Berkley Art Bash

Patch Feature 6.10.12

Downtown Comes Alive at Berkley Art Bash

A look at a busy day in downtown Berkley, including the art show, Coolidge Rocks concert, Lids 4 Kids and opening of Atomic Dawg.

By Jessica Strachan

Thousands of people from around the area flooded into downtown Berkley on Saturday to take in all the sights, sounds and tastes of the 11^th annual Berkley Art Bash.

With more than 115 artists from Michigan on display, live music, local eateries on hand and friends and families buzzing about, Berkley came alive under the near 90-degree and sunny weather.

There were also plenty of kids' activities to check out.

The Converse family from Berkley spent the morning at the Lids 4 Kids event hosted at Berkley Fire Department. Three-year-old Kaylee and 9-year-old Heather picked out free helmets and road their bikes around the parking lot, with parents Karen and Randall close behind.

“We come every year and we love it,” Karen said. “We like to show support for small-town events and it’s great because it’s free and fun for the kids.”

She also loves it because in addition to activities like obstacle courses and moonwalks, there are safety-oriented activities like the helmet giveaways and fingerprinting for the children.

Showcased artists also reported a successful year. Lake Orion artist Dini Burny, who has been in the Art Bash all 11 years now, said it was another successful event. This year, she also appreciated the breeze that would pick up and blow through the tents as everyone tried to stay cool in the hot sun.

Berkley artist Kezzie Chudler and her business partners Angela Sharp (also her mother) and Rebecca Sammon said it was great to be part of the Berkley Art Bash.

They are the designers behind Stitch248 , which appeared at the event for the first time and said it was an all-in-all great day.

“It’s great to be able to show some of this stuff for the first time,” Sammon said.

Chudler added that they got a lot of good feedback in their first Berkley show, seeing “some familiar faces and some new faces, too.”

Over on Coolidge Highway, businesses in the Coolidge Collection also hosted some fun of their own. They had an all-day free concert for customers, sidewalk sales and appetizers.

Maureen Popkin, June Moon Furniture owner and organizer of the event said it was “so much fun” and that it was all about “people discovering Coolidge.”

The new Atomic Dawg restaurant also opened as a preview for customers to try out its menu for free. In what owner Joel Bascow called an “overwhelming” response from the community, the restaurant was open just more than two hours before it ran out of food after feeding close to 300 people from noon to 2:30 p.m.

Patch Feature 6.6.12

11th Annual Berkley Art Bash to Show Off Local Talent, Downtown

Director April McCrumb says the idea behind the event is two-fold: To have everyone leave with a treasure in hand and a new glimpse of the city.

By Jessica Strachan

On Saturday, Berkley will witness a fusion of all things art and creativity.

The 11^th annual Berkley Art Bash runs 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on 12 Mile in downtown Berkley. Show director April McCrumb said it’s a day to see Berkley in its rightful spotlight.

Showcasing the city

“It’s all about shining a light on downtown Berkley. It gives people a chance to come out, slow down below 35 mph and see what we really have offer,” said McCrumb, owner of Yellow Door Market and Catching Fireflies.

The event showcases more than 100 area artists, authors and cottage food makers, displaying local talent and artists throughout Michigan. It also draws in visitors from surrounding cities.

On average, the event brings in 8,000-10,000 people for the Saturday festivities.

McCrumb said that even though Berkley might not be known as a walkable town with lots of shops and eateries to sample, it has the potential to be seen in that image. With eight years of working with the Berkley Art Bash under her belt, she is on a mission to brand the city as such.

“We want a diverse, fun marketplace where people can come to Berkley and leave home with a few things,” she explained.  “You can definitely come down with a few bucks in your pocket and leave home with something fantastic. There are, of course, higher-end things, but the mix is what makes it great.”  

Art for everyone

Adding to what McCrumb calls the “flavor” of the event, there will be everything from photography, garden art, jewelry, pottery, clothing and accessories, painting edibles and live music.

She believes much of the success of the annual event comes from the diverse collection of clever and affordable art wares.

When it comes to finding the perfect artists for the Berkley Art Bash, she said she just looks for people who exemplify creativity. That leads her to artists like Heather Sennabaum of Goodrich who creates flower accessories from discarded zippers and Berkley resident Kezzie Chudler who transforms fabric into fun and functional handbags.

