Classes will teach ‘found art’
Packrats, hoarders and anyone with an eye for the underappreciated can transform their old clocks, Barbie dolls and thread spools into art with the help of Andrea Nelson, a local artist teaching three classes on found art assemblage.
The classes are from 10 a.m. to noon at Alaska Indian Arts on April 12, 19 and 26.
Nelson, who owns Antelope Arts, defined found object assemblage as “utilizing objects originally for something else to create an artistic composition… It could be anything, from nature or from the trash can.”
The class is sponsored by the Alaska Arts Confluence and funded by the Chilkat Valley Community Foundation and Alaska State Council on the Arts.
Alaska Arts Confluence president Carol Tuynman said her organization is sponsoring the workshop so residents can learn more about what local artists do.
“People keep a lot of things, memorabilia and all kinds of objects that they aren’t quite ready to part with. Assemblage is a great way to reinterpret some of our favorite things or things we’re not quite sure what to do with,” Tuynman said.
Nelson said the first class on April 12 will be more a lecture on found object art in the context of art history and what other artists are doing. Students will also learn several techniques, like working with different adhesives and force-rusting.
“It’s a really accessible form of art,” Nelson said. “It’s inexpensive and fun, and you can utilize objects that otherwise don’t have a home, but have some value to you.”
Call 303-0222 to register. Cost is $35.
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Folk duo to perform at center on Sunday
After giving an impressive performance at the 2013 Southeast Alaska State Fair, Washington-based folk rock duo Dave McGraw and Mandy Fer will be returning to Haines Sunday.
The show, sponsored by the Haines Arts Council, starts at 7 p.m. at the Chilkat Center.
McGraw and Fer began their musical partnership in 2010. According to the duo’s website, “McGraw’s consoling, velvety baritone voice, reminiscent of Greg Brown, coupled with Fer’s soaring and subtly powerful vocal approach, likened to that of Patty Griffin, puts a spit-shine polish on the finely crafted body of songs they have generated together. The intricate weavings of their vocal harmonies are undeniably exceptional.”
Arts council member Rob Goldberg, who met McGraw and Fer at the fair last year, said he was “very impressed” with their set. “Their songs are poetic and filled with imagery, and Mandy Fer looks like a high school girl but is a real-life guitar hero,” Goldberg said. “They could be the next big thing.”
The two also have led interesting lives outside of the music world: McGraw worked a decade as a wildlife biologist, and Fer spent time in Spain studying music and local culture.
The singer-songwriter duo is also performing in Juneau, Ketchikan and Skagway. They opened for the internationally-renowned group Iron and Wine in Anchorage March 28.
Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students and $35 for families.
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Oscar-nominated animated films set
Five Oscar-nominated animated short films are screening at the Sheldon Museum 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 16, giving Haines residents an opportunity many big city dwellers don’t often have.
The nearly two-hour screening is presented by the Haines Arts Council. Cost is $6 at the door.
Arts council vice president Anne Hanssen said it’s almost impossible to find screenings of the films, even in big cities where you have to drive halfway across town to a small, independent theater to track them down.
Just because the films are animated, doesn’t mean they’re geared toward children, Hanssen said. “These aren’t cartoons for kids. They are usually fairly serious subject matter,” she said.
The films include “Feral,” “Get a Horse!” “Mr. Hublot,” “Possessions” and “Room on the Broom.” The films come from the United States, France, Japan and the United Kingdom, though only two of the films have dialogue (both are in English).
“Mr. Hublot,” which walked away with the Oscar win, tells the story of an eccentric, isolated man whose ordered life is disrupted by the arrival of Robot Pet.
Council president Tom Heywood said the screening of the short films usually draws a crowd of 40 to 50 people who really enjoy the films. “It’s always interesting because these are films that made the big time. It’s a great chance to see which ones out of all the thousands of independent short films made every year rise to the top,” he said.
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Fair offers session on ‘wearable art’
The Southeast Alaska State Fair is coming up fast, and those looking for some inspiration for the Wearable Art Fashion Show can go to Harriett Hall at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 10, to learn some tips and tricks for putting together a winning look.
Fair director Jessica Edwards said several people have come up to her expressing interest in the show, but they usually don’t end up entering because they run out of time or underestimate the amount of work that goes into putting together a usable piece.
“It does take some time to put together these strange and wonderful designs,” Edwards said.
Thursday’s brainstorm session will include clips from the recent wearable art show in Juneau, and people who have participated before will speak about how they got their ideas and how long it took them to put everything together.
Wearable art uses everyday items – from coffee filters to papier-mâché to glass beads – to create aesthetically-pleasing garments and jewelry.
For more information, call 766-2476.
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Social media for artists
Local website specialist James Alborough will be teaching one-on-one tutorials at the library Thursday, April 24, for artists and artisans looking to boost their online marketing through social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Individual 20-minute sessions are available from 5 to 6 p.m. and 7 to 8 p.m. From 6 to 7 p.m., Alborough will give a general presentation and take questions.
The class is sponsored by the Alaska Arts Confluence and funded by the Chilkat Valley Community Foundation and Alaska State Council on the Arts.
Alborough, who started Bear Star Web Design and taught similar online marketing classes last year at the library, said he hopes the one-on-one sessions will spur artists into taking action instead of just learning about online resources.
“This is a chance to remind people to actually do something,” he said.
In addition to Facebook and Twitter, the tutorials will focus on the social media sites Google+ and Pinterest.
Call 766-3830 to register for a session with Alborough.