As reported previously on AnnArbor.com, a delegation from Ann Arbor's Street Art Fair is participating this weekend in the very first open-air art fair in Japan, which is taking its inspiration from the Ann Arbor Art Fairs.

Shary Brown, who recently retired as director of the Street Art Fair, sends this report:

"Happy Halloween!  Kids, and bigger, older 'kids,' have the same Halloween fun in Yokohama as we do in Ann Arbor.     "The Yokohama International Open-Air Art Fair opened yesterday, October 30, in Yamashita Park, along the waterfront in the center of Yokohama, with artists from the U.S. and Japan, many volunteer interpreters, and a Halloween-themed kids art area.  Most of the twelve U.S. artists were selected from the Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, which was the inspiration for this first-time event. They were joined by artists from Japan who were showing their work directly to the public for the first time ever in Japan. They ranged from very famous and noted Japanese artist Kuri Joji, 81, to several just out of the university, showing paintings, ceramics, works on paper and intriguing paper hats.  

"Last evening a truly inspirational opening party was hosted by the organizers. City leaders, business leaders, volunteers, artists and the cherished interpreters listened intently to an opening talk by Larry Oliverson, a photographer from Wisconsin, as he described the rewards and challenges of the life of a professional independent artist. That was the moment that we all realized the importance of what had been accomplished by bringing together international artists, the community and volunteers. Then it was on to a sampling of fabulous Japanese delicacies and getting to know each other better. "Halloween, the second day, was a ton of fun. The waterfront parks are very lively on the weekends, with lots of activites and a busy harbor. Quite a few of the artists sold work and explained, many times, the idea behind an art fair. Once people understood the idea, they were quite intrigued.

"Midori Ueda-Okahana, the Yokohama event organizer, provided blank masks to each of the American artists and visitors, which we all made unique and wore off and on all day in honor of Halloween. The kids attending the fair Saturday got to make their own masks and capes, with pretty much the same enthusiasm and results as American kids.

"Words fail to describe the experience we've begun here. It's been transformational.

"Hope you are all well and full of candy in AA. Be safe and don't let the goblins get you, Shary."