“We want everyone to find a treasure while they’re there,” she added.

Family friendly entertainment

In addition to various works of art on display, there will also be local authors and cottage food creators mixed in.  This includes the chance to sip samples of exotic teas created by Pavan Chandra of West Bloomfield and taste  toffee made by Heidi Paterson of Rochester.  

Local author Dana Lehman of Allenton will also be there to sell and sign copies of her award-winning children’s book, Adventures at Walnut Grove.

Fairgoers can also hang out at the stage where there will be live music playing from Motor Honey at 11 a.m., followed by Maggie McCabe performing at 1 p.m. Linda’s Dance Works will take the stage at 3 p.m. and then the local band I Love Lightening Bugs will wrap up the day with a show at 3:30 p.m.

McCrumb said the event is definitely geared toward families – even pets are allowed to join the fun.

There will be arts and crafts for the little ones, inflatables to play on, and even tours of the Berkley Fire Truck.  There will also be a student area where kids ages 8-18 will be selling their art creations.

Other features this year

Attendees will enjoy free parking or if they decide to pedal, the Berkley Green Committee will be offering a complimentary bike valet all day.  

During the Berkley Art Bash, many shops along 12 Mile and on Coolidge will be hosting sidewalk sales and offering up additional entertainment and activities throughout the day. 

It’s a day that people can explore Berkley and see it as a charming town, McCrumb said. It’s also an opportunity to show off the town and all it has to offer.

“No doubt, this busy day definitely gives a great economic boost to our artists and locally owned shops in the area,” she said.

The Berkley Art Bash is hosted by the Berkley Chamber of Commerce.

 

Metro Parent Feature

Berkley Art Bash

Bring the kids for a day of outdoor shopping and supporting local artists on June 9, 2012. Family fun also includes crafts, airbrush tattoos and music.

Want some unique art pieces to deck out your family's home – or maybe even to wear? Well, the 11th annual Berkley Art Bash offers a special chance to find amazing artwork to express your style – from tykes to teens (and mom and dad, too!). The 115 artists at the bash range from clothing designers and jewelry and pottery artists to painters, garden artists and even authors. The fun begins at 10 a.m. and ends at 6 p.m. on June 9, 2012.

Best of all, this art bash is known for featuring student artists, celebrating the talents of those as young 8 years old.

"The event encourages young artists," says April McCrumb, director of the Berkley Art Bash. "Artists do not always have to be adults."

Catering to 8,000-10,000 people, different shops in the area will be hosting sidewalk sales. Of the vendors, an impressive 98 percent are from Michigan, and primarily metro Detroit.

Trying to avoid the traffic of downtown Berkley by traveling on two wheels? You don't have to worry about finding a bicycle ramp, because there will be a bike valet available!

And, just for kids, there is an arts and crafts section. Face painting and airbrush tattoos are staples of the bash that allow children to express their inner artists. Be sure to take tours of the on-site fire truck and ambulance, too. And an inflatable slide will keep little ones entertained throughout the day.

Featured Mom's Choice Awards-winning author Dana Lehman also will be here. Lehman is the author of the children's book series Adventures at Walnut Grove, which explores issues children face – such as teasing.

The entire family can sit back and take a break from shopping while enjoying live music from I Love Lightning Bugs, Maggie McCabe and Motor Honey. The young ladies of Linda's Danceworks are back to wow the crowds, too. The live entertainment starts at 11 a.m. and runs until 5:30 p.m.

If you need an energy boost, you can enjoy the kettle corn, lemonade and fudge. And organic teas and coffees will be available for purchase.

The event is free and pet friendly, so feel free to bring your dog!

Fox 2 Segment

April McCrumb chats with Jason Carr about the 11th Annual Art Bash.

Oakland Press Feature

Berkley Art Bash brings local color to the city June 9

By ALI ARMSTRONG

The summer art season is beginning to gear up, and the 11th annual Berkley Art Bash is just one reason to get excited.

Berkley Art Bash is not only an outdoor creative festival, it also is a nonprofit organization that gives local artists a chance to shine in their own community. The Bash runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 9 with art displays, food, live music and children’s activities. The event fills four blocks of 12 Mile Road, between the Wakefield and Tyler streets.

