San Mateo Peninsula Festival

2010-02-17T11:03:00.000-08:00

Hi Everyone! We've missed you!

We are getting amped up for this year's festival...taking place June 12-20 this year at the San Mateo Fairgrounds! We want to hear from YOU!! Send us your reflections from last year's festival.........

We will be posting photos and reflections of our own in the coming days but would love to hear yours!

There are also lots of new exciting things taking place within the Creative Arts Department and we want to share!

Keep your eyes peeled for updates on this blog... and follow us on Twitter- we'll be tweeting about the fair and also about other interesting things to do in the Bay Area!!

Looking forward to another great year at the Festival...this time in JUNE!!!

-Creative Arts Department

Friday- Sunday Schedule

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Here is the lineup for the next few days! Come to the Festival with a purpose! We are in the large Expo Hall, amidst the Floral Department, Home Arts Department and the vendors......
Come grab a drink and join us at the Creative Arts Stage!

Friday, August 21:
12:00-1:30- Geri Spieler : Telling True Stories
3:00-4:00- Red Desert Dance Company
4-5:30-Laurel Anne Hill: Breathing Life Into Your Writing
6-7:30 Literary Winners Readings

Saturday, August 22:
12-1:30- Inés Villafañe-León: The Foreign Challenge- The Dream of Becoming a Writer
1:30-2:00- Peter Gin: author on stage
2:00-3:00- Floral Department's Second Judging/Tasting
3:15-4:00- Peter Gessner: author on stage
4:30-5:30- Angel Simmons: Harpist

Sunday, August 23:
1:00-3:00- Luisa Adams, Martha Alderson and Teresa LeYung Ryan: Three Stories, Three Writers, Three Paths
4-5:30- Laura Weinbach, experimental folk artist
5:30-6:30- Jonathan Tomczak, an author reads.

Red Desert Dance Troupe

2009-08-19T15:37:00.000-07:00

Back to enchant us at the Festival for the second time is the Red Desert Dance Troupe!! Four of the lovely ladies will be on the Creative Arts Stage from 5-6:00 THIS evening!

They will also be on stage this Friday from 3-4!

Don't miss the sword balancing, poi, double veil, duets, drum solos... and join us for audience participation and learn to shimmy along with the Red Desert Dance Company!

Fore more info on Marie and her Dancers, visit them online!: Red Desert Dance Company

2009-08-19T14:28:00.000-07:00

Foxtails Brigade @ Chasing The Moon 8.06.09 from Scott McDowell on Vimeo.

Laura Weinbach, half of the duo 'Foxtails Brigade' will be on the Creative Arts Stage today from 6-7:30. She will be sharing a set with Bay Area acoustic-metal group, Judgement Day.

"...Weinbach's lyrics never fail on the storytelling front, whether she's channeling a scary doll that comes alive in the dark of night or writing about a psychotic student. In the latter song, "For Leo," she sings, "But I have known your kind before / You're linked by paper cuts and sores / Rotten green banana eyes / With chocolate milk and hungry flies." Creepy yet compelling, Foxtails dare you to turn away." -Kat Renz, SF Bay Guardian.

Author Spotlight: Diana Orgain

2009-08-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

Diana Orgain was born in San Francisco, CA. As a child she loved Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mysteries and dreamed of being a writer one day.

She went on to earn her B.A and M.F.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University with a minor in acting.

Diana has acted professionally in many theater roles and national commercials. She wrote several plays, which were produced at San Francisco State University, GreenHouses Productions, and PlayGround in San Francisco. But then a funny thing happened – on the way to becoming a mystery writer, she went and had a baby…

Bundle of Trouble: A Maternal Instincts Mystery was inspired by the transformational experience that motherhood brings. Battling sleep deprivation, diaper blowouts and breastfeeding mishaps Diana muddled through the creation of her first manuscript, Mommy style. Bundle of Trouble is her debut novel, the first in this humorous series published by Berkley Prime Crime. Diana continues to live in the beautiful city by the bay, San Francisco, with her husband and their children.

Diana will be presenting her workshop "Write a great scene in 6 easy steps" on Wednesday, August 19 from 12-1:30 pm!

