Organizing FinnART 2019

This past month I have been very busy organizing and designing an upcoming art event titled FinnART 2019 - Finns & Friends: Arts and Crafts at the Berkeley Finnish Hall. This event takes place on Saturday and Sunday, October 5 and 6, from 11 AM to 6 PM, at the historic hall in Berkeley, California, located at 1970 Chestnut Street at University Avenue. All are invited and admission is free.

I am one of the two currently active volunteer cochairs and coordinators and my main responsibility has been to enroll artists and makers to participate and make sure all follow through with what is needed from them. But I have also been the treasurer and the graphic artist and space planner and task master and so much more for this event. Much more than I ever imagined has become my responsibility since one of the originally three cochairs and coordinators had to withdraw from active leadership early on, but after the process had been started. She and I have organized some three or four successful FinnART events in the past, I believe the last one took place in 2007. Thankfully we do have a couple of very active and helpful participating artists who have truly given their best to assist with tasks like online marketing and helping design signs and posters and ordering them as well. I am truly thankful for all the assistance I have been receiving from these most generous participants and also my cochair and coordinator, who is a novice to planning art events and whose main responsibility has been managing the downstairs cafeteria and the silent auction table to benefit the maintenance of the historic Berkeley Finnish Hall. Some artists have opted to donate their arts and crafts to this silent auction, which will end on Sunday, October 6 at 4 PM, two hours prior to the event closing, at which point the winners will be notified.

Making my own art, all except drawing and digital mixed media, has taken a back seat due to my workload. I truly dream of making more paintings, instead of organizing my own art and products for the upcoming event, in which I am also a participating artist. Time is precious and there is only so much any one person can do, so, whatever is in the front burner gets priority. And FinnART 2019 has seriously been a priority for me and I imagine for all involved in the past month or so. But all the plans are coming together and this is promising to be a most interesting event. If you are in the vicinity do come and see the art and crafts of the thirteen participating makers, myself included. We have painters and sculptors and jewelry makers and photographers and ceramists and glass fusion artists and more. We have fine arts and dream catchers and elves and all kind of scarves from handmade to printed and mugs and totes and greeting cards and so many more magical creations. Two of the participants also make herbal healing salves and potions. I am personally looking very forward to this fair and all that the makers have to offer. But hey, you are all invited, so, come and see for yourselves!