The Woodlands
Local Wares Handmade with Care
West Philadelphia
Stop by our table at Go West! to learn more about The Woodlands, take a tour of the grounds, and become a member—you’ll receive a special welcome gift and 5 extra months of membership benefits when you join at Go West!
photo: Dennis Hwang jjtiziou.net HowPhillyMoves.org EveryoneIsPhotogenic.com
WWW.60THSTREETCORRIDOR.COM
• 21 individual retail spaces from 450 to 2,500 sq.ft.
• Starting at $1 per sqft / month
• Eco-Friendly construction • Located just south of the • LEED and Energy Star 60th & Market Street El stop certified Brian Wilson
267-238-4253 BWilson@CBPREF.com
VIX Emporium Emily Dorn
As the Crow Flies & Co Mike Straight & Wilder Scott-Straight
Go West! Craft Fest brings talented arts and crafters to The Woodlands by Shaun Brady
E
mily Dorn, co-owner of VIX Emporium, says that she and her fellow Go West! Craft Fest organizers were initially hesitant to move the fair to The Woodlands—and not only because it would be surrounded by gravesites. “It’s not like a park with walk-by traffic,” she says, adding that it took a bit more planning to carve out a space for the craft fest that would drive foot traffic. “But it’s historic and special, and … we ended up with a good outcome.” On May 3, The Woodlands will host the semiannual Go West! Craft Fest for the fifth time, bringing 120 vendors selling handmade arts and crafts to the site of the historic mansion and cemetery. The festival moved to The Woodlands for its spring and fall editions in 2012, after several years in other neighborhood locations. Go West! was created by Mike Straight, a designer who creates reclaimed ceramic jewelry, and his wife, Wilder Scott-Straight, who makes handmade and upcycled children’s clothing. The couple, who
This event guide was created by Grid, VIX Emporium, As the Crow Flies & Co, and published by Red Flag Media. 1032 Arch St., Third Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
continue to organize the event with Dorn, wanted to shine a light on their neighborhood's thriving arts scene. The first incarnation of Go West!, as the monthly Satellite Second Saturday in August 2009, brought eight vendors to the small triangle in front of the Satellite Café at 50th and Baltimore. In April 2011, it was renamed and moved to Cedar Park, growing to welcome 2,000 visitors at last fall’s event at The Woodlands. “Our focus is for local crafters and artists to have another forum for their work, and for our West Philadelphia neighborhood to have a fun, unique event while exploring the beauty of The Woodlands,” Scott-Straight says. “It’s a great way for crafters just starting out in the marketplace to show their wares alongside more experienced makers.” For more information on As the Crow Flies and VIX Emporium, visit asthecrowfliesandco.com and vixemporium.com.
Publisher
Art director
Alex Mulcahy
Danni Sinisi
managing editor
Distribution / Ad Sales
Sara Schwartz
Jesse Kerns
copy editor
Andrew Bonazelli
4 | Go WEST! Craft FEST | Spring 2014 |
CHESTER AVE.
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Event Map
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ACCESSIBLE BY SEPTA Green line trolleys
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The Woodlands
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FREE PARKING
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available ON USciences campus
