Migration of Souls...The Creative Journey

MIGRATION of Souls presents contemporary work by eight Mendocino Area artists plus Day of the Dead Altar,  Threads of Life story quilts and Children's Banner project.  Hosted at the historic Odd Fellows Hall in Mendocino Village (corner of Kasten & Ukiah St), the exhibit is open Thursdays to Sundays through November 1.  

Artists in the show include Janet Self, Lillian Cartwright, Melanie Knox, Yorgen Kvinsland, Pam King, Sarah Ginskey, Jonathan Palmer and Antiono Wuttke.  

This exhibit reflects life transitions that place creativity into a new context and stretch the artist into new realities.  Some have long history in the area, others only recently. Creative drive at the core, each "story" is compelling and reflected in show’s images … 

• Making life around family & the creative workshop.
  
• Finding the creative muse after loss of a life long partner.
  
• Stepping from academics to art.
  
• Centering life on art & clay, disengaging from the rest.
  
• Finding new voice for lifelong earth passions.
  
• Delving in daily life & love to define new direction

Other elements in this special exhibit:

The THREADS OF LIFE project is a powerful addition to this set…   Migrant women tell their life stories thru fabric quilts and add economic return to their families.

DAY OF THE DEAD Altars honor the wider circle of artists who add creative spark to support important community issues …Project Sanctuary provides safety & support for those facing domestic violence.

GRAPHIC EVOLUTION honors this space—the Odd fellows Hall (1878) and the generosity of space, talent and participation that has created this unique community art series.  Special thanks to KATHY CARL for her sharing graphic talents to create a visual identity for this project and FLOCKworks. 

CHILDREN’s Banner Project fosters creativity in a shared cooperative process.   The banners remind us that children are our future and must be the core of our present actions.  Banners also reflect the simple joy of creative play!

  

Community Art & Celebration!

Honor the Past... Celebrate the Future! is an unique exhibit of local arts & artists put on by the Mendocino Presbyterian Church and hosted at OPEN-DOOR-ARTS @ Odd Fellows during June '09.  As part of the 150th Anniversary of the Church, this project honors 13 heritage artists who helped make Mendocino what is is today... as well as over 50 current artists living and working in the Mendocino environment...

Leone McNeil Zimmer, known best for her stained glass, dreamed of this show and at 93, Leone is an unstoppable force. Artist Janis Porter did the heavy lifting to make it happen-- including getting artists involved, hanging the show and opening & closing the doors daily.  These women demonstrate the real spirit behind great art & community effort!  

Mendocino Film Festival Box Office hosted at FLOCKworks Studio

Working together makes more happen...Mendocino Film Festival is happily at home in the FLOCKworks Studio for the days leading up to the festival.

From May 23-26, stop by to purchase tickets for the amazing films showing at this year's Festival! The main Odd Fellows hall becomes FESTIVAL HEADQUARTERS with tickets, merchandise and an mini-exhibit of the CELEBRATION BANNERS...Children's Banner Project & more.

This is the first active Space Sharing of our new FLOCKworks Studio; Keep watching for other ways this marvelous space-- inside & the outdoor gardens-- get used in the community interest!

ARTFUL Collaboration...Mendocino Film Festival 2009

Mendocino Film Festival is one of the exquisite "magics" of our Coastal Community. A small circle of people with passion for film making created our local Film Festival...now in it's 4th year. It brings modern "story telling" at its best into the heart of our community and treats all of us to the wonders of the creative spirit. Special categories "Films for Our Future" and Films on the Arts" bring in stories of hope, beauty, bravery and vision.

A unique series of Banner Paintings by Artist Janet Self will fly for each Venue of the festival...Through Art-ful collaboration, FLOCKworks is the contributing sponsor for this element in the Festival. In addition, a special exhibit of Celebration Banners & related elements will be on display at Festival Headquarters in historic Odd Fellows Hall, corner of Kasten & Ukiah Sts in Mendocino Village. You can bid on a Banner to take home with you... and other art will be for sale... Drop in & take a look...

