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!

OFFCenter Fun at RT66Summerfest

Ron and D'Ana helping families make art together

Thanks to all those who helped make the RT66Summerfest Community Art Project fun for all the families who participated! Art Educator Topher House volunteered to manage the project and helped families build and decorate paper towers out of old newspapers. (Thank you Jo Tabacchi for coming up with the activity!) OFFCenter's Executive Director, Ron Breen and Board President Margaret Lopez and Board Member D'Ana Alderate were there to make it a success on the streets! 

Topher House guiding kids on the construction

Thanks also to the volunteers and interns who helped prepare for the project. This was truly an event where art making = community. Unfortunately the weather cancelled the second half of building -- but now we have leftovers to keep building art together in the Community Art section (alongside the Giant Coloring Books) at the 9th Annual "We Art the People!" Folk Art Festival this Sept. 11th!

Folk Art Festival 2010 -- CALL FOR ARTIST VENDORS

We ART The People Folk Art Festival and Giant Puppet Parade
September 12, 2010 (Sunday)
10am - 5pm
Robinson Park - 8th and Central SW

Heads up Fellow Artist and Crafters – OFFCenter’s upcoming "We ART the People" Folk Art Festival will be accepting applications for booths starting on JUNE 1st, 2010.

Please note: Only handcrafted work made by the booth artist will be accepted and displayed in our annual Folk Art Festival.

We heard your suggestions last year and we are assigning booth space this year. Booth reservations are on a first come, first served basis. So if you know the spot you want you will need to do the following:

1. Come to OFF Center starting on Tuesday, JUNE 1st. (No early applications will be accepted.)
2. Ask for Marcie.
3. Please bring a sample(s) or photo(s) of your handcrafted work that you will be displaying.
4. Fill out the application in person.
5. Choose you booth location(s)
6. Pay via cash, check or credit card -- booth fee is $30.00

We have a large map at OffCenter that has the park divided in 117 booth spaces. There is a perfect one for each and every one of you!

We look forward to your participation. If you have any questions please call Marci for more information at 505-274-1172.

Susan Zimmerman's Silent Auction House

A subtle rendering by Susan Zimmerman.

Visit Susan's website: http://www.szimmerman.com

The Rogue Bindis

The Rogue Bindis performed at this year's Folk Art Festival, dancing in the grass to happy crowds. This lovely photo is by Elaine Russell, one of the vendors at the show.

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.

Giant Newspaper Hats

Where do we begin to describe the Folk Art Festival today? How can we possibly thank our community of sponsors (Mama's Minerals, RANA, and more to be fully acknowledged very soon), our loyal new and returning artists/vendors, our troops of volunteers, musicians, dancers, and tribe of mentors at the artmaking tents?

It may take several days. For now . . . enjoy the hats.

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

Folk Art Festival Welcomes Volunteers Sept. 13

WE ART THE PEOPLE
Folk Art Festival
7th annual giant puppet parade!
Live music, 100+ arts & crafts booths.
This Sunday!! September 13th , 2009 from 10am to 5pm. Free at Robinson Park in Downtown Albuquerque

Featuring over one hundred folk art vendors, music, dance, food, and public art making activities.

Volunteers are needed to help prepare, set-up tents and vendor booths, to march in the giant puppet samba parade, lead art activities, and haul everything back and forth to OFFCenter at the beginning and end of the day. If you are interested please call 247.1172 for more information.

Entertainment includes:

11:00 am - The Giant Puppet Samba Parade
noon to 1:00pm - Guitarist and singer-songwriter Chuy Martinez & harpist, singer and violinist Oti Ruiz will be playing a selection of wonderful traditional Latin American music.
1pm to 2pm – Rouge Bindis, local tribal style belly dancer troupe.
1:15pm to 2:00pm - Cerrillos Islanders, with Dennis Overman lead singer and songwriter, daughter Gretchen Overman vocals, son Ian Overman vocals, banjo, guitars, percussion play an old-timey alternative folk style.
2:15pm to 3:30pm - Jasper, eclectic danceable music that includes jazz, rock, folk, country, blues with their own wild arrangements of cover tunes. Terry Bluhm is on bass, and guest artist and singer-songwriter Bonnie Bluhm.
3:45pm to 5:00pm - Wagogo, fabulous popular world music band rocks your socks off!

Funding in part by the Urban Enhancement
Trust Fund of the City of Albuquerque

Sharie's Studio Journal: One week til the Folk Art Festival

This week will go too fast as did this past week but time waits for no one. The studio continues to be a buzz with activity getting ready for the Folk Art Festival. And other regular activities continue to happen in the midst of all this prep. David's art/drawing class found a corner table among the puppets and other stuff going on to get their lesson this week. The Thursday Writing group found a niche to write and read their prose to one another inspite of the repair work happening to the puppets in order for them to be ready for the parade next Sunday (9/13). People are dropping in to secure their space to sell their art at the Festival. One table is busy with volunteers putting labels on water bottles for the festival and today every one was making room for the First Friday Coffee House.

