Like painting? Ann Arbor fair demands, rewards patience

Every imaginable medium of art is on display at the Ann Arbor Art Fair that opens today — prints, drawings, photographs, sculpture fiber works, ceramics, jewelry, wood, glass, leather, mixed media, digital and craftwork. Let's see, what else? Oh, yeah:

Painting.

With the work of more than 1,000 artists on display at the fair, which runs through Saturday, it's a little surprising that just about 13% of the artists — roughly 130 — are working in the fundamental medium of painting. The good news for those who love the thrill of paint, especially oils or acrylics on a support base like canvas, is that the fair boasts enough work in all manner of figurative and abstract styles for folks to get their fill. You just have to be patient.

"It's true that you do have to search a little bit, but I don't feel lonely," said Jane Robinson, an abstract painter who lives and works in Jackson. "It's perfectly fine that people come to the fair looking for $50 earrings, but those who are interested in original paintings will find me. They'll spot me from four or five booths away."

Now in its 56th year, the Ann Arbor Art Fair is one of the oldest and largest events of its kind in the country. It is actually four independent fairs that merge into a single organism, while each individual fair retains a unique character based on geography, art, prices, mission, history and surrounding businesses.

The highest concentration of quality work — especially painting — can be found at the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the Original, and at Ann Arbor's South University Art Fair.

Andy Fletcher, who lives in Wisconsin on the Mississippi River, will be showing his paintings at the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair. He does mostly landscapes, creating soft-focused, moody pictures of broad, rural horizons, quiet farmhouses and subtle forms. The size of his work ranges from 7-by-10 inches up to 30-by-50 inches, with prices from about $250 to $2,500.

"Painting helps me make sense of the world," said Fletcher, 37. "It captures who I am more than anything else."

Of course, many artists would say something similar about their favorite medium, whatever it may be. Still, there is something magical about the emotional impact of paint on canvas — the depth and nuance of expression that a loaded brush can convey, the power of color, the physical immediacy of a great painting and the incomparable tradition and history of the medium dating back thousands of years.

"Things happen more slowly when I paint," said Fletcher. "It's very personal and meditative. I remember my emotional reactions to things, and where I come from and who I am — it all shows up in the decisions of what I include and what I don't."

Though Robinson works in a different style rooted in mid-20th Century abstract expressionism, her paintings also reflect her core being. There's an improvisatory rhythm to her lines, shapes, colors and gestures that grows out of her love of jazz.

Her work can be seen at Ann Arbor's South University Art Fair. She mostly works on a large scale, with paintings up to 6 feet tall. Prices range from $150 to $1,200.

When Robinson was a teenager, she worked in a record store along side musicians, and one day, they played her Miles Davis' "A Tribute to Jack Johnson," and she was hooked.

"Abstract painting speaks the same language," she said. "It can be free and flowing, with punches of personality. If you listen closely to musicians who are improvising, you can hear the nuances and how they play off each other."

Robinson, who paints while listening to music, tries to bring a similar sensibility to the canvas. "There's an immediacy to the expression," she said. "Moving the brush, blending color and then doing a sudden bold stroke."

Contact Mark Stryker: 313-222-6459 or mstryker@freepress.com

56th Ann Arbor Art Fair

When: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Today-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday

Where: Downtown Ann Arbor

How much: Free admission

More info: Downloadable guide, map, parking options, activities schedule and more: www.theannarborartfairs.com. Festival apps are available for iPhone and Android

Parking: Pay options are available but downtown parking and traffic can be a nightmare unless you arrive early. The following locations offer park-and-ride shuttle service:

■ Southwest: Pioneer High School, 601 W. Stadium

■ South: Briarwood Mall, 100 Briarwood Circle

■ West: Maple Village, 155 N. Maple

■ Northeast: Huron High School, 2727 Fuller

Parking is free; shuttle costs $3 round-trip. Shuttles run every 10-15 minutes, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Today-Friday, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday. A free trolley links all four fairs.

4 fairs in 1

Annual attendance at the Ann Arbor Art Fair tops 500,000, with the event engulfing downtown and environs, sprawling through some 30 blocks with booth after booth of work ranging in price from the cost of a couple beers to several thousands of dollars. Then there are the two music stages, a dizzying array of restaurants and street food, retail shopping, activities for kids and free-of-charge people watching.

The event includes four independent fairs:

■ Longtime fans of the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, the oldest of the four, should note that due to construction on Ingalls Mall, part of what is typically the most serene and leafy of the fairs will be held along North University Street and part of the Diag on the University of Michigan campus.

■ Ann Arbor's South University fair has an animated vibe due to the mix of veteran artists and newcomers and vibrant blend of art, merchants, restaurants and a music stage.

■ The State Street Area Art Fair has the largest geographic footprint, and the crush of artists, visitors and businesses gives it the feel of ground zero for the entire fair.

■ The Ann Arbor Summer Art Fair boasts the most artists — about 370 — and two locations, a bustling artery along Main Street and a tail on State Street.