News

Springfield Quilting & Sewing Expo April 8-10, 2010

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:25:00 -0700

Springfield, MO

April 8-10, 2010

VENDORS • SHOPPING • WORKSHOPS • LECTURES
FREE STAGE DEMONSTRATIONS • QUILTS DISPLAYS • DOOR PRIZES

Grab your friends, put your sewing supplies in your bag and get ready to attend the Round Bobbin Quilting and Sewing Expo. While at the Expo you can attend classes and workshops by renowned industry educators and local experts.

You’ll enjoy free daily stage presentations and free fashion show entertainment! Be inspired by the beautiful quilt exhibits by international and local quilt artists and have your own quilt appraised by AQS Certified Appraiser, Kathy Kansier. Plus, meet authors & designers in the industry! While at Expo, sit and sew items for Newborns In Need. It’s all at the Expo. Make your plans today. Some classes are limited.

Visit roundbobbin to buy tickets and sign up for classes.

Fraktur Motifs in Clay and Wool, though April 24 2010

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:06:00 -0700

Fraktur Gallery: Fraktur Motifs in Clay and Wool

Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center

105 Seminary Street Pennsburg, PA

An exhibit of hooked rugs inspired by fraktur and organized by hooked rug artist Susan Feller of West Virginia, complemented by redware pottery from the Heritage Center collection and private collections.
Fraktur motifs are an inexhaustible design source for many craftsmen. In this exhibit we collected two media: clay and wool. Either using native clay or recycled woolen fabric, the traditional crafts of pottery making and rug hooking have been carried on for generations.

Fascinated by her family heritage, the design elements, colors, and people of another era, Susan Feller has led groups of rug hookers through the history of illuminated documents, or fraktur, found in Southeastern Pennsylvania, the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia and Ontario, Canada.
Introducing the artists by names and or symbols, analyzing design elements and explaining the original colors, the materials used and how they have changed with age, Feller assisted many of the exhibitors to design a unique hooked rug pattern. These designs may document an event, memorialize a loved one, or simply complement their modern décor.
As you explore this collection, notice the techniques and skills in rug hooking are as varied as the original fraktur artists and their work. From primitive wide cuts to narrower strips dyed in shades to enhance the floral designs, each artist created their design to match the skills of rug hooking they have developed.

Features work by:
Donna Lees Bleam, Harrisonburg, VA
Abby Chapple Walker, Great Cacapon, WV
Susan L. Feller, Augusta, WV
Anne Davenport Geiger, Sterling, VA
Karl and Mary Jo Gimber, Carversville, PA
Robert Noble, Lititz, PA
Cindy Spiegel, Berks County, PA
Margaret Briggs, Lansdale, PA

Fraktur Motifs in Clay and Wool: Special Exhibition Programming

Rug Hooking Pattern Design Workshop with Susan Feller April 24, 2010 10 am -3 pm. $45.00 per person. Call (215) 679-3103 for more information.

Visit schwenkfelder for more information about this exhibit.

Country Folk Art Show 2010

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:31:00 -0700

Show Date: March 12-13-14,2010

Show Hours:
Friday March 5,2010: 5 - 9 pm
Saturday March 6,2010: 10 am - 5 pm
Sunday March 7,2010: 10 am - 4 pm

Location:
PLEASANTON, CA
ALAMEDA COUNTY
FAIRGROUNDS

This year, we will be celebrating our 29th Anniversary at Country Folk Art Craft Shows. Its humble beginning was in the small town of Davisburg, Michigan where Betty Long and daughter Rhonda Blakely premiered their first show back in 1982! Country Folk Art Shows since then has grown to 18 shows this year in five states. Country Folk Art Shows, Inc., has now surpassed industry competitors with its large volume of exhibitors and attendance. Artisans from across the United States and Canada are eager to participate in these prestigious shows. Every participant is juried and hand selected for their outstanding workmanship and integrity of creative design.