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STAGE / TRAPEZE 82
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75 The West Philadelphia
1 Weckerly’s Ice Cream
20 Reimagined Charms
36 StitchPrism
58 Tadpole Creations
2 The Satellite Cafe
21 Pink Hammers
37 Ace Blakley
59 Bee Vintage Redux
Cooperative School
3 Grid
22 peculiarbreed
38 BEHOLD!
60 Malcolm House Wares
76 The Philly Free School
4 Flying Groundhog
23 The Woodlands
39 Us & We Art
61 Black Heart Letterpress
77 University City Arts League
94 Priya Means Love
113 BekkiMakena
5 Do It Now T-Shirts
Information table
40 Gourmet Candle
62 Chameleon Candi Designs 78 Bhakti Puppet Makers
95 Laura Murdoch
114 Tooth of the Lion
6 Dirt Dobber &
24 Brass Rabbit Jewelry
41 The Ceramery
63 Masters of None
79 The Lil’ Pop Shop
96 Anna Beau Designs
Apothecary
icecreamthighs
25 The Whitman Fox
42 Mneeka Designs
64 Handmade Amazingness
80 Taco Angeleno
97 SewKind
115 Flocks
7 InLiquid
26 Love.Lee Designs
43 Blue Calendula Room
65 Seam Poets &
81 Aksum Cafe
98 Crescent Ceramics
116 Liminalia Hand-
8 Social Goods Co.
27 Michele’s Personal-
44 By Yivvie
Foxglove Factory
82 Black Orchid Foods
99 Sarah Draws Things
made Goods
9 Adorned by Aisha
ized Touch
45 This Pretty Life
66 Sculpture Garden Arts
83 Stellar Spirals
100 Sarah Gwen Yeung
117 The Golden Hen
10 Tamme Handbags
28 Jeremy Pushinsky &
46 Shera P Crayon Lipstick
67 Mary-Lynne Moffatt
84 RetroRelix
101 dollhousefossils
118 olive + bo
11 Brokenglass Studio
Miki Palchick
47 Philly Loves Lacquer
68 Beidler Pottery
85 Wise Owl Shop
102 The Revival Clothing
119 Saffron Creations
12 Upright Metalworks
29 Wild Child
48 Sweet Elysium
69 Cynwyd Station
86 Go Light Designs
103 Urban Baby & Stinky Girl
120 Jane Broadbent Pottery
13 Fisticuffs Leather
30 Russell Brodie
49 STAND Jewelry
Cafe and Tea Room
87 Soapbox Holistics
104 Old Blood Designs
121 Mason J.A.R. Apparel
14 Jen McCleary Art & Design
31 Michelle Judge
50 Wee Bit Trendy
& Sadie’s Soaps
88 GlamTribale
105 Telegraphic Tree
122 Smithbridge Road
15 Dandelion Pottery
Jewelry
51 ONYX
70 Suzanne Francis Fine Art
89 Charlie and Sarah
106 Corina Dross Artwork
123 Material Poetry
16 Accent Aroma
32 pro-FOUNDART-
52 Surprise Designs
71 As the Crow Flies & Co
90 Night Owl Designs &
107 Hilaryannlove Studio
124 Eco Artisan Designs
17 Typothecary
creations
53 Manic Muse
72 Bog Berry Dryer Balls
Rainbow Alternative
108 LittleStuds
& Kimberly Eden Designs
Letterpress
33 The Urban Cabin
54 Anthropolis
& Ember Handcraft
91 Bob Dix Illustration &
109 Flaming Idols
125 INDICAN
18 Useful & Beautiful
Soap Co.
55 Paul Carpenter Art
73 Nice Things Handmade
Super De Duper Illustration
110 Fennec
126 A la Liz
Handmade
34 Treat Shoppe Charms
56 Vintagearts
74 VIX Emporium & Say
92 Mud & Maker
111 Exit 343 Design
127 Wrong World Ceramics
19 Get Lit
35 The Bellows
57 Black Cat Pottery
Hi Beth / Tranquility Jewelry
93 Michele Sky Jewelry
112 PB & Jams
Map subject to change
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Go WEST! Craft FEST | Spring 2014 | 5
A historic West Philadelphia estate becomes a hub for the life—and death—of a community by Shaun Brady
P
eering in from the street, the canted headstones and moss-greened marble that are The Woodlands’ most prominent landmarks make the 54-acre estate appear to be just another of Philadelphia’s historic cemeteries. A quick stroll through the grounds, however, reveals a surprising amount of life in this repository for the dead. Even on a gray Wednesday afternoon, a young mother pushes a stroller past the ornate monuments, while a pair of nurses stroll through the grounds during their lunch hour. An unplanned mile-long dirt path attests to the runners who use the site for their daily rounds. “On a nice day at 5 [p.m.] after work, this place is super-crowded with runners and dog walkers,” Executive Director Jessica Baumert says. “People are starting to utilize the space as a park, and we want them to—with respect, of course.” She adds that they want people to view the estate as a community hub and as a place where they can quickly escape the city.
