Our Town Art Show and Sale returns for 39th year

BIRMINGHAM — The  39th annual Our Town Art Show and Sale is a juried show that features a range of media forms by  Michigan artists. The show is hosted by The Community House, 380 South Bates St., and will take place March 21-29.

The event is made possible by the DeRoy Testamentary Foundation.

This year, the show includes 121 Michigan-based artists and 331 pieces, which was an increase from last year. Juried work includes paintings, pastels, sculptures, glassworks, fiber works, photography, jewelry and mixed media.

“I think the nice thing about it is that there really is something for everybody,” Community House Foundation event coordinator Lindsey Brenz said. “Whether you’re looking for a piece for your kitchen, a nursery or your office, there’s so much variety in the mediums and also in what the pieces capture themselves.”

The artists in the show will see 65% of the art sales proceeds, with the remaining 35% going towards The Community House’s outreach programs.

One of the participating artists is Link Wachler, of LINK Jewelry Designs. Wachler specializes in custom jewelry design and has participated in the Our Town Art Show and Sale for several years.

Wachler said the Our Town Art Show and Sale allows him to share his work and engage with the community.

“By being able to tell my story to people and being involved in the community, people get to see what it is that I offer and what makes me different. I’m not a merchant. I’m an artist who creates the jewelry,” Wachler said.

Among the five pieces Wachler is showing this year is “Valhalla,” a 14-karat white and rose gold ring that converts into a pendant. He will also be showing a sculptural piece called “I’m still Hungry!” which is a silver lion ring inspired by the recent Detroit Lions season.

“I think the Our Town Art Show is just a tremendous mix of a lot of a lot of good art, but in all different areas,” Wachler said.

The show is juried by Barbara Heller, the director and conservator of special projects for The Detroit Institute of Arts, and Yuriko Jackall, the department head of European art and the Elizabeth and Allan Shelden curator of European paintings at the DIA.

“To be able to have both of our jurors from the DIA is so unique and wonderful and adds a whole new level of professionalism,” Brenz said.

For the show this year, The Community House is partnering with Friendship Circle and their Soul Studio program. This art studio program is for adults with special needs in West Bloomfield.

The Friendship Circle will retain 100% of the profit off of any pieces sold by the Friendship Circle artists.

“It is a great way to give a new platform to some of the artists from Friendship Circle that might not have gotten the opportunity to display their pieces to the audiences that typically come to Our Town,” Brenz said. “It also gives them awareness so that people know of the wonderful work that the people of our Friendship Circle are doing.”

To celebrate the show, there will be a ticketed Opening Night VIP Party March 21. Guests will have the opportunity to get a first look at pieces in the show.

On Friday, March 22, and Saturday, March 23, the show will be free of charge. Everything will be available online to purchase March 22-29.

More information on the show and ticket reservations for Opening Night can be found at communityhouse.com/event/our-town. People can also call The Community House at (248) 644-5832 to make reservations over the phone if they prefer.