Craft lovers can find a huge array of unique decorating needs from such themes as Primitive, Shabby Chic, Cottage, New Country, Tuscan, Northwest Lodge, Vintage, Traditional and Fine Art, Vintage and Whimsical. Some of the more popular decorating items found at our shows are handcrafted furniture, home and garden decor, jewelry, textiles, holiday decor, wearable art, handmade candles and soaps, quilts, paintings, framed art, florals, iron work, wood carvings, baskets, stained glass and much more. For those looking to enhance your homes atmosphere, you will find relaxing and uplifting music and many gourmet delights.

Visit countryfolkart for more information.

WITH OUR HANDS: World Folk Art Festival 2010

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:18:00 -0700

When:
April 17 & 18
10 AM-5 PM
Companion exhibit February 20 through July

Where:
Tacoma, WA
Washington State History Museum

During this five-month-long folk art celebration, see folk art items pulled out of the Society's collection, and get a sneak peek at the kind of art guests will see during our World Folk Art Festival. See jewelry made out of hair, a picture frame crafted from matchsticks, a handmade Norwegian violin inlaid with mother-of-pearl, and more, in WITH OUR HANDS: Folk Art Treasures, on display February 20 through July.

April 17 & 18
Master folk artists will be stationed around the Museum teaching their crafts and talking about their cultures. Learn traditional Croatian dances, dip Mexican wax flowers, paint a Ukrainian decorated egg, learn Latvian embroidery, and more! Musical performances will take place throughout the weekend. All activities are FREE with Museum admission, $6-8.

Visit washington history museum for more information.

The Santa Fe International Folk Art Market Returns for Its Seventh Year

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:02:00 -0700

An Art Market that Impacts Lives and Celebrates Traditional Art and Culture 

When:
July 9th, 10th & 11th, 2010

Where:
On Museum Hill in Santa Fe, New Mexico

The largest event of its kind in the world, the Santa Fe International Folk Art Market provides an unparalleled chance to collect cultural treasures, meet the artists who created them, and have a direct and even profound impact on the lives of not only the artists but also their communities around the world. For this year’s event, more than 170 master folk artists from 52 countries have been selected from nearly 400 applicants. The Market begins the evening of Friday, July 9, 2010, and runs through the afternoon of Sunday, July 11.

This is an especially auspicious year for the Market, with the city of Santa Fe celebrating its 400th Anniversary in 2010, an occasion that is expected to draw multitudes of visitors. Traditionally, the International Folk Art Market kicks off the summer art market season for which the city is famous.

The Market opens on Friday, July 9th, 2010, with a celebratory opening party, including shopping and dancing, from 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM. The Market continues on Saturday, July 10, from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM, and Sunday, July 11, from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Sunday is Family Day, with reduced admission fees of $5.00 and special activities, including a free Passport Program for kids. The Market is held at Milner Plaza, next to the world-famous Museum of International Folk Art. Please see the website for ticket prices and details: www.folkartmarket.org.

Folk Art Exhibition of Charles Counts 2010

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 17:28:00 -0700

Charles Counts: A Retrospective Exhibition will be on display January 16 - May 2 in the Folk Art Center Main Gallery, located on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Asheville.

The show features over 146 objects including ceramics, quilts, rugs, drawings and paintings, as well as photographs and other archival material.Charles Counts was an expert potter, weaver, teacher and writer. He influenced countless artists and brought worldwide attention to American crafts and the importance of keeping handcrafts alive. Along with his partner, Rubynelle, he operated a production and training center in Rising Fawn, GA for 25 years.

In the early 1970s, Charles visited Africa and for the next 20 years, he spent a lot of time there, commuting back and forth to teach in Nigeria and to run his pottery studio in the US. In 1990, Charles married graphic artist and painter, Heidi Bak. They were together until Charles' death in 2000.

Visit Southernhighlandguild for more information and photos.

Slotin Folk Fest 2010

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:32:00 -0700

Folk Fest 2010

The world’s largest folk art show & sale hosting 100 galleries & dealers from around the nation specializing in Self-taught Art, Outsider Art, Folk Art and Southern Folk Pottery & Anonymous Antique Folk Art.