6 | G o WEST! Craft FEST | Spring 2014 |
The Woodlands began its life as the home of William Hamilton, a prominent 18th-century landowner who rubbed shoulders with many of the country’s Founding Fathers. After inheriting more than 300 acres of land on the west side of the Schuylkill River from his grandfather, a prominent Philadelphia lawyer, Hamilton decided to build what became the first fully realized example of Federal architecture—which draws upon classical Roman influences—in the country. Through large gifts from his uncle, former Pennsylvania Gov. James Hamilton, and other small acquisitions, the estate expanded to 600 acres, encompassing most of what is now West Philadelphia, including all of the University of Pennsylvania's campus and almost all of Drexel's. “Hamilton traveled to England in the early 1780s and saw the new styles of art-collecting and architecture and landscape,” Baumert says. “So, when he came back from England, he made drastic changes to his estate based on what he saw there. A lot of people would visit The Woodlands to see this new style of architecture or this new plant for the first time. … He was definitely a tastemaker.” The estate’s core 90 acres were landscaped in the English country garden fashion, with several plants and trees that Hamilton was responsible
for introducing to North America. While most of those plantings have been lost over the years, several trees still stand from his time, including a massive Caucasian zelkova that may be the only one of its type in the state, and a grove of seven English elms that somehow survived a blight of Dutch elm disease and are now, according to Baumert, “a cathedral for tree people.” Hamilton died a bachelor with no children in 1813, so his land was divided up between nieces and nephews who sold it off piecemeal over the next few decades. The core 90 acres, which included the mansion, were purchased in 1840 by the Woodlands Cemetery Company, a group of men who had pooled resources to save the site from encroaching development. “When Hamilton was alive, this was known to be one of the most significant places in the city and in the region,” Baumert says. “The cemetery being founded here was always as much a preservation effort as it was a business venture.” More than 30,000 people are buried in the Woodlands Cemetery today, including several notables from the city: painter Thomas Eakins and his famed subject, Dr. Samuel Gross; architect Paul Philippe Cret; financier Francis Martin Drexel; and abolitionist Mary Grew. For some time, The Woodlands competed with Laurel Hill
photos by Ryan Collerd
Afternoon
Walking Tours
The Woodlands will host two Thomas Eakins tours, which will feature the Philadelphia realist painter's grave, along with the gravesites of several of his patrons and subjects.
Tours are at noon and 2 p.m. and start at The Woodlands table. Free for The Woodlands members, $10 for non-members.
Cemetery, founded two years earlier, to entice the city’s most famous residents to repose within their gates. “From a business perspective, getting famous people buried in your cemetery was the best advertising you could do,” Baumert says. In the early 19th century, as the Industrial Revolution swallowed up huge swathes of green space in urban centers, and before the widespread establishment of public parks, cemeteries took on a key role as public getaways and gathering spaces for city residents. That role has changed as parks have become more formalized and American attitude toward death more distanced; but that original communal role has reemerged as a model for historic cemeteries unable to continue to turn a profit as space becomes scarce—and as law made it harder for historic cemeteries to generate revenue from past sales. One of the prime movers behind The Woodlands Cemetery Company was Eli K. Price (now buried there with a suitably ornate memorial), who was also one of the founders of Fairmount Park. “The way we deal with death has changed, and there are a lot of people who won’t step foot into a cemetery,” Baumert says. “As burial practices change, a lot of cemeteries that have
a strong history behind them are becoming cultural destinations as much as—or in many cases more than—selling cemetery lots. We’re lucky to also have this fascinating layered history that connects with West Philadelphia in a really fun way, so we’re trying to create an environment that allows people to think differently and more three-dimensionally about it.” The Woodlands is now operated by two nonprofits: the Cemetery Company and another arm that handles fundraising, preservation, community outreach and educational programs. After having acreage seized by eminent domain for the construction of the hospital and University Avenue, the estate shrunk to its current 54 acres, now protected as a National Historic Landmark District. Baumert and her small staff are currently planning more ways to expand the site’s accessibility, including restoration efforts to the house and grounds, research on Hamilton and The Woodlands’ history and hosting more events, such as the Go West! Craft Fest. That new thinking includes initiatives, such as the 18-bed community garden established by local residents in 2009. Erica Smith Fichman, program manager for TreePhilly, joined with several “stalwart West Philly green people” to establish the garden. “For me, the Woodlands is just an-