To check out more about Diana, visit her online at: dianaorgain.com

Author Spotlight: Joyce Robins

2009-08-18T14:59:00.000-07:00

Joyce Robins says, "I have been writing stories and poems since childhood and have just completed a manuscript, a memoir in episodic style of growing up in Toronto in the 1920’s and i930’s. My earliest influences were my grandmother, my mother, six aunts and two uncles, a large co-operative, creative, story telling family who all lived together. My mother was the oldest of grandmother’s nine children and I was the precocious child in their midst- an observer and participant. Men were scarce in our family as men tended to die early. My stepfather was a teacher, folklorist, a writer who in spite of everything had a profound influence on my development as a writer.

"My first piece of literary writing “An American Wife in Madrid” was published in ‘The Reconstructionist’ in 1959. In the mid 1960’s I wrote a series of articles for 3 Peninsula newspapers based on my experiences at W. & J. Sloanes’s on El Camino in Los Altos and Breuners Design Studios on Sutter Street in San Francisco. I had a by-line and the editor dubbed the column “Decorator’s Casebook.”

Joyce will be on the Creative Arts Stage today from 4-5pm, sharing with us her memories and ideas about writing memoir.

Tory Hartmann and Chris Wachlin: Demystifying Fiction

2009-08-17T19:53:00.000-07:00

What IS fiction?

Tory Hartmann and Chris Wachlin are here to approach the genre of fiction in a new and accessible way during their workshop Demystifying Fiction- Tuesday August 18 from 1-2:30 pm.

Tory Hartmann
is a freelance writer living in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her non-fiction has been published in the San Francisco Chronicle, San Mateo County Times, and Parenting on the Peninsula. Her fiction has been published in The Sand Hill Review, Descant, The Hurricane Review, The Homestead Review, Ship’s Log: Writings at Sea, Tattoo Highway,
San Francisco Peninsula Review as well as many others. Her screenplays include Castro Confidential and three episodes of The Powerhouse Kids.

Chris Wachlin
Born and raised in Grand Chute, Wisconsin. Chris attended the University of Iowa, where he missed a lot of classes but did meet his beautiful wife, Jennifer, in French Composition. He has also lived in Vermont, New Hampshire, and the city of Boston, and currently lives in Redwood City, California. “Talking WriteMax!®” is his first published story.

Bring your pens, pencils and a ready and eager brain on over to the Creative Arts Stage THIS Tuesday!

Wow! + Monday - Wednesday Schedule!

2009-08-16T23:47:00.001-07:00

It's surreal to think that the Festival is here! After months of planning and dreaming about these 9 days, it's crazy to think that this will soon be over!

What fun it was to award and congratulate all of our artists- literary and then some... on Saturday evening- It was truly inspiring to see 150+ of you to show up! You inspire us and you keep the Creative Arts Department going strong.
It's been nice hearing your stories, and it's been nice getting to know each and every one of you.

As the Creative Arts is undergoing new changes this year, please know that your comments and suggestions really DO affect what and how we do things.... please don't hesitate to share!

We are starting the week! We have many exciting things ahead, and we really hope you can join us...!!!

Monday, August 17:
2:00-3:00- Beth Barany: Fairy Tales, Brainstorming and Tarot- Plot Your Story Quickly and Have Fun Too!
4-5:00- Maureen Brennan: Harpist
5:00-6:00- Red Desert Dance Company

Tuesday, August 18:
1:00-2:30- Tory Hartmann and Chris Wachlin: Demystifying Fiction
3:00-4:00- Floral Department: Wreathmaking Workshop
4:00-5:00- Joyce Robbins: Writing A Memoir

Wednesday, August 19:
12:00-1:30- Diana Orgain: Write A Great Scene In 6 Easy Steps
2:00-3:00- John Saint Germain: Factual Fiction
5:00-6:00- Red Desert Dance Company
6-7:30- Judgement Day

We look forward to seeing you!

-Creative Arts Crew

ps- don't forget to keep up with us on facebook AND twitter!!!

THIS Weekend at the Festival's Creative Arts Department...

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Saturday, August 15:

12:30-1:30- Copus

Kicking off the Creative Arts Stage with a bang!- The wonderful world beats ensemble that is Copus.

2:00-3:00- The Floral Department's Judging/Tasting

3:00-4:00- The Floral Department: An Ikebana Demonstration
Uniting humans and flowers, 插花 ("flower art") or Ikebana is more than just flower arrangement- it is an art form. Hosted by the Floral Department.

4:30-5:00- Jonathan Tomzcak

This 16 year-old SF author talks about his book, 'Quinn's Survivors' and answers your questions.