Place:

North Atlanta Trade Center
1700 Jeurgens Court
Norcross, Georgia 30093
I-85 and Indian Trail Rd., Exit 101

Dates:

August 20-22, 2010
Friday, August 20 • 5pm-10pm • $15 (includes and readmission)
Meet-The-Artists Party & Show Opening
Saturday, August 21 • 10am-7pm • $7
Sunday, August 22• 10am-5pm • $7
Children 16 and under are FREE

Over the past seventeen years, Folk Fest has become the largest and most
important Folk Art Show in the World. 100 Prestigious galleries and dealers
from all over The United States specializing in Self-taught Art, Outsider Art, Southern Folk Pottery, Antique Folk Art and Anonymous Works, fill the cavernous 80,000 square foot facility at the North Atlanta Trade Center. Annual attendance consistently soars past 12,000.

Visitors pour in from all over the country to see what is hot in the world
of folk art. Folk Fest is the place where museums, prominent galleries,
important publications, and serious collectors make their new discoveries.
The importance and popularity of Folk Fest has made Atlanta the undisputed,
"Hub of Folk Art."

Everyone who loves self-taught art, from Hollywood Producers to
Housewives will find something unique to add to their collections. The Folk
Fest Philosophy of 'Folk Art for All Folks' runs true, as there will be
items available for every budget, whether show-goers are looking for a
starter piece for $5 or a museum-quality masterpiece for $50,000.

America and the art community has embraced self-taught art as a
legitimate art form. Once only gaining the attention of museums, curators
and serious art collectors, folk art can now be found throughout mainstream
culture. Self-taught art is now the subject of movies, television and
commercials and is prominently featured in magazines, books and newspapers.
It has finally taken its well-deserved place as a true American art form.

This is really an exciting time for art in America, especially
self-taught art. A visit to Folk Fest is a fun, educational (and a well
air-conditioned) experience for the whole family. One can even pair it up
with a trip to The High Museum of Folk Art and Photography, one of the
Nation's premier Museums for this art genre.

We are sure that your audience would love to learn about and attend this groundbreaking show. Visit slotinfolkfart for more information.

The Greater Chicago Jewish Festival for 2010

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:20:00 -0700

The Greater Chicago Jewish Festival for 2010 is a special event. It will have all of the components that have been created over the years: three stages with music, dance and storytelling; a family stage; a Kosher Food Fair; an Art Fair and Organization Fair, but it will have a different focus.

This Festival marks 30 years since the first Festival drew the Chicago Jewish community together. Therefore, we will concentrate more of our performer time and artists on those from Chicago or with Chicago roots. You have to be at this Festival whether you are new to the event or remember them all.

Since 1980, the Greater Chicago Jewish Festival has created just that experience for hundreds of thousands. Today, it is the largest Jewish cultural event in Chicago and the largest ongoing Jewish festival in America. We call it the Heart and Soul of Jewish Chicago because on this one special day, you can find everything that is Jewish in Chicago. We create our own "town square" filled with the sights, sounds and smells of a dynamic and creative community. The Festival is a community event, not a commercial event.

The Jewish POCET is very proud that people come from all over the United States, as well as from Canada and Israel, to see the Festival, sell at the Festival and perform at the Festival. We are also gratified that every aspect of our community is represented in some way.

Visit Jewish Festival for more information.

The Annual Fearrington Folk Art Show

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 15:02:00 -0700

When:
The 2010 Fearrington Folk Art Show will be held on Saturday, February 20th and Sunday, February 21st at the Barn with a Collectors' Preview on Friday, February 19th.

Where:
Fearrington Village Center | Pittsboro NC, 27312
Just minutes from Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill, NC

Each year we are delighted to host the colorful and whimsical Folk Art Show in the Fearrington Barn.
The show features incredible artwork from some of the Southeast's most noted artists. Tickets to the show are $5 at the door (children 12 and under enter free of charge).

New This Year: Learn About Folk Art!
Enjoy conversations about folk art on Saturday and Sunday of the show in the Reading Room at McIntyre's Books. Hear from leading experts in folk art and see All Rendered Truth, an extraordinary documentary celebrating Southern folk art. Participate in a discussion with Scott Blackwell, the documentary's creator, and folk art curator and collector Ginger Young. These seminars are included with the price of admission to the show.

