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Caroline MacGregor: You're listening to 89.1 WEMU. And today, we are talking about Westside Art Hop, Ann Arbor's quirkiest art fair. And with me today to talk about the art fair and all of its uniqueness is Westside Art Hop social media manager, Caitlin Boyce Jensen. Welcome, Caitlin!
Caitlyn Boyce-Jensen: Hi!
Caroline MacGregor: I know that this is one of the most unique art fairs. People actually host artists on their porches, and you're currently sitting outside on a porch. Tell me a little bit about this art fair, what people can expect and why it's so different.
Caitlyn Boyce-Jensen: So, we have, this year, about 84 different artists that we are showcasing at 42 different neighborhood houses, uh in the Eberwhite neighborhood, which I'm actually sitting on a porch in the Eberwhite neighborhood that I will be exhibiting my art in, so pretty, pretty local to the neighborhood. And it's unique because it's all community run. We have a team of for people that kind of organize things. And then, the rest of the magic happens just because people in the neighborhood want to help make the magic happen. It's a really cool, like whole neighborhood experience.
Caroline MacGregor: So, the neighbors on Ann Arbor's Historic West Side are basically volunteering to host artists on their porches, in garages, their yards, but how did the idea come about initially?
Caitlyn Boyce-Jensen: So, originally it was, I think, five different artists who just wanted to have a neighborhood art fair. So, Sophie Grillet, Larry and Lucy Neeson, and then Ann Rogers. There's a couple other people in there that I just, unfortunately, can't remember their names right now, but they just wanted a neighborhood fair. I believe it was 13 years ago they had their first one, and it's just been a neighborhood staple ever since.
Caroline MacGregor: And it seems like a fun, friendly, intimate way just to explore art in a very relaxed atmosphere.
Caitlyn Boyce-Jensen: Definitely! I will say as somebody who, I didn't really do art fairs before I did Art Hop, and it was definitely a way for me to get into the art fair world and really meet other artists who are doing the same thing and really feel like you're part of an artist community while also like interacting with the neighborhood. So, very cool!
Caroline MacGregor: Absolutely! Now how does this event and these kinds of events help define Ann Arbor as a unique artistic community? Because this is offering, obviously, a very different kind of engagement with art and the community at large.
Caitlyn Boyce-Jensen So, Ann Arbor is really unique because there's a lot of people who want to do a lot of different things. And I think the way that Art Hop helps people engage with the community is it just offers another avenue for people to get into the community and work with them. And because it's more relaxed, it's a lot easier to approach. And I think that is another thing that is really helpful about it.
Caroline MacGregor: Do you have some kind of direction or a map or something for people to look at?
Caitlyn Boyce-Jensen: Yeah, we do. So, we'll have an interactive map that will go live on our website the first week of June, and it's a map where you can click on all of the different markers. Every venue will be listed one through 43, and you can click on them, and you'll find the location information as well as the artist and media that they are practicing at that location.
Caroline MacGregor: You know, given Ann Arbor's annual big art fair that's actually three art fairs in one, where does this Westside Art Hop fit into the overall scheme of things as far as the art community in Ann Arbor?
Caitlyn Boyce-Jensen: So, I'd say because of its grassroots nature, I think Art Hop is different from the bigger art fairs in Ann Arbor, specifically the Ann Arbor Art Fair, just in that it's a little bit more approachable for the less experienced art fair goer/art fair vendor. It's not as huge. It's confined to a really like small part of the West Side neighborhood. It specifically in the Eberwhite, and we've now branched out a little to the Worcester Park neighborhood, but it's much smaller and I think less daunting. There's a little bit less of a.... it's smaller. It's run by people in the neighborhood and it's definitely more eclectic, I would say. There's lot bigger range of people, you kind of find out about the little pockets of interesting artwork that are going on in your neighborhood. And I think the approachability aspect is a lot, is kind of what brings more people to it in terms of.... I don't want to say anything bad about the Ann Arbor Art Fair because it's a wonderful institution.
Caroline MacGregor: But this is really such a social, friendly way to exhibit art and to have people get to know people. Community is everything. And today, we hardly get a chance actually really interact with people.
Caitlyn Boyce-Jensen: Yeah, definitely what you're saying about the community. It's a lot easier to go to Art Hop and, I think, come away with the idea that you've met somebody in your neighborhood and that you met a connection with somebody in your immediate community, as opposed to meeting a cool artist from the other side of the country, which is also a really excellent experience. But if you're able to, I think, make connections with people in your immediately location, it's a lot of easier to kind of get into the things that you enjoy and do them more often.
Caroline MacGregor: How do you go about recruiting the artists?
Caitlyn Boyce-Jensen: So, through a couple different avenues. We have a lot of artists who are repeat artists. There's some people who have been doing it for the entirety that Art Hop has been around. And then, we also have a pretty big social media presence. We put calls for artists out on a lot of different Facebook groups throughout the Ann Arbor area, as well as different....I think we put an advertisement into the Ann Arbor Observer for a call for artists. Just like any sort of way that is easy to put the word out. We've kind of tried to put the word through a lot of different avenues.
Caroline MacGregor: Yeah, and I'm sure the word spreads from there. So, visitors can enjoy viewing juried fine art and crafts created in different mediums. And apparently, one of the other benefits is there's no parking headaches.
Caitlyn Boyce-Jensen: So, we ask our visitors that they be respectful of the neighborhood and find parking that is actually parking and not like in front of people's driveways and such. But there's quite a few local, there's a couple of churches in the neighborhood that allow us to use their parking lots. We'll have use of the Eberwhite School parking lot for extra parking as well as that's where our food trucks and a couple auxiliary artists will be.
Caroline MacGregor: The dates again are June?
Caitlyn Boyce-Jensen: June 13th and 14th, and it'll be 10 AM to 5 PM on Saturday the 13th, and then noon to 5 PM on Sunday the 14th.
Caroline MacGregor: OK. And again, this is the Westside Art Hop and neighbors on Ann Arbor's historic Westside are volunteering to host artists on their porches, in their garages and yards, and some local artist hosts will be sharing their home or studio with others as well. So, it truly does sound like a unique event.
Caitlyn Boyce-Jensen: It's very unique, and I hope that everybody comes and enjoys it. I'm very thankful to be a part of Art Hop. As a graduate of University of Michigan's art school, it was pretty difficult for me to kind of break into the art scene. So, like, just being able to be in the community and be around other people who are making art in my community is such a such a wonderful experience, and I'm so, so thankful to have it. So, as far as just like feeling a part of a community, Ann Arbor is where it's at. You know, over here, you're just kind of free to be who you want to be. And I really appreciate that.
Caroline MacGregor: I've been speaking with Caitlin Boyce-Jensen. She's the social media manager for the West Side Art Hop, which is happening Saturday, June 13th through Sunday, June 14th. Thank you, Caitlin, for joining us today!
Caitlyn Boyce-Jensen: Thank you so much for having me!
Caroline MacGregor: You're listening to 89.1 WEMU, Ypsilanti.
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