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Picture of success
Experience, dedication paint every corner of Art In The Park
While Art In The Park founder
Dianne Quinn officially retired last
year, turning the reins of the beloved
community event over to her daughter
Raychel Rork, things haven't changed
toomuchwithher schedule.
She's still helping answer phone
calls, available to judge the quality of
art, out with Rork as the pair measure
and chalk sidewalks for the installa-
tion of the more than 400 tents and
booths and coming up with new ideas
for the event she started 36 years ago
inKelloggPark.
“I'm a little more relaxed about it,”
Quinn said, “and she's a little more
stressed.”
Rork agreed. She said she does feel
a little more pressure this year, but
she's been at the event every year and
has accumulated more than three
decades of training for the job.
“I feel like my Mom is the coach
who has seen it all, heard it all and
knows all the plays while I'm like the
quarterback on the field, making calls.
The ball's inmy court but I know if any-
thing comes up, she's there,”Rork said.
As always, the coach and the quar-
terback have brought back all the
attractions which draw tens of thou-
sands of people to Plymouth for Art In
The Park again this year and have also
added some new entertainment and
features “to keep things fresh and
exciting.”
Last year, they put a few art booths
into an area off Forest Street and
installed booths in the parking lot
there that will wend past several bou-
tiques and stores, all the way to Ann
Arbor Trail.
“This year we have expanded that
area to go all the way into the parking
area that starts off AnnArbor Trail and
goes all the way to Forest Avenue. The
lot is freshly paved and will allow us to
havemore booths,”Rork said.
With more vendors this year, they
will need the room, they agreed.
This year the juried vendors will
include several unique artists, “really
too many to name” all with artwork
and items selected specifically for the
event.
“There is some wonderful stuff,”
Quinn said, “and this year, I amlooking
forward tohavingmore time to shop.”
She said she is also looking forward
to two other things at the show.
“I am excited and looking forward
to us pulling the switch and saying, OK,
it's showtime and to the moment we
pull the switch again and announce,
OK, it's over, we did it again and it was
great.”
Rork said that a new entertainer
will be on hand this year, a musician
shemet at theFarmer'sMarket.
“I heard this guy and I thought he
was great, just what we were looking
for,” she said. In conversation, she
learned that the mellow-jazz musician
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