Art Center celebrates with caricatures

Art Centc" c

• Mural a fundraiser for
program for economically
di- ' itagec{,youths.

By EMMA LJA

NEWS SPECIAL WRITER

The Art Center/Ann Arbor Art
Association is celebrating their
85th anniversary in a very visible
way

i- marked the beginning
c^ iaKmg Faces-Community

nt" ~ caricatures that will
be arranged in a mural on the
backside of the Art Center's build-
ing at 117 W. Liberty in downtown
Ann Arbor.

The mural also is a fundraiser
for an art program for economi-
cally disadvantaged youths. It's
an $85 donation for r-""' " rtraits
and $185 if you need. . Sev-
' ' ' " members of the media

iiSt Michigan, including
Ann Arbor News columnist Jack
Gillard, were invited Saturday to
have their caricatures done as a
way to promote the fundraiser.

Art Center Executive Director
Marsha Chamberiin says the mu-
1"al was selected as a means to
celebrate for several reasons.

^We wanted to create a variant
on the donor wall (concept) and
because we're a visual arts group»
we wanted to add more life, fun
and energy to it We decided on
creating a wall of caricatures of
supporters of the Art Association*
Plus it adds esthetics to the city."

Some of the supporters that
stopped in Saturday morning to
have their likenesses put on tem-
plates included Ann Arbor Mayor
Ingrid B. Sheldon. She squeezed
the sitting between seeing a visit-
ing Japane ition off to the
airport anu mv. University of
Michigan vs. Penn State game.

"The Art Center is a community
fixture that captures the essense
of Ann Arbor. To celebrate their
85th year this way is really excit-
ing and a reflection of their cre-
ativity. I'm honored to be included

Some of the
supporters that
stopped in

Satu relay m orn I ng II
to have their
likenesses put on
templates included
Ann Arbor M.
Ingrid B. Sheldon.
She squeezed the
sitting between
seeing a visiting

i '• • •''•.•' '• .

deiegationofffo
the airport and the
University of
Michigar Penn
Star - -•rie.

in this celebration," says the
mayor.

Ann Arbor News columnist Gil-
^rn ^nnrting his loyalty with a
W T-shirt and Ann Arbor
New» ^ap, stopped through to
have his face sketched* Detroit
Free Press Editor Joe Stroud
made an appearance and Ann Ar-
b or Patricia
G ocal media
personality that came by to sup-
port thp Art rpnipr. About 15 local

print ' ables as well as
Art Ct-inct uuanJ members and
community well-wishers joined in
helping the center put faces on
the wall.

"This project will evolve
throughout the year. Our goal is

See FACES, C2

^sv.^ 11 caricatures

Above, Debra Smith Golden and her recently-created
caricatus f "', Shelly r • • '" • " • at a
caricatu' ited by a ^. ^s and others
hope to produce 200-plus caricatures to go on the Ashley
Street Side of the Art Association's building.

'Wewanted to create a variant on the
donor wall (con —*) and because
we're a visual aria ^roup, we wanted
to add more life^ fun and energy to it.
We decided on creating a wall of
caricatures of supporters of the Art
Association. Plus it adds esthetics to
the city.'

AJI , , , ctor Marsha Chamberiin

Continued from C1

FACES: Art

Association
celebrates

to stop at 200 faces, that's when
we'll feel it's a true success," Cham-
berlin says.

The caricature donor wall is a
fundraiser for the Art For Kids
Scholarship fund.

Chamberlin says the templates
that the caricatures are drawn on,
the sign for the outside back wall
and promotional mailings were un-
I < ten by Phoenix Construction
all the money contributed
?e placed in the kids scholar-
ship iund. Once $3,000 is reached,
Detroit Edison will provide match-
ing funds. J

"We have a program called Arfl
Start for economically disadvan-
taged children," Chamberlin says
"We have seven community sites i(
Ann Arbor where art teachers pro
vide an opportunity for children
who might not otherwise have had
the chance, to experience a posi-
tive, non-judgmental exposure to|
art." 1

The four local artist that contrib-
uted their talents to the Community
Face project are: Walt Griggs, Dan
Carter, Pete Signorello and RacheL
Golden. ||

Chamberlin says Saturday was
the kickoff for a series of celebra-
tions that will include an Artist
Block Party in January, Business
and Bagels, an opportunity for busi-
ness groups to use the Art Center
for meetings. In the spring the cen-
ter will outfit a new home with a va-
riety of decorative and practical art
work and concluding the anniversa-
ry will be an open house in Septem-
ber 1995.

Chamberlin says beginning their
year of celebration with the carica- i
ture mural was the Art Center's^
way of saying thanks. |

"The mural is creating some-
thing for the community to enjoy. In
turn the money donated will allow
the kids programs to be free. It's
the notion of giving bad com-
munity as they've supp »s."
ft"