Fairy Doors of Ann Arbor, MI
Encyclopedia
The Fairy Doors of Ann Arbor, MI are a series of small doors that are a type of installation art
found in Ann Arbor, MI. The first one appeared in the baseboards of the home of Jonathan and Kathleen Wright in 1993. Subsequently several others were discovered in their home; in the fireplace surround and two in the kitchen. On April 7th, 2005 the first was seen in public on the exterior of Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea. Since then, ten more have shown up around Ann Arbor (as well as a "goblin door" parody), and seven of the original "public" doors still exist.
door appeared outside Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea. It is believed that it was installed by Jonathan B. Wright, creator of www.urban-fairies.com and author of the children's book Who's Behind the Fairy Doors?. The next was installed outside of the Ann Arbor gift store Peaceable Kingdom, and appeared on April 17, 2005. The third door was found on May 11, 2005 outside of the Selo-Shevel Gallery art gallery
. On June 9, 2005, Jefferson Market received a fairy door, but the store closed in October 2007. The Ann Arbor Framing Co. discovered the next door on August 17, 2005, but the Ann Arbor Framing Company closed in the summer of 2008 and the fairy door vanished. The concert hall The Ark hosted the next door when it appeared August 25, 2005. The furniture and gift store Red Shoes was next, and it appeared on November 17, 2005. On April 11, 2006 a fairy door appeared at the boutique Voilà. When Voilà closed on November 15, 2006 the fairy door disappeared as well. The ninth door was installed in the back of Nicola's Books on September 8th, 2006 was built into a bookcase and books at the Ann Arbor District Library
on November 4, 2006 . In 2010 a rural fairy door appeared in a not-for profit PreSchool and dependent older adult Day Care in Dexter, MI called Generations Together. It is said to have a portal that can be found in Gordon Field which is located in front of Gordon Hall a historic landmark in Dexter. They are so new they have not been pictured and described in detail anywhere but on the urban-fairies.com website.
door is a more complex and complete creation. The door is found on the end of the Fairytale and Folklore bookshelf in the Youth Department. It's a small blue double door with a teal frame and an entire room set inside of "books" like the Encyclopædia Britannica
and Hans Christian Anderson's Eighty Fairy Tales. Inside you can see a small table, decorated walls, and other furniture. The last door, at Nicola's Books in the Westgate Shopping Center on Jackson Rd., is set above the fireplace in the back of the store. It is a dark brown door and the frame is made of two books spines Andersen's Fairy Tales and Cinderella
and Other Italian Fairy Tales. There is also a fairy door in the soffit of the "Ann Arbor" room of the Google Offices in Ann Arbor. This door has a glass panel with an aluminum frame and the fairies own "Giggle" logo in Google type and colors. The fairy doors found at Generations Together and in Gordon Field are identical. The fairies must have made them to blend in with their natural surroundings. They are made of rustic wood and their porches contain tiny bouquets of wheat on either side of the doors. Their porches are supported tree branches.
, the University of Michigan
's student newspaper published an article titled "Are Real Life Fairies A2's Busiest Carpenters?" on October 12, 2010. The Washington Post
published an article on April 23, 2006 titled "Ann Arbor Proudly Presents: The Doors" . The general attitude toward the fairy doors is that of mysticism and childlike adoration.
woman found a fairy door in the base of a tree on her front lawn . Saline
, to the southwest, held a "Fairy Door Treasure Hunt" event in the spring of 2010. Nearby Dexter
held a fairy door art exhibition and contest around the same time and plans to hold it annually. The goblin
door is a "sinister" version of the fairy doors and is a little taller than the fairy doors. It is located in Ann Arbor between The Ark and Seyfried Jewelers on South Main St.
Installation art
Installation art describes an artistic genre of three-dimensional works that are often site-specific and designed to transform the perception of a space. Generally, the term is applied to interior spaces, whereas exterior interventions are often called Land art; however, the boundaries between...
found in Ann Arbor, MI. The first one appeared in the baseboards of the home of Jonathan and Kathleen Wright in 1993. Subsequently several others were discovered in their home; in the fireplace surround and two in the kitchen. On April 7th, 2005 the first was seen in public on the exterior of Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea. Since then, ten more have shown up around Ann Arbor (as well as a "goblin door" parody), and seven of the original "public" doors still exist.
History
On the morning of April 7th, 2005, the first public fairyFairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
door appeared outside Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea. It is believed that it was installed by Jonathan B. Wright, creator of www.urban-fairies.com and author of the children's book Who's Behind the Fairy Doors?. The next was installed outside of the Ann Arbor gift store Peaceable Kingdom, and appeared on April 17, 2005. The third door was found on May 11, 2005 outside of the Selo-Shevel Gallery art gallery
Art gallery
An art gallery or art museum is a building or space for the exhibition of art, usually visual art.Museums can be public or private, but what distinguishes a museum is the ownership of a collection...
. On June 9, 2005, Jefferson Market received a fairy door, but the store closed in October 2007. The Ann Arbor Framing Co. discovered the next door on August 17, 2005, but the Ann Arbor Framing Company closed in the summer of 2008 and the fairy door vanished. The concert hall The Ark hosted the next door when it appeared August 25, 2005. The furniture and gift store Red Shoes was next, and it appeared on November 17, 2005. On April 11, 2006 a fairy door appeared at the boutique Voilà. When Voilà closed on November 15, 2006 the fairy door disappeared as well. The ninth door was installed in the back of Nicola's Books on September 8th, 2006 was built into a bookcase and books at the Ann Arbor District Library
Ann Arbor District Library
The Ann Arbor District Library is a public library system that serves the residents of Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Downtown Library, located at 343 South Fifth Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104, was dedicated in 1957 and had building additions in 1974 and 1991. AADL also includes four branch...
on November 4, 2006 . In 2010 a rural fairy door appeared in a not-for profit PreSchool and dependent older adult Day Care in Dexter, MI called Generations Together. It is said to have a portal that can be found in Gordon Field which is located in front of Gordon Hall a historic landmark in Dexter. They are so new they have not been pictured and described in detail anywhere but on the urban-fairies.com website.
