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HAZEL PARK — Green Acres Park will once again host the Hazel Park Arts Fair, this year with more than 90 artists on-site. The fair will also feature the “Clazel Park Pottery Showdown” — a show within a show starring the Clawson Clay Guild.
The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23 and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 24 at Green Acres Park, 620 W. Woodward Heights Blvd.
The Hazel Park Arts Council runs the event, which is suitable for all ages and free to attend. The artists will span a variety of mediums, styles and subject matter, taking the form of drawings, paintings, sculptures, textiles, jewelry and more.
One artist returning this year is illustrator John Jurries, bringing a new collection of prints from an ongoing project, “Monster of the Day,” where he’s been drawing or painting a fantastical new creature every day for more than 10 years. Attendees will be able to peruse his collection of original concepts.
Also returning are the skilled potters of the Clawson Clay Guild. They will be running a series of interactive competitions, where attendees will square off in blindfolded wheel throwing and other clay challenges, vying for the title of “Clazel Park Pottery Showdown Champion.”
The guild itself is a studio at 120 S. Rochester Road in Clawson, just south of the intersection of 14 Mile and Rochester roads. The studio’s director is Holly Purcell.
“It really is a collaborative space,” Purcell said. “In many ways, we’re trying to be a hub for a community of artists where people can go to network, to learn, to grow. When you’re there working on something and you see a technique or piece of pottery that is completely different, the artist who made it is right there, and you can talk to them about their process. It’s something I find unique about the pottery community — with some crafts, people can be secretive, but here it’s a very collaborative space.”
She said she encourages fairgoers to give pottery a shot.
“Pottery is an ancient activity that is as old as civilization. In farming, they say that many hands make light work, and that’s true of ceramics, too. It’s always been a community activity,” Purcell said. “We’ll have guild members at the fair, teaching people how to throw at the wheel. There will be activities for all ages. People can have fun getting their hands dirty — there’s just something about the experience of working with clay.
“And what I love about pottery above other art forms is it’s practical, with functional use. You can put it in your mouth and drink from it,” she said. “The texture of a coffee mug is imperative to my experience — I love a satiny finish. I have a mug from every potter I’ve ever known, and it’s fun to go, ‘Today, I feel like I need some Rachel vibes,’ and then use her mug. Their personalities exist in all their creations.”
Before the kilns fire up, attendees can enjoy a 60-minute yoga session with instructor Hailey Zureich at the “Body Party,” beginning at 11 a.m. on Saturday. It’s an inclusive program for all skill levels and body types that aims to energize attendees as the fair gets underway.
Guests can also contribute to an art installation called the Wishing Tree, writing their wishes on ribbons and tying them to the tree, the “canopy” growing with the hopes and dreams of the community over the course of the event.
“I think my favorite part is watching people read other people’s wishes, because it reminds them every year that we’re more alike than we are different,” said Alissa Sullivan, a member of the Hazel Park City Council who also serves as president of the Arts Council. “I think that’s a very important message to share during trying and stressful times.”
There will also be roaming entertainers, including aerial silks, fire performers, acrobatics, stilt walkers and more. Rounding it out are food and refreshments from vendors such as The Grilled Wrap Veg-N, Taco Hub and Che Cosa Coffee. Guests ages 21 and older can visit the charity craft beer tent for alcoholic beverages from local breweries.
The Arts Council itself was formed by Hazel Park Mayor Pro Tem Andy LeCureaux and former Hazel Park Mayor Jeffrey Keeton in 2010. Today, it’s a licensed 501(c)(3) nonprofit, so all donations to the group are tax deductible.
Sullivan marveled at how the fair has grown over time.
“We’ve been doing this now for over a decade. Some people first went to the Art Fair with their partner, and now they’re back as a married couple with a family and children,” Sullivan said. “It’s also great to see the returning artists and how their art has changed, and even the renovations at the park itself, with the new parking lot, the new mural, the new playscape. It’s just great to see all these things growing together. It’s a nice reflection of the culture of our community.”
Hazel Park Mayor Mike Webb said the fair is always a great time.
“People just enjoy it so much. I think the organizers do a good job putting it all together; Alissa Sullivan does a great job coordinating all the volunteers,” Webb said. “It’s just so nice to see the community come together. That’s why we hold events like this and the Memorial Weekend. We’re hoping to do even more events in the future.”
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