5:00-6:00- Copus
This is your last chance to experience Copus at the Festival- don't miss them!

6:00-7:00- Awards Ceremony
Honoring this year's artists!

Sunday, August 16:

12:00-3:00-Piano Recital
Come and hear the best of the best!

3:00-4:00- Bill Cervenka: All About Bees

Bill will tell us all about the Floral Department's bees- buzz on over, it's sure to be an interesting talk!

4:30-6:00- Laurel Anne Hill: Creating New Worlds- Writing Fantasy
An interactive literary workshop, led by renowned SF author Laurel Anne Hill.

6-7:00-Eva Gordon: Wolf Bio/Lore Workshop
Author of Paranormal and Fantasy Romance to host a workshop so good you'll be howling for more!

Band Spotlight: COPUS

2009-08-09T16:13:00.000-07:00

COPUS is a world beat ensemble that presents conscious lyrics and beautiful melodies for the intelligent listener. Formed by poet Royal Kent and composer Wendy Loomis in 1998, the group has performed at clubs, theaters, and festivals in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Atlanta, and are scheduled to perform in Boston and at the WordxWord Festival in Western Massachusetts August 2009. The group has released CD “Later Than You Think”, single ‘The Fool”, trilogy “Jah Provide” and is currently working on their next full-length recording. “COPUS could become legendary if given the opportunity to thrive!” -Michael Allison, MusicDish.com

ROYAL KENT’s love of poetry goes back several decades. Originally inspired by the legendary Last Poets, he has performed with dancers, theatrical troupes, poets, and many bands including the Vancouver-based Band of Angels and Czech Republic-based Pseudo Pseudo. He has produced television, radio and stage shows, and is the co-founder of independent label Copus Music. As poet MC he has opened major reggae concerts for Peter Tosh, Toots & the Maytals, and The Wailers. Kira Njinsky, daughter of the great Russian ballet star Njinksy, said: “Royal Kent recites poetry the way my grandfather danced!”

Composer/pianist WENDY LOOMIS has released 7 CDs of her compositions for COPUS, acoustic ensemble Phoenix Rising, as well as solo piano works. She won the ASCAPlus award for composition for the past 2 years, was a finalist in the Unisong International Songwriting competition, has had her commissioned works performed by flute ensembles, and is currently writing music for film. Wendy earned her bachelor’s degree in Creative Arts and her master’s degree in Arts Education. She is the co-founder and president of Copus Music LLC and teaches private piano at her San Francisco studio.

Flutist MONICA WILLIAMS is a graduate of Eastman School of Music and has studied with several esteemed flutists such as Bonita Boyd, Susan Levitin, and Brad Garner. She has performed with orchestras in Chicago, Rochester, and Cincinnati and has toured Europe and the United States. In addition to COPUS, Monica is a member of Phoenix Rising with Wendy; their 2 CDs, ‘Whispers’ and ‘Ascension’ , have been receiving critical acclaim including the latter being nominated for ‘best acoustic album of the year’. Monica is the director of Flock of Flutes and teaches private flute at Civic Arts Center of Walnut Creek and her home studio in San Francisco.

Bassist PATRICK MAHON was born and raised in San Francisco. Patrick studied jazz with Tony P. Miller, but he is primarily self-taught – giving him a creative facility and an eager ear for new ways of expression, including most recently using an unusual bowing technique on the electric bass. He joined COPUS in 2007, played on the ‘Jah Provide’ trilogy, and has performed at many Bay Area gigs as well as at the Sweet Auburn Springfest in Atlanta. His influences include Charles Mingus, Marcus Miller, Victor Wooten, and Les Claypool. In addition to COPUS, Patrick has performed with bands Scaramanga, The Ambassadors, and Electric Color Wheel.

RICK CAMPBELL is a native San Franciscan who currently lives in Vallejo, California. He joined the marching band in high school and was part of a punk band called ‘Black Athletes’ and has been studying and performing percussion ever since. He has opened up for acts such as Dead Kennedys, Public Image Limited, Fishbone, and Romeo Void. He has toured Yugoslavia and Poland with the George Coates Performing Ensemble and has performed and recorded with Native Elements, the Funkanauts, and toured extensively in France with The Motivators. Rick plays timbales, congas, traps, and ‘all things percussion’; he joined COPUS in 2009.

COPUS to be LIVE! at Creative Arts Stage August 15 for two sets: 12-1:30 pm AND 5-6:00pm!