Locations and Descriptions
Of the original ten public Ann Arbor fairy doors, seven still exist in and around the downtown Ann Arbor area. The door at Sweetwaters is located inside, down on the baseboards opposite the counter. It is a simple white door with small details mimicking the detailing found outside the cafe. The door at the Peaceable Kingdom is located outside, to the right of the entrance, and a small "fairy gift store" is visible inside. The Selo-Shevel Gallery door is found on the Liberty St. side of the building, at sidewalk level. It is a simple red door with tiny grey bricks framing the door. The door at The Ark can be found on the left side of what once was the ticket booth. The door mimics the style of the building and is a simple brown with a stained-glass window. The door at Red Shoes is located both inside and out, directly to the right of the entrance. The small red door is a near-exact replica of the actual entrance, and inside the store is a small green door similar to the doors found inside the building. Written on the red door outside is Ours 123-4:5683?, which is a take on the real entrance that lists the store hours. The Ann Arbor District LibraryAnn Arbor District Library
The Ann Arbor District Library is a public library system that serves the residents of Ann Arbor, Michigan. The Downtown Library, located at 343 South Fifth Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104, was dedicated in 1957 and had building additions in 1974 and 1991. AADL also includes four branch...
door is a more complex and complete creation. The door is found on the end of the Fairytale and Folklore bookshelf in the Youth Department. It's a small blue double door with a teal frame and an entire room set inside of "books" like the Encyclopædia Britannica
Encyclopædia Britannica
The Encyclopædia Britannica , published by Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., is a general knowledge English-language encyclopaedia that is available in print, as a DVD, and on the Internet. It is written and continuously updated by about 100 full-time editors and more than 4,000 expert...
and Hans Christian Anderson's Eighty Fairy Tales. Inside you can see a small table, decorated walls, and other furniture. The last door, at Nicola's Books in the Westgate Shopping Center on Jackson Rd., is set above the fireplace in the back of the store. It is a dark brown door and the frame is made of two books spines Andersen's Fairy Tales and Cinderella
Cinderella
"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
and Other Italian Fairy Tales. There is also a fairy door in the soffit of the "Ann Arbor" room of the Google Offices in Ann Arbor. This door has a glass panel with an aluminum frame and the fairies own "Giggle" logo in Google type and colors. The fairy doors found at Generations Together and in Gordon Field are identical. The fairies must have made them to blend in with their natural surroundings. They are made of rustic wood and their porches contain tiny bouquets of wheat on either side of the doors. Their porches are supported tree branches.
Local Response
The fairy doors have taken on a cult following in Ann Arbor and surrounding small towns such as Dexter where the first rural fairy door and its portal can be found. The local children leave gifts in the hopes that real fairies will receive them. Some presents left at the doors include pennies and nickels, drawings, tiny packages, candies, and shiny rocks. Some of the doors, like the one found in Sweetwaters, have guestbooks nearby for visitors to write reflections, stories, draw fairies, and ask questions. Sometimes a "fairy" will answer the questions in the journals. The Ann Arbor Chamber of Commerce and some of the businesses with fairy doors hand out maps and sell copies of Jonathan B. Wright's Who's Behind the Fairy Doors? and posters with pictures of each door and its location. Many articles, including local and national, have been published regarding the doors. The Michigan DailyMichigan Daily
The Michigan Daily is the daily student newspaper of the University of Michigan. Its first edition was published on September 29, 1890. The newspaper is financially and editorially independent of the University's administration and other student groups, but shares a university building with other...
, the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
's student newspaper published an article titled "Are Real Life Fairies A2's Busiest Carpenters?" on October 12, 2010. The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
published an article on April 23, 2006 titled "Ann Arbor Proudly Presents: The Doors" . The general attitude toward the fairy doors is that of mysticism and childlike adoration.
Other Doors
The fairy doors have made appearances in the neighboring towns as well. An YpsilantiYpsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,362. The city is bounded to the north by the Charter Township of Superior and on the west, south, and east by the Charter Township of Ypsilanti...
woman found a fairy door in the base of a tree on her front lawn . Saline
Saline, Michigan
Saline is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 8,810.The city is popular for its annual Celtic Festival, which attracts people from all over the United States and its sister cities Brecon, Wales and Lindenberg, Germany...
, to the southwest, held a "Fairy Door Treasure Hunt" event in the spring of 2010. Nearby Dexter
Dexter, Michigan
Dexter is a village in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The majority of the village is in the northwest corner of Scio Township with a small portion in Webster Township. The population was 4,067 at the 2010 census...
held a fairy door art exhibition and contest around the same time and plans to hold it annually. The goblin
Goblin
A goblin is a legendary evil or mischievous illiterate creature, a grotesquely evil or evil-like phantom.They are attributed with various abilities, temperaments and appearances depending on the story and country of origin. In some cases, goblins have been classified as constantly annoying little...
door is a "sinister" version of the fairy doors and is a little taller than the fairy doors. It is located in Ann Arbor between The Ark and Seyfried Jewelers on South Main St.