The ribbons got finished, delivered, and (by the accounts I’ve heard) the winning artists were happy! For Spring 2024, the TFA and I did our usual riffing off the Featured Artist’s work. This time, the Festival showcased the work of a family of extraordinary weavers: Mel Mendez, whose family has been weaving for a century…
Read More Spring Award Ribbons, Tempe Festival of the ArtsThis weekend, downtown Tempe is closing off Mill Avenue and several surrounding streets for the year’s first Festival of the Arts. I’ve had a sneak peek at the attending artists, and there’s a lot to love in a few blocks of tree-shaded urban oasis. Plus music, festival food booths, and street art contests! Also, cool…
Read More Tempe Festival of the Arts Spring 2019This amazing show turns 50 years old this season. A cornerstone of Tempe civic pride since 1968, the Tempe Festival of the Arts has had all the usual ups, downs, and sideways distractions of big regional art fairs. If you’re in the Tempe AZ area this upcoming weekend (Nov 30-Dec 2, 2018), stop by Mill…
Read More Tempe Festival of the Arts: Fall 2018They’re done! They’re delivered! The Tempe Festival of the Arts begins this Friday, March 23. Check it out if you are in the Tempe AZ area. This show’s Featured Artist is Tucson sculptor Adam Homan, who does edgy and elegant things with metal. This ribbon gig has lots of fun stages, beginning with how to…
Read More Tempe Festival ribbons: Spring 2018The latest award ribbons are done and delivered! As I mentioned here, they are based on the collage/printmaking work of Erin Curry. Here’s the Festival poster image, a commissioned piece. And here are the award ribbons I made in fiber applique, machine stitching, and hand-sewn beaded embroidery. Materials include polyester felt, commercial printed cotton, digital…
Read More Tempe Festival of the Arts Awards, Fall 2017I’m partway through the next set of award ribbons for the Tempe Festival of the Arts. These are based on the work of Erin Curry, so for the applique backgrounds I used a mix of bright and subdued cotton prints glued on white felt pre-edged with dark green/blue rose print fabric. The prints have some…
Read More Gel transfers on fabricIf you’re in the Phoenix, AZ area this weekend, check out the Tempe Festival of the Arts, running March 31 to April 2. It’s a sprawling wonderful circus occupying Tempe’s Mill Avenue and the surrounding side streets: plenty of art, food, live music, and people-watching. This festival’s Featured Artist is Hannie Goldgewicht, known for her…
Read More Tempe Festival of the Arts, Spring 2017It’s ribbon time again! That is, award ribbons for the upcoming Fall 2015 Tempe Festival of the Arts. The theory is simple: the festival organizers vote on a Featured Artist and pick one piece from that artist’s portfolio to become the festival poster/publicity image. Then I sit down with the organizers to riff on that…
Read More Rocketships and RobotsIt’s spring. Next weekend is the Tempe Festival of the Arts, where 40,000 people will somehow find places to park around the core of Tempe’s Mill Avenue Downtown district. Hundreds of artist booths will line Mill and its side streets. There will be decadent food and more decadent booze. Several million dollars will change hands,…
Read More More fiber art award ribbonsWarning: if you are not a crafty type, this will be a very boring post. I’ll forgive you if you go look at pictures of Grumpy Cat instead. Twice a year, I have the honor of making the seventeen award ribbons for the Tempe Festival of the Arts, a major regional art fair in the…
Read More New fiber art: Tempe Festival of the Arts award ribbonsA little case of mistaken identity has been brought to my attention. I am not Diane Tessman. I am Marian Crane, when I wear my art hat. As a fiber artist, I periodically create sets of award ribbons for the Tempe Festival of the Arts, held twice-yearly in Tempe, AZ. These are generally sixteen category…
Read More Fabric art award ribbons