POLLINATION! ...May '09 Open Door Arts Exhibit

"POLLINATION" is an amazing, diverse & jam packed show now on at OPEN DOOR ARTS @ Odd Fellows in Mendocino.  With sculptural form at its core, it encompasses photography, painting, textile, wood work,metal work, jewelry, and ceramics! ceramics! & ceramics!  Nothing is static... and energy explodes from work of 24 artists in this overall stunning exhibit of contemporary arts!   Hats off to organizer & ceramicist Jessica Thompson!

This is the 29th group show is an on-going OPEN DOOR ARTS series celebrating community based art--made possible by the generous loan of Mendocino's historic Odd Fellows hall by the owner as renovation plans progress.  Exhibits are organized and hosted by artists-- with a few special event exhibits led by others.  This series draws lively interest from local & visitors alike--"What's Coming Next? 

CHILDREN's BANNER PROJECT

The CHILDREN'S Banner Project started out simple... Just a visit of kids to see art...

Deena Zarlin and 32 kids plus moms on the Big Yellow Sc

hool Bus down to a contemporary Art exhibit. Things got hands-on, art was made, everyone took part, and being creative together just worked! We all had fun!

I took this "banner" home to work on, take it a little further as Art...calm it down and help bring these energetic parts into a whole... I guess it turned out. After the "art" went back to class for finishing touches, it was put in a TEXtile exhibit and people from North Carolina bought it put in their vacation home in Maine...With $450, I invited the kids to help decide how to "invest it"...in supporting kids art...

Our Grammar school is undergoing 2 year reconstruction. Classes in portables are hidden behind chain-link fences, mountains of dirt and heavy equipment: “It felt like a prison yard.” We decided to use ART TO CHANGE OUR ENVIRONMENT...and remind folks that "KIDS ARE HERE". THE CHILDREN'S BANNER PROJECT emerged, aiming to positively change that atmosphere, bring creativity to the playground and shape a lively setting with children’s art.

With a large scale, free-form process, I lead a weekly 20 minute recess session open to all; between 35 to 70 kids participate in each session. The challenge is how to make it fun, keep it flexible, not too messy, engage kids ages 6 to 12, and produce something worth putting up!

To date, 20 outdoor nylon banners have been completed; Bannering sessions have also been done with local leaders, teens and at special events. The Project is on-going. The Banners appear on school fences, community art shows & events and will be featured at the Mendocino FIlm Festival, the Big Fun Fair in Mendocino and the July 4th Parade.

My driving passion is drawing people into the creative process--and breaking down barriers to art & creativity. This is reflected in my own Art and in establishing FLOCKworks, a local nonprofit to aimed to support the community’s creative spirit. It is working!

With Love From Mendocino... Celeberation of the Heart

52 Artists celebrated the special history of local art on the Coast with an eclectic exhibit entitled WITH LOVE FROM MENDOCINO. From traditional to contemporary approaches in oils, acrylic, pastel, watercolor, photography, sculpture, ceramics, wood, jewelry, gourds, glass and more, this wide ranging group of artists share a passion for creativity as a way of life!

Each weekend, a team of artists hosted art lovers of all ages, sharing art in the studio and insights into their work. Visitors watched, asked questions and perhaps, even got their hands in the process. Young children enjoyed creative space in the studio, letting families explore the exhibit. More than 1,200 visitors--more than half from out of the area, toured the show. At the end of January, another group of artists added a special mini-exhibit of TREASURE LOVE BOXES--traditional cigar boxes they had transformed into art-treasures with proceeds of $650 benefiting community programs.

Coinciding with the 50th Anniversary of the Mendocino Art Center, the exhibit reflected the varied nature of arts that has flourished here since. "This remarkable diversity of work speaks from the creative heart of our local community." says organizer Janet Self. "We all wish the best for the Art Center and believe that this core of creative passion is what makes our community truly unique".

The historic Odd Fellows is on-loan by the owner to local groups of artists and "WITH LOVE"...exhibit kicks off the 3rd year and 26th exhibit in this on-going series. FLOCKworks, a nonprofit aimed to support the community's creative spirit, organized "WITH LOVE..." and facilitates the on-going OPEN DOOR ARTS @ OddFellows series. 12 community shows are set for 2009. Historic Odd Fellows is located at the corner of Kasten & Ukiah streets, one block up from Main St in Mendocino Village.