Last Saturday, we adventured to Novi to the Great Lakes Art Fair. This fair utilizes an indoor venue at the Suburban Collection Showplace and started in Spring 2009. The fair has doubled in size since its inception and featured over 190 artists and displays this year. It is actually the largest and fastest growing indoor art event in Michigan with a full three days to visit.
It was a gloomy snowy day (yes, it was snowing in April here in the Mitten) so I was thankful the event was indoors in the weather-proof pavilion. The parking was free for the event and there is quite an ample lot so finding a space was not a problem. Once inside the building, we did have to purchase tickets for entry at $7.00 per person. I discovered a $2.00 off coupon on the website so this is helpful to know about for the future.
The entrance to the fair highlighted a mini art gallery with beautiful paintings displayed on the walls. Once you walked through the lobby area, the venue featured white tents for the individual artist booths much like an outdoor fair. This art fair definitely featured juried artists and the caliber of talent was impressive. There were beautiful displays featuring pottery, jewelry, artwork, clothes, forged iron, hand blown glass, hand made tiles and more! Many artists showcased our beloved state in their art which I always enjoy. I found several treasures and actually purchased two items; a cute “Michigan Girl” tee-shirt from Smitten by The Mitten State and a beautiful handmade M-22 tile that came with a rustic frame.
Some artists provided demonstrations of their craft at the booths. You could view items like hand blown glass, tiles and art work being made. There also was a Marketplace Cafe in the center which featured bistro food items and vendor carts sold fun fair foods like popcorn. It only took a couple hours to explore the fair but I sure enjoyed the time spent there. I look forward to going again next year and seeing the Great Lakes Art Fair continue to grow.