other friendly open space, but one that’s a little more unique than the local park,” Smith Fichman says. “The community garden is 50 percent about having a little space in the ground to plant and 50 percent about the social aspect.” The mansion is also a resource for The Woodlands’ preservation efforts. Starting in the spring, weekly drop-in tours of the house are offered on Wednesdays and occasional weekends, with group tours available by appointment. With all of Hamilton’s belongings having long since been sold off, the mansion is largely an empty shell, which presents the opportunity to host events in the interior with no threat of damage to valuable collections. Rachel and Matt Allison took advantage of that last spring, as the first wedding to take place at The Woodlands since the 1990s. “It’s historic and rustic and kind of run-down in a really unique way, so we didn’t have to do very much to make the place look beautiful," Rachel says. Since the nuptials, she has continued to revisit The Woodlands on a regular basis. “Once you’re on the grounds, you feel so removed from the bustle right outside those gates. I think it’s a great oasis for people like me who like living in the city, but want there to be some quiet every now and then.”
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Go WEST! Craft FEST | Spring 2014 | 7
Food
Cali expat brings Mexican fare flair to her West Philadelphia neighborhood
S
ometimes all you need to bring a community together is a really great taco. West Philadelphian Vanessa Jerolmack, owner of the Taco Angeleno food cart, may not have realized how big of an appetite locals would have for her authentic Mexican fare, but she does now. Jerolmack moved from Los Angeles to Philadelphia in 2007 and realized the kind of food that was so abundant in California was lacking in her new city. As a way to fill that void and to get to know her neighbors better, she began cooking vegan versions of the cuisine she loved and inviting people over for brunch with her and her husband, Doug. The lively times getting to know their neighbors were so enjoyable that the couple wanted to do more, but they didn't want to start a restaurant. After a visit to the Memphis Taproom’s beer garden, an outdoor space on a small empty lot that housed a food truck, something clicked. The couple had purchased the vacant lot behind their house in 2012 and planned to use it for a garden, but what if they could get the city to approve Jerolmack’s dream to sell Mexican food there? “I don’t like the restaurant world, but I’m
Taco Angeleno Vanessa Jerolmack
Aksum Mediterranean fare made with a focus on simple and fresh ingredients, with accents from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East 4630 Baltimore Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143
Black Orchid Food Vegan and vegetarian catering service with pop-up events and dinners to-go 5029 Kingsessing Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19143
Cynwyd Station Cafe and Tea Room Refreshments, locally sourced items and bike-powered milk shakes made with all natural ice cream 375 Conshohocken State Rd, Bala Cynwyd, Pa.
really into my neighborhood,” she says. “I really love how everyone knows each other.” In January 2013, they purchased a previously owned food cart. In November 2013, the city ruled that Jerolmack could operate her Taco Angeleno food cart at 5019 Baltimore Ave. To bolster her cuisine knowledge, Jerolmack worked for nine months with Fishtown’s Loco Pez, a bar and taqueria that serves L.A.-style street food. Jerolmack says she debuted her cart at the Go West! Craft Fest last spring, and the response was “awesome.” She plans on sticking to a seasonal schedule, selling Thursday through Saturday evenings from May to October, so it was only natural that the biannual craft fest bookend her selling season. For now, she sells chicken, beef, pork and seitan tacos. “I start with Go West! in the spring and I’ll close with Go West! in the fall,” she says. The popularity of Taco Angeleno at the craft fest is not lost on Jerolmack. “Each time I sold out,” she says. “We had a line the whole time.” To learn more about Taco Angeleno, visit facebook.com/tacoangelenophilly.