If you didn't make it in for the coffee house you missed a really good band Tortuga. There were kids dancing and playing with the band (drums and tamborine) , frinds visiting with friends they had not seen in a while new friends being met and new people to OFFCenter. Art being bought and some really good food. All in all I think everyone enjoyed themselves. I know I did and liked the band too.

Congratulations to Sky sorry I missed your debut.

Bake Sale Items Needed -- for Sept. 12 delivery

Please bake us some cookies, muffins, cupcakes, coffe cakes, layer cakes, breads, scones, or anything your culinary heart desires.

We need them for our annual bake sale to be held during our Folk Art Festival on Sunday, Sept. 13th from 10am to 4pm at Robinson Park.

The bake sale is a big hit each year! There is a big demand for gluten-free, wheat-free and sugar-free items, but everything is welcome!

Please drop off your baked goods at OFFCenter on SATURDAY Sept. 12, 8 to 11 am.

For more info or special drop off arrangements, contact us to get the Bake Sale Committee's contact info.

Sharie's Studio Journal: I'm back!

Greetings everyone:

I have been out of the studio for about two weeks a bit "under the weather", but am back in the swing of things. It is great to be back in the studio and watch all that happens there. Some new faces always great to see new friends there.

The Earthquakes and Hurricanes show is coming to an end and if you missed it you missed a wonderful show.

WE are making "pitchy Patch" and making room for the puppets to get a face lift and get ready for the Folk Art Festival.

Come on down and bring your friends to make art and/or help get ready for the folk art fest. It is a lot of fun. We love all the help and participation. See you soon Sharie.

Twenty-seven Days til the Folk Art Festival

Won't you join us? Make puppets, dance, sell your art, make art in the kid's tent, stroll the park and listen to great music. Click the link for more information: http://www.offcenterarts.org/folkartfest.htm

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.

"We Art the People" August 9, 2008

"We Art the People" Folk Festival" - Saturday, August 9th Running from 11am -4pm the day begins with a giant puppet samba parade followed by ongoing musical and dance entertainment. Around 100 folk art vendors will be featured selling their wares in booths throughout Robinson Park, conveniently located across the street from OFFCenter. Art making activities, free to everyone, will be offered in several Art Tents. Food and drinks will be available for purchase along with baked goods and a "White Elephant" sale sponsored by our Board of Directors. This event is the highlight of our art making year so please come out and join the festivities and help build our community by making art together.

Volunteers are needed so if you want to help out please give us a call at 247-1172.

Create a Character for Albuquesrque's Folk Art Fest

PARADE WORKSHOPS

Everyone is invited to come to OFFCenter between 12-4 PM and "Create a Character" for the Folk Fest Parade! (no fee, it is free) Help make a festival by getting your costume ready for the big day. Find a mask and make it your own, or create a new one, design noise makers and fancy capes - anything that gets the spirit of the Folk Art Festival moving.

Dates:
July 26th 2008, (12:00 to 4:00 PM)
August 2nd 2008, (12:00 to 4:00 PM)
and August 6th 2008 (3:00 to 6:00 PM)

Albuquerque's 6th Annual Folk Art Festival

The Folk Art Festival returns!!

Saturday August 9, 2008
11am to 4pm

Located in Robinson Park, 8th & Central NW
after the Growers’ market

• The day begins with a giant puppet samba parade followed by ongoing musical and dance entertainment.
• Around 100 folk art vendors will be featured selling their wares in booths throughout Robinson Park, conveniently located across the street from OFFCenter.
• Art making activities, free to everyone, will be offered in several Art Tents.
• Food and drinks will be available for purchase along with baked goods and a “White Elephant” sale sponsored by our Board of Directors.
• This event is the highlight of our art making year so please come out and join the festivities and help build our community by making art together. Volunteers are needed so if you want to help out please give us a call.

Help us recreate the festival!!!
Contact us at 247-1172

Become a sponsor - just donate $25 or more.

Kids and Adults Parade Workshop - Saturday’s July 26^th and August 2^nd

Everyone is invited to come to OFFCenter between 12-4pm and “create a character” for the Folk Fest Parade! Help make a festival by getting your costume ready for the big day. Find a mask and make it your own, or create a new one, make noise makers and capes - anything that gets the spirit of the Folk Fest moving. 12-4pm in the studio - Free

You can participate in the “We Art the People” Parade at 11 AM. Come to OFFCenter on the 9th at 10am or contact OFFCenter Arts at: 505-247-1172 for more details.