Zatista The premier source for original art online

"The Joy of Girls" by Allan O'Marra zatista.com

I’m curious to hear how you readers out there are spending your summers. Are you traveling or “staycationing”? Are you visiting friends and family? Are you at the beach? In the mountains? At the lake? Wherever you are, I hope you’re enjoying the bliss of summer: warm weather, cool swims, ice cream, picnics, bike rides, and kids staying up late.

"Picnic" by Peter Worsley zatista.com

For the art lovers, there are still some good outdoor art fairs to visit as summer turns to fall. Many of our Zatista artists are there selling their artwork. Maybe one of the fairs listed below is in your neighborhood. If you are out and about, let us know where you’ve been and what you’ve seen. Enjoy the rest of your summer and don’t forget to report back to us on what you find!

"Niece" by Xiuyuan Guo zatista.com

•    Charlevoix Waterfront Art Fair, Charlevoix, MI – August 14, 2010 Now in its 51st year, this fair has a good reputation with critics and collectors because of both the quality of the work and the great location.
•    Sausalito Art Festival, Sausalito, CA – September 3-6, 2010 On Labor Day weekend the stars of the contemporary art scene are showcased in this beautiful setting. Plan for a great time, with excellent food and music.
•    Long’s Park Art & Craft Festival, Lancaster, PA – Sept. 3-6, 2010 Featuring original work from 200 great artists from around the country. Free entertainment and great food all presented in a lovely park.
•    Arts, Beats & Eats, Pontiac, MI – September 3-6, 2010 This fair will take place in Downtown Royal Oak for the very first time.  The festival will offer more than 200 performances on ten stages, a highly ranked Juried Fine Arts Show, and local restaurants with some of the finest cuisine in metro Detroit
•   St. Louis Art Fair, Clayton, MO – September  10-12, 2010 A small event, only 165 exhibitors, competition is stiff to be one of the chosen exhibitors.
•    Atlanta Arts Festival, Atlanta, GA – September 18 & 19, 2010 Set in historic Piedmont Park, this fair is an event dedicated to bringing together outstanding artists from around the country with the enthusiastic art buying community of the Atlanta area.
•    St. James Court Art Show, Louisville, Kentucky – October 1-3, 2010 Held in the heart of historic Old Louisville among the country’s largest collection of Victorian homes, this art show has for over five decades provided the region with a rich cultural legacy.

Greetings, art fans! Thinking of heading to an art fair this year?

Photo: David LaChapelle, Gaga Book

I find art fairs appealing for a few reasons, including:

• Safety in Numbers: art fairs draw crowds, which is a good thing. You won’t be a solo shopper which often happens in a gallery setting

Photo: Lynn Saville, Night Shift

• Lots to Look at Under One Roof: depending upon the show you choose, you’ll see a comprehensive survey of work in a variety of media

Photo: Chantal Rens

• Maximum Exposure to Fine Art: the more experience you have viewing fine art in person, the more comfortable you will feel buying art on-line.

Photo: Michael Light, Bingham Canyon Mine

Intrigued yet? I’d like to hit a contemporary photography fair this year so I’m sharing some of that imagery with you here.

Photo: Curtis Mann "Thought, Collective (somewhere, Israel)"

• Fotofest 2010 Biennial in Houston focusing on contemporary US photography runs thru April 25
• Art Chicago focusing on contemporary and modern art the weekend of April 30
• The Whitney Biennial in New York thru May 30. The 75th edition of the museum’s signature exhibition of contemporary art
• SCOPE Hamptons featuring emerging contemporary art is practically around the corner if you’re at the beach this July
• If you can handle 10+ fairs at once try going to Miami, December 1-5.
• Click here for a list of events this year.

Photo: Carla Cioffi

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Photo: Karen Leach

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Photo: David A. Parker

Art fairs whet my appetite for new inspirations and remind me of work I’ve loved for a long time. Try it out. Surrounding yourself with all that creativity may be just the motivation you need to invest in your own collection of original fine art.