Lil’ Pop Shop
Satellite Cafe
Weckerlys
Unique ice pops that are hand-crafted in small batches from a seasonal assortment of fresh, natural, locally-sourced ingredients
Eclectic coffee house and cafe that serves smoothies, wraps, pastries and espresso drinks
Small batch, French style ice cream made using local and organic ingredients
701 S 50th St, Philadelphia, PA 19143
4239 Baltimore Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19104
265 S 44th St, Philadelphia, PA 19104
photos by Neal Santos
Merchants
Philadelphia’s cityscapes inspire printmaker/painter
W
hether it's a flower at her El stop or a stately Federal mansion at her favorite cemetery, Suzanne Francis finds inspiration for her prints and paintings all around her. History, architecture, flora and fauna have influenced her work since she started creating and selling art in the mid-90s. “I started doing it because it was something I wanted to see,” she says. “I’ve always been interested in the things around me.” The Ardmore, Pa., resident lived in Philadelphia from 1993 to 2012 and considers the metro area her "stomping grounds." Her work remains full of her interpretations of homes, parks and city landmarks, including Love Park, City Hall, and the 30th Street Station. She uses gouache, a type of paint that's made when watercolors are mixed with gum arabic, giving it a more opaque look that creates an ethereal stained-glass appearance to some of her works. One landmark she plans on celebrating in a few prints is The Woodlands, where the Go West! Craft Fest has been held since 2012. The site includes a cemetery, garden and mansion. “I love that [Go West is] in a graveyard,” she says. "The event is really fun.” To learn more about Suzanne Francis Fine Art, visit suzannefrancisfineart.com.
Outdoor tacos 5019 Baltimore Ave. thurs-sat, 5-9PM |
Go WEST! Craft FEST | Spring 2014 | 9
Merchants
Olive + bo creator sews accessories for little ones that break the rules
W
hen pregnant with her daughter Olive in 2009, Lori Thomson quickly became tired of seeing blues for boys and pinks for girls in baby accessories. So she created olive + bo, an Etsy craft store that sells cotton rattle toys, quirky quilts, whimsical mobiles and gifts. “I’ve always sewn my whole life,” Thomson says. The Lansdale, Pa., resident started with baby blankets and took a quilting class. Before long, she was creating unique, handmade items that reflected her take on the modern baby—like her black and gray skull quilt and gender-neutral yellow and gray pillow. The “bo” part of the moniker comes from her Welsh terrier, Bo, and Thomson adds that
ox soapb
Holistics
co.
Makers of Natural, Healthful Skin Care & Parenting Products Philadelphia, PA
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10 | Go WEST! Craft FEST | Spring 2014 |
she plans on selling dog items, too. While Thomson says her Etsy shop does well, she tends to sell more at craft fairs, such as the Go West! Craft Fest, because buyers can feel the quality of her products. She uses natural materials for her wares—easily washable cotton and wool blends for her kid duds and quilts, wood that she cuts and stains herself, and hemp and canvas for the mobiles. So, it's perfect if you're looking to wow a mom-to-be with an unconventional baby gift. “When people don’t want flowers and butterflies, they come to me,” she says, laughing. To learn more about olive + bo, visit etsy.com/shop/oliveandbo.
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stick lets
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because mother nature misses us
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Studio: The Cedar Works 4919 Pentridge St. Philadelphia, Pa. 19143
pieces
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Serving 2-5 year olds, part time, full time & aftercare info@childrenscommunityschool.org Childrenscommunityschool.org West Philadelphia, 801 S. 48th Street, 19143 | (215) 724-3467
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Potter's instinct to create porcelain and stoneware pieces comes full circle
K
en Beidler’s love for pottery started young, when he was 7 or 8. While he and his Mennonite parents were working in Indonesia with a church, he would make objects out of clay and leave them in the sun to dry. Today, he creates porcelain and stoneware that reflects the joy of creating something with his hands again. Beidler and his family returned to America when he was 14. In high school, he took art classes, but after graduation he ended up going to seminary, eventually becoming a Mennonite chaplain, pastor and youth ministry leader. While his wife was pursuing her Ph.D. and he was home taking care of their children, Ezra and Toby, he decided to try art again. Beidler began by taking ceramics classes and appren-
Summer cycling camps, after school and leadership programs for youth Community bike shop with hundreds of used bikes to choose from and build
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215.386.0316
Support Philly’s youth
ticing for a year, turning that into a full-time gig. His primary influences are Chinese and Japanese designs. “I’m basically self-taught," he says. "I found teachers and mentors along the way to help me grow my skill and craft." Beidler creates most of his pieces in West Philadelphia at his studio space at the Cedar Works, a reclaimed warehouse that serves as a shared community and work space. Beidler also allows other ceramic artists to use his studio. All of his functional pieces (mugs, bowls, serving dishes, platters and plates) are microwaveable and oven-safe. Beidler's wares can be found online, at Go West! Craft Fest,and at VIX Emporium, owned by Go West! co-founder Emily Dorn. It's work that keeps him content: “I’m happy to be doing this." To learn more about Beidler Pottery, visit beidlerpottery.com.