More than 100 artists including jewelers, photographers, painters and potters will participate in this year’s Art Bash, plus live music from I Love Lightning Bugs, Maggie McCabe and Motor Honey.

Brandee Ross, owner of Brandee Ross Pottery, lives and works in Waterford Township. She began making pottery in 2008, then selling her pottery at a local farmers market in 2010. In the spring of 2012 she was able to make her pottery her full-time job.

“I am loving it!” Ross says. “I make all the art, I sell all the art. I’m a one-man show.”

Her pottery is handmade on a wheel using stoneware clay from a local Michigan supplier. Each piece is completely unique and a fully functional piece of art work.

“I took some art classes a while ago while I was a teenager and then I didn’t touch clay again for about 17 years,” she says. “So I have just kind of come back into it. My husband got me a class one year, and then I just had the bug and I just couldn’t stop doing it.”

This is her second time exhibiting at the annual Berkley Art Bash, and she has been working on projects and pieces for this show since December 2011. Ross says her success at the Bash last year was the best she has ever done financially, and she is looking forward to attending again this year.

Another artist displaying her work this year is Brooke Whitney Ellis of Brooke Ellis Designs.

Ellis recently moved to Detroit, where she is entering a master’s program at the University of Detroit Mercy for architecture this fall. She paints with acrylics on large canvas. Most of her latest pieces incorporate inspiring or humorous quotations into the composition. She also makes large-scale paintings with an expressive abstract style.

She has been selling her art for a little over three years now.

“I was always an artist and loved to play will all sorts of media while growing up,” she said. “But it wasn’t until I was out of art class and in college that I started to paint abstractly quite frequently.

“I posted some of my work on Facebook and suddenly the parents of close friends were requesting custom orders. One custom order lead to the next custom order until I eventually started to have my own booth at art fairs locally to see what kind of response I would get from the public.”

Along with her artwork, she is involved in two nonprofit organizations in the city, People for Palmer Park and Racquet Up. She also works at a tennis club where she coordinates 80 members and their weekly events and matches.

This is Ellis’ first Berkley Art Bash, but she has participated in other art shows for the past two years. She sells at many weekend events during the winter and summer — everywhere from Ferndale to Elk Rapids, in northern Michigan.

“I’m constantly adding new pieces to my inventory; I have numerous new paintings added weekly to keep the ever-changing variety for customers,” Ellis said. “Nearly one-third of my work will be new to the display because of the busy summer season.”

Fox 2 Feature - June 10, 2011

 

Berkley Art Bash Kicks Off Saturday: MyFoxDETROIT.com

Detroit Free Press - June 9, 2011

Play makes the picks: Best of the best

Jewelry by Mary Kernahan will be on view at the Berkley Art Bash

"Retro feel. Metro appeal!" That's the slogan Berkley's Downtown Development Authority uses to promote the homey Oakland County burb, which is often overshadowed by some of its boisterous neighbors. On Saturday, it steps into the spotlight when the 10th annual Berkley Art Bash transforms a section of 12 Mile Road into a charming street fair featuring food, live music, sidewalk vendors and activities for kids. The star attraction, of course, will be the work of more than 100 artists (chosen from a record number of applicants this year) who'll be offering everything from fine art to jewelry and fashion to creations that can only be described as whimsical.

10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, 12 Mile Road, downtown Berkley. 248-414-7222.

West Bloomfield Patch - June 9, 2011

Get Out: Fishing, Football Academy, and Art Bash

By Carrie Simon

It’s Thursday, and you’ve got no idea what you’ll do for the weekend. West Bloomfield Patch is coming to the rescue. We’ve got the best bets for your done-work-outta-here time. Check our picks for the activities to hit and events to attend in the area. (excerpt)

10th Annual Berkley Bash

Where: 3117 12 Mile Rd., Berkley

When: Saturday at 10 a.m.

Why go: Berkley is having their 10th Annual Art Bash Saturday, and it promises to be bigger and better than years before. There will be over 100 artists participating in this years Art Bash plus live music from the Company of Strangers, Mod Orange, and Motor Honey. For the kids there will be bounce house, fire truck tours, face painting, and lots of art projects. The Bash also promises plenty of tasty treats. I like the size of this festival large enough for everyone to enjoy, but not so large that you get lost in the crowd.

