Local Arts Magazines
arts agenda
LOCAL ARTS MAGAZINES
by Orin Buck
July in Ann Arbor begins slowly, as the few of us left in town brace ourselves for Art Fair. This July will be unusually active for the arts community as The Arthouse hosts a benefit for the new magazine Do Or Donut July 4-13. The Arthouse is now an "urban gallery & tea bar" with a full schedule of music and other events in addition to its fine art.
The two-week fundraiser is in conjunction with the publication of D.O.D.'s second issue. Events will take place Thursday-Saturday July 4-6, and Wednesday- Saturday July 10-13 (see calendar listings below). They will include music, poetry, movies, an Open Mic night, and a fashion show from Style Revival. Some events are free.
Do Or Donut is "a local non-profit literary-arts magazine that was born out of the heads of 14 U-M students and graduates in the winter of 1996. The first issue was released in April, and is available at Borders, Main St. News, Schoolkids', Shaman Drum and Village Corner."
What makes D.O.D. exciting for people who want to get involved is the openness of the magazine. Everyone on staff is or has been a contributor, and each issue is put together in what staffer Rick Bliman describes as a party. Since such a group could never agree on what is "good," inclusivity is emphasized instead. Rick says to send in the raw, cutting edge work you would be afraid to send elsewhere.
Ypsilanti's Generator is a model of how to get things done in a more normal way. Kimberly Baker and Michelle McGrath do the work, and the other writers and artists just have to be creative. The magazine is an arts quarterly publishing its sixth issue Friday July 19. That evening at 9 pm there will be a Premiere Party at 5272 E. Cross, Ypsilanti.
Generator does a feature story on the cover artist every issue as well as using other artists' work on the interior. Cover artists have included Valerie Mann and Julie Bedore White. Various literary forms are represented, from poetry to articles. This issue will have an 11 - page comic by David Quinn, who has done work for independents and written Dr. Strange for Marvel Comics. Generator is available in Ann Arbor at Shaman Drum, Webster's Books, Borders and Main St. News. See the Opportunities listing below for where to send submissions to either D.O.D. or Generator.
A few other publications should be mentioned while l'm on the subject. Montage is an ambitious project out of Toledo, OH. A few years old now, it began as a tabloid-size free magazine. Recently it split into two publications: a $4 quarterly tabloidsize glossy and a free monthly magazine-size newsprint "Guide To The Arts." More Ann Arbor organizations should send in their events for free calendar listings - the Guide distributed all over northern Ohio and southern Michigan. Mail to P.O. Box 573, Toledo, OH 43697-0573; voice 419-255-5607; fax 419-255-5601.
Artmage is a yearly publication from U-M students since 1985. I have a copy of the 1995 issue that I found in the free pile at a cafe. It includes pictures, literature and articles, including one titled "The L.A.B.: Controversy over the student art gallery ," by Amanda Tasse and Olga Savic: "The University of Michigan is known for being a liberal school, but according to its students, its Art School is astonishingly conservative..."
Third Wave: A Forum for Feminist Voices is favorite read of mine which, like Artmage, utilizes U-M funding and faculty assistance. Literary and visual art is featured along with informative articles that are conveniently short. Send submisions to Third Wave, 3909 Michigan Union, Ann Arbor, Ml 48109-1349 or e-mail to third.wave.editors@umich.edu
On another vector, Impulse Magazine is unabashedly commercial. Published in Birmingham and readily available at nearly 80 locations in Ann Arbor, Impulse is oriented to upperclass women who can indulge in impulse buying. Articles range from painting and antiques to skin care and food. The authors are quite often advertisers in the magazine who are allowed to write articles that promote their own businesses. Rumor is that advertising is the only way to get an article.
If you know of another notable arts publications, drop one by AGENDA, in the back of Main St. News.