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!