Author Spotlight: Jonathan Tomczak

2009-08-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

Jonathan Tomczak isn't your average teenager....

Sixteen years old, he currently attends high school in South San Francisco and is a published author. Although Quinn's Survivors is his first published work, Tomczak has been writing since the third grade. He credits his own experiences and the support of his family and friends as inspiration for this novel.

"Alex Quinn, a slightly anti-social teenage prodigy, is just trying to live a normal life with a group of loyal friends and a love interest. Although living in the United States during World War III makes life anything but ordinary.

One night, strange missiles destroy Alex’s home city of San Francisco, but mysteriously leave its inhabitants alive and unscathed..."

Jonathan Tomczak will be on the Creative Arts Stage from 4:30-5:00 pm on August 15! Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about this incredible, young and talented author!

Band Spotlight: Judgement Day

2009-07-18T22:45:00.000-07:00

“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and cannot remain silent” -Victor Hugo

Surely Victor Hugo must have been talking about Bay Area Acoustic-Metal band Judgement Day....

Judgement Day @ Chasing The Moon 7.07.09 from Scott McDowell on Vimeo.

There is something wonderfully unique and fascinating about Bay Area Acoustic Metal band Judgement Day.... and we are thrilled to announce that they will be performing for the Creative Arts Department!

Visit Judgement Day online: http://stringmetal.wordpress.com/

Writer's Spotlight: Laurel Anne Hill

2009-07-18T22:10:00.000-07:00

The Creative Arts Department is pleased to announce that award-winning, local author Laurel Anne Hill will be hosting multiple writing workshops this year, among them: Breathing Life Into Your Writing and Creating New Worlds: Writing Fantasy

LAUREL ANNE HILL grew up in San Francisco, with more dreams of adventure than good sense or money. Her close brushes with death, love of family, respect for honor and belief in a higher power continue to influence her writing and her life.

Komenar Publishing released Heroes Arise, Laurel’s debut parable, in October 2007. ForeWord Magazine selected Heroes Arise for a Book of the Year Award for 2007 (bronze, science fiction category). Heroes Arise was a Next Generation Indie Book Awards finalist and has received cover endorsements from Jean M. Auel, Kim Stanley Robinson and Robert J. Sawyer. Laurel has served as a presenter at numerous events, including the World Science Fiction Convention, the World Fantasy Convention, Readercon, BayCon and the East of Eden Writers Conference.

Laurel's fiction and creative nonfiction have been published in the Contra Costa Times, Nth Zine, Lynx Eye, the San Jose Mercury News, Space and Time, and a variety of small-circulation magazines. KQED-FM broadcast her perspective in 2004 about the plight of homeless families.

In 2005, Laurel was awarded first prize in the Ninth Annual Captivating Beginnings Short Story Contest. She received an honorable mention in the 2004 Soul-Making Literary Competition, an extended community arts outreach program of the National League of American Pen Women, Nob Hill, San Francisco Bay Area Branch. One of her personal essays won honorable mention in the Foster City 2003 International Writer’s Contest.

Laurel is a member of California Writers Club (San Francisco/Peninsula Branch), the Women’s National Book Association, Broad Universe and Women Writing the West.

To learn more about Laurel or her materpieces, visit her website at http://www.laurelannehill.com.

How Can I Get Involved?

2009-07-08T14:36:00.000-07:00

The Creative Arts Department is about more than just observing- we want this to be a place where all can get involved and can enjoy and give back to this amazing art mecca!

Here are various ways YOU can get involved:

Volunteer!
We are seeking individuals who have a definite interest in and love of art. Art background is a plus, but we would like to give anyone a chance to be involved.
Individuals need to be open, willing and flexible and must be able to work in a team. Volunteers must also commit to atleast 1 three hour shift.
In exchange, you will recieve one free day pass to the fair, a free food voucher, and a parking pass.

Volunteers will be needed during the festival itself, (August 15-23) but ALSO to aide us in our intake/pickup days. Contact us for more information about volunteering!

Sponsor!
Are you an art lover but don't have the time in your schedule to volunteer? Donate! We are asking for gifts from as little as $50 to give as prize money to our winning artists. This is a great way to directly give back to your local artist community and support the Creative Arts Department.

