Art fair will see more changes this year

LUDINGTON — Art collectors should mark their calendars for the 2014 West Shore Art Fair, July 5-6 at City Park. In its 46th year, the juried fine art and fine craft show will feature more artists showcasing high-quality, original art, guided by new leadership hailing from one of Michigan’s most successful art shows.

The Ludington Area Center for the Arts (LACA) is broadening the selection for art collectors in 2014 by expanding the number of booths to more than 100 juried artists, with an emphasis on unique and high-quality original works of art. Fine art and fine craft categories include clay, fiber, glass, jewelry, painting, photography, sculpture and more.

Another significant development for the show’s organization this year is the addition of LACA’s new Executive Director Corinn VanWyck and WSAF Coordinator Christine Plummer.

VanWyck served for six years as director of the East Lansing Art Fair, a consistently-ranked “Top 100” fine art fair in the nation. In its milestone 50th year in 2013, the ELAF was ranked No. 56 in Sunshine Artist magazine’s 2013’s “200 Best” listing of fine art and fine craft shows in the country. VanWyck helped the West Shore Art Fair improve its application and jury process this year by implementing the industry-leading ZAPP online artist application system. This new system simplifies the application and jury process for both artists and show planners and promotes the WSAF to independent artists across the nation.

“It is a coup for west Michigan to have someone of Corinn’s caliber in the art fair community at the helm of the West Shore Art Fair and the LACA,” said Barry Neal, chair of the West Shore Art Fair Planning Committee. “She has already helped elevate our show to a higher echelon, drawing interest from a more national arts crowd that will be reflected in the artist selections this year.”

Plummer joined the LACA team as executive assistant and is coordinating West Shore Art Fair planning in conjunction with the volunteer-driven West Shore Art Fair Planning Committee. Plummer is no stranger to Ludington’s art scene, managing the Ludington High School Drama Club where she directs two shows per year. She also has taught acting for West Shore Art League’s Children’s’ Art Exploration program and West Shore Community College’s College for Kids program since 2003.

“Christine is highly organized and exuberant – she truly understands the importance of the arts,” said VanWyck. “We are extremely happy to have her leadership on our WSAF team.”

In addition to being a marketplace for purchasing original, hand-crafted art, the West Shore Art Fair is a celebration of visual and performing arts, featuring art demonstrations, live performances, food stations and a children’s art activity area.