Treasure Boxes of Remembrance

Treasure Boxes of Remembrance are being crafted from wooden cigar boxes by people all over the community as part of the October exhibit at historic Odd Fellows in Mendocino Village. The Treasure Boxes draw inspiration from the Day of the Dead Altars which honor a loved one, but the idea is to open this to wider interpretation. Displayed together, the Boxes become a shared Community Remembering.

A simple box to hold special memories...From there, each person invests their own ideas and creativity. Says organizer Janet Self, "Ones I am making are simple and will be inspirations in my Studio to hold these special memories a little closer." Boxes will be returned to each person after the Exhibit as a lasting reminder.

Completed BOXES can be brought to Odd Fellows Hall on Saturday Oct 2 and Sunday Oct 3 from 11 to 3 pm. They can also be brought in during the week (Oct 4 to Oct 7) as the Exhibit is set up. Additional Boxes will be on hand through out the Exhibit to add to the installation. Historic Odd Fellows is located at the corner of Kasten & Ukiah Streets in Mendocino Village (phone 937-2486).

SOULFUL ABUNDANCE will open on Friday Oct 8 with the Artist Celebration Party on Saturday Oct 9th (4pm to 8pm) as part of Mendocino 2nd Saturday.

An Invitation!

ARTFULLY PARTICIPATE! Be part fo the October 2010 Exhibit at Odd Fellows, Mendocino


SOULFUL ABUNDANCE is the theme for this eclectic exhibit set for October. It will draw on diverse traditions of Harvest, Day of the Dead, All-Souls Day and more into a lively celebration! Work by 15 local artists will be complimented by open installations of TREASURE BOX ALTARS & MASKS created by community members. YOU ARE INVITED to make one or more!


FLOCKworks is sponsoring the exhibit and says organizer, Janet Self "The aim is to engage people in the creative process and honor that drive in all of us! We hope to see hundreds of people make somethings that can be included in this artful celebration.


TREASURE BOX ALTERS...Make a shrine or altar of remembrance honoring a special person or memory. Pick a beautiful cigar box, add your creative spark and share it in this large scale installation. A wealth of information is available on the web about DAY OF THE DEAD... Get Inspired!

200 cigar boxes are available...at Racine's in Ft Bragg and FLOCKworks Studio in Mendocino. $5 contribution per box helps under costs. Choose a box, sign up to participate and be part of the fun. FLOCKworks Studio is open Weds to Sat 12 to 4 and by arrangement. Call the studio at 937-2486 or email najet46@hotmail.com.


MASKS figure in celebrations world-wide. Create an original mask--simple or elaborate--from paper, clay, fabric, recycled goods, natural elements or be inventive! "I'm cutting up old paintings for Masks" A $5 contribution per entry is requested.

Treasure Box Altars & Masks can be brought to Odd Fellows (corner of Kasten & Ukiah Sts in Mendocino) during the1st weekend in October. Sign up and we'll be sure to keep you posted on details... najet46@hotmail.com

SOULFUL ABUNDANCE exhibit will be open daily October 8 through November 2--with Artist Party on Saturday October 9th. Other special events are also planned... See you there!

Time Flies...

WOW! The year has flown! This BLOG has not stayed up but FLOCKworks has thrived. It has been a very busy time of creativity out & about the community. New creative alliances--Noyo Food Forest, Mendocino Coast Writer's Conference, Mendocino Film Festival, Mendocino Coast Children's Fund, Skunk Train, Leadership Mendocino, Redwood Elementary School, Ft Bragg Middle School, Albion School, Laytonville Healthy Start, AmeriCorp-- and more. Open Door Arts @ Odd Fellows is going strong--WineSong Artists showcase opened today-- the 48th exhibit in this special community Art series that continues into next year!

Beginning now... More info out and more invitations to join in creativity! Check it out!

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...