Something old, something new

East Lansing Art Festival, which draws some 60,000 people each year, has become a can’t-miss event on the Greater Lansing cultural calendar. For Mason-based artist Doug DeLind, the social part of the festival is just as important as the artistic part.

“It’s like having a party and I don’t have to clean up,” joked DeLind. “It gives me a chance to see people I haven’t seen in along time.”

DeLind, one of over 200 artists exhibiting at this year’s festival, has been at it longer than most. The 68-year-old artist began exhibiting at the festival in 1974, and has been at the festival almost every year since.

“I think I missed two years,” DeLind said. This year features a special reunion for DeLind: His daughter Jody DeLind will be occupying the booth next to his.

“My dad and I have a great time together,” said Jody DeLind. “There is a lot of work that is invested in preparation for shows, and at times it is stressful, but with that comes many humorous moments as well. We tend to laugh a lot together and it is pretty incredible to share such a meaningful experience.”

Jody DeLind, a gynecologist who lives in Morris, Ill., thinks that events like the East Lansing Art Festival are important ways to inject art into our lives.

“Both of my parents are artists, and my brother and I are also now artists working in other professions,” she said. “We were brought up in a household where expression and creativity were valued and nurtured. I think it is incredibly important to have creative arts as aspects of everyday life and as activities within our communities.”

At the other end of the spectrum, in terms of East Lansing Art Festival experience, is painter Suzanne Joy. The Royal Oak-based artist is one of six artists selected for the festival’s emerging artist program. This program, designed to help artists who are just getting into the art festival scene, provides free booth space to selected artists, including a tent to house their exhibit.

“It’s a great opportunity for new artists who don’t have all of the equipment,” Joy said.

Joy is brand new to the art festival experience; the East Lansing Art Festival will be her first festival exhibition.

“I’m taking a leap of faith,” she said.

In addition to the chance to show off her work, Joy is excited to talk to other artists and see how they run their booths.

“I’m looking forward to meeting with other artists and seeing what I can learn, she said. “You get the best advice from people who have been doing this a long time.”

Even with 50 years of experience, the festival itself isn’t afraid to change things up. The festivities will begin earlier this year with a Friday kickoff concert by ‘80s cover band Triple Lindy at the recently remodeled Ann Street Plaza stage.

“It’ll be a fun way to start the weekend,” said Michelle Carlson, festival director.

In past years, exhibitors arrived early Saturday morning to set up their booths. Starting two years ago, however, the City of Lansing agreed to close off the streets on Friday, giving the artists an extra day to set up shop. This meant some 200 artists — many with families and assistants — looking for something to do in East Lansing Friday evening.

“Several artists complained last year, ‘We have nothing to do,’” Carlson said. “So we thought it would be a good idea to have a concert at the new Ann Street Plaza.”

Also new this year is an artist demonstration area where visitors can see presentations by local artists. This demonstration area, coordinated by the festival’s assistant coordinator and former (SCENE) Metrospace curator, Tim Lane, will give attendees a behind-thescenes look at a wide variety of art mediums.

“It’s a good way to show the public how these beautiful things they see in the booths come into being,” said Carlson. “It can give patrons a new appreciation of the art.”

Even the literary arts are getting in on the act this year. Poetry Attack, a group of East Lansing-based poetry enthusiasts, will host a poetry reading and sidewalk poetry chalking, as well as hang laminated poems on trees around City Hall.

For Delind, events like the East Lansing Art Festival are an important for establishing a place for the arts and culture in the community.

“It’s a chance to introduce art to the next generation,” he said. “It’s important we have a shared cultural river we can all relate to.”

East Lansing Art Festival

10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, May 16; 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, May 17 Downtown East Lansing elartfest.com Festival Kickoff with Triple Lindy 7-9 p.m. Friday, May 15 FREE Ann Street Plaza (corner of Albert and M.A.C.) (see page 15 for full schedule and festival information)

Stop by the City Pulse tent across from the Ann Street Plaza and have your picture taken. We’ll place it on a City Pulse cover and email it to you.