Berkley Patch - June 8, 2011

Whiz Kid Finds Creative Way to Earn Cash for College

Anderson Middle School student Hana Coon will sell her jewelry designs on Saturday at the Berkley Art Bash.

By Alissa Malerman

 

Hana Coon

Age: 13
School: Finishing seventh grade at Anderson Middle School

Accomplishment: Hana will be selling handmade earrings and necklaces Saturday in the student section of  Berkley Art Bash on Twelve Mile Road. Last year she sold her earrings and necklaces at the event'. “They were a big hit,” said her mother, Conny Coon. “We started seeing her earrings on people all over the city.” April McCrumb of Catching Fireflies in Berkley took notice and contacted Hana when opening a sister store, Yellow Door Art Market, and added Hana's creations for sale there. “It's taught her a lot about business and the importance of merchandising, maintaining stock levels and having an interesting display,” Coon said.

'Everyone was asking for a pair'

Hana  has been experimenting with jewelry since she was 8.

“From the time she was young, she's always enjoyed making jewelry with store-bought beads, but she saw an article once about making beads from paper. After deciding to give it a try, she mastered it and began wearing them," her mom said. "Then I began wearing them. And suddenly, everyone was asking for a pair.”

The earrings are created from colorful pages of magazines and rolled into individual beads, Coon said.

Hana  is “an all-A student who pushes herself very hard academically and is determined to attend an Ivy League college,” Coon said.

She plans to save the money she earns from her jewelry for college expenses. Hana “has always been a pretty wise-beyond-her-years kid and one who sees the larger picture,” her mom said. “The way she sees it, 'I can take the money I earn, put it toward a great college and then do something that will have an even bigger impact – like discovering a new drug or something.' ”

This year Hana will be joined by little sister Hilary at the student artist booth. More than 100 artists will sell their work during the 10^th annual Berkley Art Bash,  10 a.m. -  6 p.m. The Berkley Chamber of Commerce said 12 Mile Road will be closed from Wakefield to Tyler. Chamber members are invited to display their goods outside their businesses.

“Not only is it fun to have a space in the Art Bash and to sell her handmade creations," Coon said, "but (Hana also) gets a big kick out of seeing so many people from the community all in the same day as they walk by her booth, stop and say 'hi.' ”

Berkley Patch is a sponsor of Berkley Art Bash and editor Leslie Ellis and ad manager Jarrod Dambro will be on hand to chat with visitors. So, stop by and say hi!

Daily Tribune - June 8, 2011

Berkley Art Fair adds food, authors

By Brooks Laimbeer

  
Like these student artists who sold their wares at the 2010 Berkley Art Bash, seven more creative students will offer their works at this year’s event on Saturday.

This year authors and food creators will join artists and musicians downtown for Saturday’s Berkley Art Bash.

 “This year we have a record number of 110 artists,” said April McCrumb, director of the Berkley Art Bash, which runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and encompasses four blocks on 12 Mile Road.

“It wasn’t long ago when the Art Bash only had 50 participating artists, so we are thrilled that we have been able to grow the event size and attendance each year.”

An assortment of photographs, garden art, jewelry, pottery and paintings will be on sale to art enthusiasts.

From 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., live music will be performed by Mod Orange, the Company of Strangers, Linda’s Danceworks and Motor Honey.

Rachel Longhurst, a Milford author, will be presenting her book “Where My Story Begins” and will be bringing her yellow Labrador retriever, Corey, who is the star of her book.

“There is so much entrepreneurial energy in metro Detroit, it only made sense to expand our offerings this year,” McCrumb said.

Another new addition to the Art Bash is the student artist section where students under 18 will be selling their artwork.

An inflatable slide, a moon bounce, sandy candy, spin art and the Berkley Fire Truck will be available to kids as well.

Classic corn dogs, burgers, pizza, fresh squeezed lemonade, elephant ears, roasted almonds, homemade whoopee pies and kettle corn will be sold at the event.

Twelve Mile Road will be closed from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. between Tyler and Wakefield Streets.

“The Berkley Art Bash is very beneficial to the community and city and the businesses really benefit greatly,” said McCrumb.