Collectors' Preview: Friday, February 19th, from 7pm to 9pm
Enjoy wine, hors d'oeuvres and a first look at this year's show! Meet the artists, discuss and purchase their work. $25 per person. Reservations required. Arrive early for a special opening symposium from 6-7pm featuring a preview of All Rendered Truth and a panel discussion including Blackwell and Young. Tickets for the Collectors' Preview are $25 by reservation only. Visit www.brownpapertickets.com or call (919) 542-2121 to make your Preview reservations today.

Visit Fearrington Village for more information, directions, and photos from past festivals.

Smithsonian Folklife Festival 2010

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:47:00 -0700

When
June 24–28 and
July 1–5, 2010

The Festival is held outdoors on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., between the Smithsonian museums. There is no admission charge. Visitors should dress for hot and humid weather. Parking around the Mall is extremely limited, so visitors are advised to use Metrorail. The Smithsonian station (Mall exit) is at the Festival site. Federal Triangle and National Archives stations are close by. For general Smithsonian visitor information, call 202.633.1000 (voice) or 202.357.1729 (TTY).

Festival Hours

The Opening Ceremony of the Festival will take place on the at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, June 24. Thereafter, Festival hours will be 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with special evening events.

What is the Festival?
At the annual Smithsonian Folklife Festival, you will find many exemplary practitioners of diverse, authentic, living traditions—both old and new. The goal of the Festival is to strengthen and preserve these traditions by presenting them on the National Mall. Tradition-bearers and the public can connect with and learn from one another and, in a respectful way, begin to understand cultural differences and similarities.

Visit Smithsonian Festival for more information.

Midwest Fiber and Folk Art Festival July 16-18 2010

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:38:00 -0700

MARK YOUR CALENDARS:
DATES: July 16-18, 2010
PLACE: NEW! Lake County Fairgrounds, Grayslake, IL
HOURS: Friday: 10am-6pm
Saturday: 10am-6pm
Sunday: 10am-4pm

Come Celebrate the Work of Our Hands! Join us next summer at the Lake County Fairgrounds for the 4th Annual Midwest Fiber & Folk Art Fair and SEIZE THE DAY!

* Treat yourself to a Workshop
* Wander through the Marketplace
* Experience the Demonstrations
* Be inspired by the Fine Art Show and other exhibits
* Enjoy the Music
* Relax and work on your projects with us (or enjoy your new stuff).

You could spend a whole weekend...you see, we believe a fair should fuel ALL your passions and ignite ALL your senses.

They will be announcing exciting news about the 2010 Fair as it becomes available...

Visit fiberandfolk for more information and updates!

18th Annual Prairie Pride at Christmas Folk Art Show

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:28:00 -0700

Event Details

Date: December 5, 2009

Time: 10 a.m.- 5p.m. CDT

Location: Fawn Run Farm 3883 E. 700 N. Rolling Prairie, IN

Phone: 2197782809

Visit www.fawnrunfarmprimitives.com for directions and map.

18th Annual Prairie Pride at Christmas Folk Art Show

“Holidays on the Homestead”

December 5 & 6, 2009

10 AM to 5 PM (Central/ Chicago Time)

The cozy barn will be jam-packed with handcrafted gifts and needful treasures from area culinary, craft, and folk artists and antique dealers. All goods are artfully displayed on vintage cabinets in theme vignettes for design ideas. Bring your shopping lists, cash, or checks. (Sorry, no charge cards accepted.)

For the past 18 years, the Prairie Pride shows have consistently brought together fine quality folk art, primitive, country, and traditional crafts, select antiques, and garden goods from local and area artisans and antique dealers. Customers from a 4 state area who desire unique, handcrafted, American made treasures with which to decorate and personalize their homes and to use for gift giving, have made PRAIRIE PRIDE shows a destination point.

“Turkey Calls: From Function to Folk Art” on Exhibit, Rockhill SC

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:38:00 -0700

Exhibit celebrates the art of handcrafted turkey calls

ROCK HILL, SC – Crafted from bone, antler, ivory, slate and wood, handmade turkey calls by artisans from across the country will be on display beginning November 27th, 2009 at the Museum of York County.

Discover the art of box, wing bone and slate turkey calls, which range from simply functional to elaborately decorative. This exhibit explores the life of the wild turkey and the art and craft of turkey calling and features a habitat diorama and interactive displays. Presented in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation Winchester Museum in Edgefield, S.C.

