shows and exhibitions across the United States as well as in Guatemala, South Africa and Italy.

Anne will be returning to the State Street Art Fair this year, July 21-24.  

Thank you for a great 2015 Art Fair!

Thank you for everyone that came to visit us at the Art Fair this year.  It was a wonderful fair.  We would like to share with you the winners for this year!

Announcing and Celebrating the Arts in Ann Arbor!

The State Street Area Art Fair had an enormously successful year and wishes to announce the winners of this year’s annual awards. There are eleven total, five each in both 3-D and 2-D categories, as well as a newly-instated award in honor of a past juror.

The works of 307 artists, combining highly contemporary works alongside very traditional crafts including glass, painting, ceramics, photography, jewelry, fiber, wood and more, were juried by the art fair’s standards of quality and excellence and are reflected in the artists’ dedication to their craft.

A jury of both practicing artists and other arts professionals has the task of screening these exhibitors, always looking for fresh and innovative approaches as well as stunning examples of age-old techniques.

The State Street Area Art Fair recently finished its 48th annual event, which ran from July 15th-18th, thanks to the State Street Area Association, a strong downtown organization that welcomes and opens its streets to these incredible artists each year.

2015 State Street Area Art Fair
Award Winners

3-D Best of Show: Douglas Richard, Wood, Satsuma, FL

3-D Honorable Mention: Christopher Brautigan, Sculpture, Toledo, OH

3-D Honorable Mention: Lisa Gastelum, Jewelry, Portland, Oregon

3-D Honorable Mention: Linda Jones, Jewelry,  Centerville, IN

3-D Honorable Mention: Lou Michaels, 3-D, Cape Coral, FL

2-D Best of Show: Lisa Kristine, Photography, San Rafael, CA

2-D Honorable Mention: Johanna Mueller, Printmaking, Fort Collins, CO

2-D Honorable Mention: Mi Young Lee, Painting, Austin, TX

2-D Honorable Mention: Candra Boggs, 2-D, Perrysburg, OH

2-D Honorable Mention: Xiao Song Jiang, Painting, Ontario, Canada

Karen Anderson Award: Troy Thomas, 2-D, B411, Woodstock, IL

2016 Dates are July 21-24!!