Message from the Directors

2009-07-08T14:21:00.000-07:00

The Peninsula Fair is celebrating its 75^th anniversary this year, so be sure to visit The Creative Arts Department. Come and participate in what promises to be an energetic and uplifting showcase of local artistic talent --- everything from paintings, photographs, and stunning sculptures --- to kinetic wave art, painted doors --- and so much more. This year we are expanding our contests to also include graffiti art, surreal paintings, and sand carved glass. We are especially excited about giving the Literary Division a stronger presence than ever before, such as spoken word performances with musical accompaniment

The theme for the Creative Arts Department this year is “Carry the Light.” We hope our show will both uplift and challenge fairgoers to reflect on how much we have to be grateful for, and to help instill the thought that there is so much we can do to uplift one another. “Carry the Light” is not just a slogan, it is an ideal that also challenges us all to dream a better dream for ourselves. The assumption that some of us are highly creative, while others are not, is one that we seek to challenge. We are all called to paint a masterpiece with our lives.

Our “Carry the Light” theme has been incorporated into the overall design of the art floor. When visitors enter the art department this year, they are in for a treat. For the first time, the Creative Arts and the Floral Arts departments have been combined for a double-dose of creativity. We have also “planted” kite bouquets that reach up to the ceiling with tails of light trailing down to the exhibit areas. We want our visitors to feel as if they are stepping into something special, even magical, when they enter this department.

We invite you to come out in support of our local artists. Perhaps you, yourself, are an artist in the rough. Perhaps you, too, are meant to carry the light.

-Boris Koodrin & Kayte Van De Mark, Directors of the Creative Arts Department

Artist Spotlight: Reuben Margolin

2009-07-07T22:17:00.000-07:00

The PF Creative Arts Department is pleased to announce that we will be showcasing Reuben Margolin's wonderful Pentagonal Wave sculpture. The Pentagonal Wave has 288 strings originating from a single rotating point in the upper structure. The distribution of the strings causes the silver cardboard tubes to undulate in the form of a five-pointed star.

Reuben Heyday Margolin has displayed his paintings and sculptures all over the Bay Area, as well as the world. Margolin has studied Monumental painting at the St. Petersburg Academy of Arts, Russia as well as Classical drawing and painting at the Charles H. Cecil Studios in Florence, Italy and recieved a BA in English from Harvard University. He has held prestigious internships at the Kanoria Centre for the Arts in India, The Tartaja Cave in Spain, as well as the Orchardton House in Scotland.

For more information on Reuben Margolin, or to see more of his work, visit him online!

2009-06-26T15:18:00.000-07:00

'The artist must create a spark before he can make a fire and before art is born- the artist must be ready to be consumed by the fire of his own creation.'

-Auguste Rodin

What inspires you?

2009-06-26T14:07:00.000-07:00

The textures of architecture?
Of nature? Of the human form?
Perhaps a beautiful color?

Whatever it is that inspires you to create-
to write, to paint, to photograph, to sculpt, to draw- (among other things of course).....

The Peninsula Festival's Creative Arts Department is calling all artists in every shape and form to submit their works of art for this years festival, taking place from August 15-23 2009.

Departments Include:

Visual Arts Painting- Oil, Acrylic and Watercolor
Works on Paper- Pastels, Inks, Charcoal, Etc.
Mixed Media- Any piece using more than one medium on canvas, panel or leather
Fine Art Glass- Blown or cast, sand carved glass, etched glass, stained glass
Other Visual Arts
Print Media- etchings, lithographs, serigraphs, etc.
Ceramics and Pottery
Miniatures- may be any 2D media not to exceed the standard 5' x 7' size but may be
smaller, including frame. MUST BE WIRED.
Fiber Art- weaving, basketry, etc.
Sculpture
Jewelry
Grafitti Art
Photography- Black and White, Color, Photo-Journalism, Special Effects

Here are some of the upcoming deadlines for submission, etc.:

*Entry forms are due July 15 at 5 pm
*Entries for literary arts to be received on Friday July 17 from 2-7 pm
*Entries for all other categories to be received on Friday July 31 from 2-7 pm *Entries received on Saturday August 1 from 10am-2pm

For additional information on submission, deadlines, etc. feel free to leave a comment and we will get back to you ASAP!

Welcome!

2009-05-13T23:09:00.000-07:00

Thanks for visiting the site for the San Mateo County's Peninsula Festival's Creative Arts Department! We are excited to experience a summer full of creativity and passion with you. Check this site regularly for the Fine Arts Department Updates. We encourage you to contact us with your questions, comments and ideas!