FREE with museum general admission $5 adults, $4 seniors, $3 youth ages 4-17. FREE for members and children 3 and younger.

“Turkey Calls: From Function to Folk Art”
On exhibit November 27, 2009, to May 2, 2010
Museum of York County
4621 Mount Gallant Road, Rock Hill, SC
803.329.2121
chmuseums.org/myco

The Culture & Heritage Museums is a linked system of cultural institutions in York County, SC, which includes Historic Brattonsville, McCelvey Center, Museum of York County, the future museum on the Catawba River and the new children's museum in Old Town Rock Hill.

Fun Folk Art Chenille Christmas Ornaments on Etsy

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:22:00 -0700

There are some wonderful artists selling Christmas ornaments on Etsy, you simply must see. With Christmas just around the corner there is no time to waste. Just check out these fun folk art decorations and you will be sure to get in the spirit!

"Oldworldprimitives" is offering these cute Chenille Calico Cat Christmas Ornaments in groups of three for only $6.75!!! They offer many other cute collections so be sure to stop by and take a look!

Don't miss this ornament made with a vintage spoon from "Ohmybuttons" . It sells for $7.95, and is too precious for words! Be sure to stop by their Etsy store for many different decorations done in this vintage style.

What could be sweeter than a tree covered with these wonderful ornaments. There are so many talented artists selling on Etsy it is impossible to list them all, but here is one more "must see" seller!

"Countryrouteprims" has this set of 6 Christmas elves for sale for only $4.50. With prices like that you have no reason not to fall in love! They offer many big sets for sale at really low prices! Do yourself a favor and skip the mall, stop by Etsy for great Christmas folk art!

What is Outsider Art?

Wed, 06 May 2009 12:22:00 -0700

by
Lynn Marmitt

Where does the work of outsider artists fit into the art world? First, some general background information about these artists is important to establish. Some outsider artists were prisoners who used art not only as a means of expression but also as a pastime. Others were patients in mental treatment facilities usually possessed with the same motivation mentioned above. They tended to be elderly and isolated and surrounded by the fear of oncoming death.

Perhaps the largest group of outsiders were from the Southern, rural areas of the country. They witnessed the economic and political changes in history and basically had little faith in the government. Many sought their energy from religious fervor and they often incorporated their visionary experiences within their religious systems. This group of artists generally led restricted lives because of finances so they used their imagination as their mode of travel and escape from routine. Most were lower middle class, unskilled manual workers, who had a desire to establish self-worth and conquer the feelings of isolation.

In the deep south minorities were already considered outsiders from the mainstream culture. The minority artist begins his or her work at any age because it is a means of satisfying his or her personal needs. Black outsider art acquires a great deal of energy from its African antecedents. This is seen in the works which often depict rock paintings, sacred trees, water holes, shrines, carved and painted houses and ceremonial architecture and dance grounds or monuments. “ The inspiration originates from the inability of society to meet the needs of every individual, especially the universal needs for identity, self-worth and the control over one’s life. Their works are mortal signs and wonders, manifestations of man’s capacity to come to terms with, reflect upon, describe and interpret the everyday experiences and the deeper and mysterious spiritual resonance that define the form and meaning of the human condition.”

Southern folk art has deep ties to the environment. It is usually a personal expression which was not designed for museums. This group of artists watched the country evolve into the space age from a pre-industrialized society. They saw the social and technological changes evolve. A sincere respect for elders and tradition is a constant theme in their work. Many used their art as a visual response to this change and so their work merges both their literal and imaginary worlds.

Isolate or naive art is a type of folk art in which the artists use the art for their own purposes. They possess a need to express deeply felt feelings and usually do so in untraditional ways. Their works are alive with originality and are appealing because of the emphasis on color, rhythm and design. Even though they are considered to be unskilled, their works are sought after by most folk art collectors. Isolate artists are generally from the rural areas of the deep south and their work gives us a perspective into American history. Their pieces usually are not signed because they don’t think it’s important. Outsider artists illustrate an individual’s capacity to interpret everyday experiences and to describe them to the world using a technique that comes naturally to each of them.