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2008 05 23

Random Rippling

Converted from paper version of the Broad Ripple Gazette (v05n11)

Perfect weekend for annual Art Fair - By Ashley Plummer

posted: May 23, 2008

Ashley Plummer

Visitors of the 38th Annual Broad Ripple Art Fair last Saturday and Sunday probably had some tan lines. Regardless of what the weather people had predicted, the sun peaked through the clouds around 2 p.m. on Saturday and continued through Sunday-which allowed yet another year where one of the biggest crowd-drawing events in the Village appeared to be a success.

Held on May 17 and 18, 2008, the Art Fair took place on the grounds of the Indianapolis Art Center. On those two days, the building and surrounding gardens play host to more than 25,000 visitors, about 225 working artists, numerous art demonstrations and four live music stages. There were also countless food vendors on hand to supply the taste desires of the most picky and the most curious eaters Indianapolis could serve up.

Art Fair visitors examining artists rugs at the 38th annual event on the grounds of the Indianapolis Art Center.

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While seeing the transformation of the grounds into a space that holds over 25,000 is a spectacle itself, the artists who travel from all over the country to show their personal handicrafts are the main event.

Douglas M. Durkee had come up from Burlington, Kentucky to display his personally designed furniture that viewers can really "get lost" in. Considering the fact that his most popular design is called the "Wishing Well"-a coffee table that in actuality is no higher than two feet in height-appears to be a bottomless well that looks to be at least 40 feet in depth, viewers probably could imagine getting lost.

Durkee said he creates this illusion by working with lamps and reflections, and has been doing so for years and years.

"By simply changing the relationship of mirrors and lights, the entire angle of a lamp is changed," Durkee said.

From a viewer's perspective, it would not be hard to imagine jumping into Durkee's wells and falling for an extending amount of time, or walking into one of his wall frames and never coming out.

Durkee has been featured at the Smithsonian and his furniture can be found in some of Donald Trump's prime real estate. It can also be found at www.infinityartfurnishings.com.

This young lady painted on one of the murals in the Art Center Outreach tent.

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Another interesting booth at the fair belonged to an artist-of both visual and musical tastes-named Erik Smith. Smith made no secret of displaying to viewers how he had combined his loves for both art and guitars by creating hand-crafted guitars that appeared to play with ease.

Smith said he was pushed into creating his own guitars (body, neck and all) because he could not find one he loved that was already built.

"I was Gibson man, a Fender man and an Ibanez man before I just built my first one 10 years ago," he said.

If interested in having a custom guitar built, Smith said his guitars run for anywhere from $1,500 to $4,000. His work can be checked out at www.crownhillguitars.com.

Young and old lined up to try out Erik Smith's handcrafted guitars.

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Perfect weekend for annual Art Fair - By Ashley Plummer

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While it is always great to see new and different displays at the art fair, it is just as wonderful to see returning artists, such as C.R. Schiefer-the man who has made himself a celebrity using Indiana limestone as one of his primary mediums.

The artist, who claims he will sculpt for as long as he can hold a chisel, is continually working even as guests stroll around his exhibit and speak with him about his work. He describes his sculptures to have "minimal detail, clean lines, positive optimistic rounded forms and when possible, they also include movement, action and humor."

If interested in seeing some of his finest (and largest) pieces of work in person, he has a 10 acre sculpture garden in his hometown of Martinsville that is open to the public. More photos and information on Schiefer can be found at www.scican.net/~schiefer.

After taking a walk through the artists' booths, visitors more than likely found themselves drifting to one of the four music stages and sitting in the grass to listen to local and national original artists.

One of these acts was a husband-wife duo called Patchouli-a name that was beyond the perfect fit. The duo was a catch between what initially sounded like classical Spanish-style guitar playing and the sought-after sixties folk duet forged between Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.

Patchouli performed in the B105.7 Great Lawn Stage.

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Beyond art and music, which played the lead roles as the major crowd pleasers, the Broad Ripple Art Fair also gave local art non-profits and benefits projects a chance to publicize the ways that art can help build community.

Eric Jones, the Outreach Technician for the Indianapolis Art Center, was on hand to give "anyone who could hold a brush" the chance to paint in parts of a mural that will be displayed at the Art Center in upcoming months.

He explained that the outreach mural, which features an ancient Buddhist legend as its storyline, will be a featured display at the Art Center's Chinese Gala in June.

Another featured group was the VSAI-a group that offers over 35 adaptive arts residencies for students with disabilities and their peers in schools around the state of Indiana.

The group, which offers community art classes and provides special arts programming for at risk children was there offering children the chance to paint their own hand bag for free and promoting the Independent Art and Music Festival (held at 16th and Delaware) on June 14 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

If interested in learning more about VSAI or their events, check out www.vsai.org.

After 38 years, it has become apparent that the Indianapolis Art Fair is a staple of both Indianapolis and Broad Ripple that will not be going anywhere for quite some time. However, while the art fair is only once a year, the Art Center is open all week-make sure to check out their daily exhibits and attend other events to continue supporting the Indianapolis art community.