Baltimore, MD (PRWEB) May 18, 2012

Maryland Traditions, a program of the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC), has announced that more than 30 master artists and their apprentices will lead free workshops, demonstrations or both at the 2nd Annual Maryland Traditions Folklife Festival. The Festival, an interactive, family-friendly celebration of traditional music, arts and foods from across the state is from 11:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m., June 16 at the Creative Alliance at the Pattersonrain or shine.

There are so many stories behind the artistic traditions practiced by these individuals. Their everyday work and arts are an important and fascinating part of Marylands ever-changing cultural heritage, said Clifford Murphy, Ph.D., Director of Maryland Traditions, We want people who come to the Festival to connect with and learn from the traditional artists of our state.

In addition to traditional arts masters and their apprentices demonstrating for and teaching Festivalgoers, the Festival features two music stages with Maryland musicians performing a broad range of musical genres that include Himalayan music, South African and Mexican dance, Bluegrass, Irish and Gospel music, a salsa orchestra and more. Maryland-made arts and crafts, plus an array of distinctive Maryland food favorites will also be available for purchase.

WORKSHOPS AT THE 2ND ANNUAL MARYLAND TRADITIONS FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL:

All children must be accompanied by adults

ARTE DE ESTAMBRE (Mexican Yarn Art) with Francisco Loza, a self-taught artist who originally hails from Guadalajara, Mexico. He is an artist-in-residence at Creative Alliance in Baltimore and creates Arte de Estambre (Yarn Art) by working on a wood surface using a combination of waxes as an adhesive base on which he intricately weaves together thread by thread yarns of brilliant colors. Francisco learned his technique by working for over 15 years with indigenous Huichol artisans who live in the Sierra Madre mountains of Nayarit and Jalisco in central Mexico. This workshop is for children ages eight and older. STUDIO #7, 1:00-5:00 PM.

CHINESE BRUSH PAINTING with Mei Yu Green of Anne Arundel County. This workshop teaches children and adults of all ages traditional Chinese brush painting, a tradition that spans several centuries. As opposed to oil painting, it involves the use of brushes dipped in ink and is similar in method to Chinese calligraphy. Workshop participants will learn the techniques of holding the brush and painting basic shapes found in nature, such as bamboo leaves and branches, on rice paper. Two 30-minute sessions will be featured back to back. CLASSROOM: 4:30PM-5:30PM.

DUCK DECOY PAINTING with Rich Smoker and the Ward Museum. This workshop teaches children to paint waterfowl on pre-cut flatties (duck-shaped pieces of wood). Master carver and painter Rich Smoker leads this workshop, intended for children age four and older, with assistance from Salisburys Ward Museum of Wildfowl Art. Classroom can accommodate 15 spaces for adults and children at any given time. CLASSROOM: 3:00-4:00 PM

EGG PAINTING with Halyna Mudryj, master of pysanki, a style of Ukrainian egg decorating through dyeing and painting. Pysanki is a variation of pisanki, which is a Polish style and will also be demonstrated at the Festival. Two thirty-minute workshops have room for 15 adults and children age eight and older. CLASSROOM: 1:00-2:30 PM.

KOLAM PAINTING with Shanti Chandresekar, an Indian Kolam painter from North Potomac, Maryland. Shanthi learned Kolam painting from her grandmother in Tamil Nadu, India. Traditionally, Indian women began their day by drawing Kolams with rice flour temporary, symbolic paintings outside their front door as a sign of welcome to guests. This is an all-ages workshop. MEDIA LAB: 4:30-5:30PM.

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC PHOTO CAMP with Erika Nortemann & Karine Aigner. National Geographics Photo Camp will consist of a 30 min introduction to cell phone photography & social media. Participants must have their own camera phone and have or be able to download a Twitter app. Participants will do 1-1.5 hours of field photography throughout festival. MEDIA LAB: NOON-4:00 PM. ????

WORKSHOPS IN THE DEMONSTRATOR TENT:

LIL NIPPERS PROGRAM Hosted by the Annapolis Maritime Museum, children (ages 4-6) will receive a hands-on lesson introducing the Chesapeake Bay Oyster and the life that exists on oyster reefs. Through the use of their senses, students experience the texture of the oyster shells, the smell of the brackish water, see the small critters and learn how oyster reefs are habitats and how they create communities in the Chesapeake Bay. Working waterman John Van Alstine will share his experiences about life working on the water and provide hands-on demonstrations of oyster-tonging. ALL DAY.

PAINTED SCREEN WORKSHOP: The Painted Screen Society will be offering workshops throughout the day. This workshop provides a rare opportunity for participants (ages 8+) to try their hand at creating their own painted window screena Baltimore tradition since the early 1900s. Painted screens adorned the windows of row houses of the city for decades, providing much-needed privacy since you can see out through the painted screen, but you cannot see in! ALL DAY.

QUILTING with Mimi Dietrich, a master quilter who specializes in the making of Baltimore Album Quilts. Baltimore Album Quilts were produced in the mid-1800s predominantly by church groups. They comprise distinctive motifs, such as wreaths and flower baskets, which are sewn together using appliqu? technique, and traditionally use the colors of red and green. Mimi has produced sixteen books on all kinds of quilting, and has been instrumental in promoting the making of Baltimore Album Quilts both in Maryland and beyond. Workshop participants (ages 4-6) will create Baltimore Album Quilt patterns. 30-45min sessions: 12:30-1:00 PM; 1:30-2:00 PM; 2:30-3:00 PM.

DEMONSTRATORS AT THE 2ND ANNUAL MARYLAND TRADITIONS FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL

AFRICAN DRUM MAKINGBaile McKnight is an institution in Marylands African drum and dance community. A master drummer and drum-maker, Baile transforms raw materials such as cow and goatskin into djembe, dunun and ashiko drums. Introduced to Caribbean drums through 1960s R&B, he trained in welding and sculpting, and studied with master drummers in Africa. A three-time Maryland Traditions Apprenticeship awardee, Baile maintains lifelong relationships with his students. In 1975, he opened Bailes African Drum Works in Forestville.

ARABBINGa distinctive Baltimore tradition since the mid-19th century, arabbing is the selling of produce, fruit and other items from a horse-drawn wagon. Mostly a male tradition, and more recently, African-American, arabbing is a system of food distribution that links the citys docks along the harbor to street after street of row houses beyond. Donald Manboy Savoy, Sr., an elder in the arabbing community of West Baltimore has been arabbing for over half a century and is joined by his son, Donald Horse Savoy, Jr., his grandson, James Boom Boom Chase and James wife, Shawnta Chase.

BALTIMORE ALBUM QUILTINGMimi Dietrich (Catonsville) has been sewing since she was thirteen. When she had her first son, thirty-seven years ago, she entered the world of quilting, producing her first quilt for him. In the 1980s, Mimi went to an exhibition of Baltimore Album Quilts at the Baltimore Museum of Art and fell in love with this uniquely Baltimorean quilting tradition. Baltimore Album Quilts were produced in the mid-19th century predominantly by church groups. They comprise distinctive motifs, such as wreaths and flower baskets, which are sewn together using appliqu? technique, and traditionally use the colors of red and green. Mimi has produced numerous books on all kinds of quilting, and has been instrumental in promoting the making of Baltimore Album Qu

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