The WE ART THE PEOPLE FOLK FESTIVAL 2011 was terrific!!!!! I had several people, both vendors and attendees tell me that this was the best organized year ever for the festival. Also heard some folks say this is their favorite Abq. festival!! This is a great mid September tradition for OFFCenter and hopefully will be for years to come. The kids area was hopping all day long with beautiful hats and pin wheels emerging from the art making tent, children having fun with hula hoops, and being thoroughly entertained by Pink Elephant and Clan Tynker! The group paper tube sculpture and giant coloring book/painting canvases were great.... can't wait to see the new OFFBags made from the canvas. Come shop for one in the OFFCenter retail shop in the studio! I got a fantastic henae design on my entire arm and enjoyed seeing lots of lovely painted faces walking all around the park. Thanks to all the dancers and musicians too for creating such a festive day. It's a gift to see all the art vendors and witness the enormous variety of creativity in our community. Yea for Chami and all the other folks who worked so hard to make the 2011 We Art the People Folk Festival happen so wonderfully! Better and better each year :) Hope to see lots of fun 2011 Folk Fest pictures here and on the website soon!

Storage Space Needed for Parade Puppets

OFFCenter is looking for year-round, clean, dry storage space approximately 10' x 15' to store our "We Art the People" parade puppets and paraphernalia. Please contact Ron at 247-1172 if you think you can help us out.

Sharie's Studio Journal

Well the Folk Art Festival is over and as others have posted it was a success. Lots of art making, good food, great music and entertainment through out the park. I have not heard any negative comments. The studio has been quite this week and busy at the same time for those who have the energy to come in because all the supplies that were in the park for the festival now have to be sorted and put away. Today it looks more like the "studio". The puppets and masks remain but partly due to the rain making it impractical to transport them at this time.

If you missed this years festival I am sorry it was overall a great day and we did not get rained out as the forecast threatened.

Come on in to the studio as we are getting ready for the next in house show and fund raiser for OFFCenter. We are gathering and recycling trash left in the park after the festival. It will be fun to see what everyone creates from trash.

Sharie's Studio Journal: Hours and counting

Well there is one day left till the folk art festival. This week in the studio has been busy busy busy with last minute details getting taken care of and you know oh we forgot to do this or that. There are new signs to help you find all the must see things at the festival. A few changes but still planning to have a lot of fun. There is still time to pick a puppet or mask to carry and be a part of the parade so come by. Also if you have baked goods to contribute to the bake sale please bring them to the studio so we can get things priced and ready for tomorrow. Hope to see you there. The event opens at 10 am and the parade will start at 11 am come early so you can get a good place to watch the parade.

Sharie

Workshop: "Taking Flight" Parade Puppets with Wings

Saturday, August 29th

morning session 8:30am – 11:30am

afternoon session 2pm – 5pm

Free parade puppet making workshop!

Participants may make animals such as birds or butterflies or angels or other winged beings.

There will be two 3 hour sessions; 8:30am -11:30 am and 2pm-5pm. We will take a long break at lunch to allow the papier mache to dry.

The following Saturday, September 5th, participants may work on any unfinished pieces.

Workshop leader Sunny Birklund has been making and performing with puppets for over 20 years. She especially loves giant puppets and has helped many people over the years make their own characters with papier mache to participate in festivals and parades.

NOTE: These photos were taken at previous years' We Art the People giant puppet salsa parades, by Albuquerque photographer Deanna Nichols. See more of her photos on Flickr Thank you, Deanna, for allowing us to share them here.

P.S. The We Art the People parade is an annual event sponsored by OFFCenter to kick off our Folk Art Festival. This year's Festival is only a few days away -- come join us in Robinson Park, Sunday, Sept. 13!

Please contact OFFCenter to register for this workshop -- 505-247-1172.

Art Workshop with Leighanna Light

Join us as we dive into transforming the mundane into the extraordinary! We'll have a blast altering found dolls to make them look like unearthed relics.

The class is called "Resurrecting Charlotte," and we are so thrilled to have Leighanna back in the studio with us again.

Go to the OFFCenter website to download the complete, downloadable flyer with supply list and statement from the artist.

As usual, the class fee for this all-day event includes many various art supplies and materials that Leighanna will provide.

Cost is $75.00.
Class size is limited to 15 students.

Contact OFFCenter to register.

For more about Leighanna, visit her blog at www.lklight.blogspot.com

Soft Sculpture Mermaid Workshop April 18, 2009

with Kathleen Schweizer!
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Saturday, April 18, 2009
10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
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Please Call OFFCenter to register.
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Cost: $40.
All materials will be provided.
Scholarships are available.

This is not a workshop but a “playshop!"
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Working with colors found in the ocean (teals, aquas, greens, blues) you will create a sweet soft sculpture mermaid. First you will learn to create a 2-D wire armature, then shape the armature so that it becomes a 3-D framework. Next you will cover the basic framework with fabric and then the real fun begins -- embellishment!! .

If you’ve previously taken one of Kathleen’s classes, you know that she will provide you with an abundance of materials from which to choose -- you will work with fabric, sequins, beads, shells, yarns, ribbons, feathers and more. Feel free to bring any items you would like to incorporate into your mermaid figure. If you have a pair of needle-nose, round-nose, long-nose or conical-nose pliers, please bring them with you to class.

Click Kathleen's picture to visit her Etsy shop!

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