ART - APRIL 30, 2003

It must be spring: E.L. Art Festival is May 17-18

By ISABELLA J. ROWAN

Birds are singing. The grass is green. Crocuses and tulips have pushed their way through cold, hard soil to produce a giddy array of colors. OR: It’s 30 degrees and snow flurries are drifting down from the gray clouds overhead. It’s springtime in Michigan. Rain or shine. Snow, sleet or hail. What is the one thing we look forward to every spring? Why, the East Lansing Art Festival, of course!

A giant fly was one of the most memorable works on exhibit at the 2002 East Lansing Art Festival. Its creator, Rod Bearup, will be back for this year’s festival, May 17 and 18.

Art, music, food and fun in downtown East Lansing and on the MSU Campus Saturday, May 17 -10 a.m. to 6 p.m.Sunday, May 18 - 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For a complete schedule of artists and events, visit the Web site at: www.elartfest.com

The art festival springs into East Lansing on May 17 and 18 with a display of artistry that is bigger than ever. You can stroll through the streets of downtown East Lansing and view or purchase finely crafted works of art in every medium imaginable, from ceramics to glass and fiber art to photography to painting and sculpture and much, much more. Rated one of the top 100 festivals in the country by “Sunshine Artist” Magazine, this festival features 230 juried artists from all over the United States and Canada.

Tantalizing the olfactory palette at every turn are delicious, exotic aromas riding the breeze from the International Food Court. With sight and smell fully captivated, your sense of hearing will not be neglected. In celebration of its 40th anniversary, the East Lansing Art Festival is bringing back a lot of past performers. On Saturday the musical lineup will include blues and boogie piano by Mr. B; Celtic/Appalachian melodies by The Duhks; 50s and 60s rock ‘n roll by The Sea Cruisers; not to mention, The Uptown Band (blues and R&B); Los Gatos (Latin jazz); Steppin’ In It (Cajun, bluegrass and Western swing); a family concert with Josh White Jr. and much more. On Sunday, the fun continues with Mystic Shake (rhythmic), Madcat & Kane (blues harmonica and guitar); Onita Sanders (contemporary harpist); and Sheila Landis Trio (Brazilian-tinged jazz).

The festival is a family affair catering to younger visitors with face-painting, arts and crafts and a chalk art fest. Museums-to-Go features hands-on activities presented by Impression 5 Science Center, Kresge Art Museum, Potter Park Zoo, MSU Museum and others. There will also be guild demonstrations by area potters, weavers, wood carvers and such, so you can see first hand how objects d’art are created.

A festival of this nature doesn’t just spring up all by itself. The creative force behind the success is Leslie Donaldson, 31-year-old artist and coordinator of the art festival. She is in her second year coordinating the festival and prior to this she sat on the art festival board. Donaldson earned her BFA from Michigan State University and her MFA from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her background in painting and performance art coupled with extensive experience in administrating art events throughout college leaves her uniquely qualified for this huge responsibility.

Although the coordinator’s job is technically part time, it takes a full year to plan the festival. Assisting Donaldson is a 12-member volunteer board. “They’re a great group of people,” she said, “and they’re there for a whole year helping me plan.”

Planning begins with a call for artists. Interested artists apply with a portfolio of slides. Then, jury evenings are held during which artists from the community, gallery owners, professors from LCC and MSU are invited to make up a panel of slide reviewers. Three groups of reviewers on three different nights anonymously review and score each applicant. Those with the highest scores are invited to participate in the festival. Artists who have won festival awards previously are also invited back for three consecutive years.

The art festival has an on-site jury comprised of four MFA-qualified artists from around the state. They jury all of the booths and awards are given during the Awards Parade at 11 a.m. Sunday. Monetary awards and ribbons are given for “Best of Show,” “Festival Award,” and “Arts of Excellence Award” (sponsored by the Arts Commission). The “City Award” is a purchase of $500 worth of art for display in City Hall.

“What we’re most concerned with,” Donaldson said, “ is making sure the artists are happy, that the quality is really good, and that we’re still regarded as a good event.”

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