SIGN UP FOR MUSIC CLASS TODAY!
A dynamic global music and world cultures program for kids and their families. Classes available in
West Philly and Fairmount jay@allaroundthisworld.com \ 215-913-2679
ALLAROUNDTHISWORLD.COM
Merchants
Crafter keeps it extra local by using found items for her jewelry
N
o matter where she goes, StitchPrism owner KellyAnne Mifflin never stops looking for objects to integrate into her jewelry pieces. Because she lives in West Philadelphia, she takes advantage of the access she has to The Woodlands, Bartram’s Garden, and Tinicum Township in Delaware County. Some of her pieces are made using porcelain pieces she handcrafted herself, as well as driftwood and other found items. “A lot of my work is inspired by nature and incorporates natural elements," she says. "I spend a lot of time walking around.” In addition to jewelry, Mifflin also creates aeriums decked out with air plants; colorful crystal pieces; and she plans to unveil a line of potions and sprays made from flower essences and essential oils at the Go West! Craft Fest. Because of her love for crafting and keeping things local, it was only natural for Mifflin to cross paths with Emily Dorn, owner of VIX Emporium, and to sell her wares not only there but at the Go West! festivals that Dorn helped to organize. “I do craft shows all over, but it’s always especially nice to get to do one in my own neighborhood,” she says. To learn more about StitchPrism, visit stitchprism.com.
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Go WEST! Craft FEST | Spring 2014 | 13
Entertainment
ALL AROUND THIS WORLD
Guitarist uses his travels to create a dynamic music program for kids and their families
M
ove aside, “Itsy Bitsy Spider. Guitarist and children’s music teacher Jay Sand is kicking it up a notch. The founder of All Around This World, an interactive global music program for children up to 9-year-olds and their families, teaches Tinikling dancing (from the Philippines) and the Schuhplattler, a traditional Bavarian folk dance, among many other international musical favorites. “Each week in class, we do some kind of dance or celebrate some kind of holiday to learn more about that week’s featured country,” Sand says, adding that no one is expected to do any of it perfectly—it s just fun learning. “We’ve done Bollywood dancing, Bra-
zilian capoeira, the Ugandan Amagunjju [and] the Chilean Cueca,” he adds. His desire to explore cultural music comes from his love for traveling the world (he’s visited many parts of Europe, Asia and Africa) and melding that into a program of global melodies, rhythms and movement. Sand says that his brand of learning aims to get parents as involved as the kids, so that everyone is participating. “Adults aren’t always honored in the children’s realm. Tumbling is not nearly as fun for us as it is for them,” he says, laughing. The West Philadelphia resident didn’t initially set out to create a music program. When his first daughter was born, he would take her to a music class in
the suburbs. Sand, a guitar player, began teaching a class there, but wanted to bring that musical fun to his West Philadelphia neighborhood. “It made sense to just teach in my neighborhood,” he says. In addition to teaching classes, putting out webcasts and working on a pilot program to bring the All Around This World curriculum to kindergarten or elementary classrooms, Sand performs around the U.S., including at the Go West! Craft Fest. He and his family enjoy the interaction the day brings: “Everyone wins—it’s that kind of a day.”
11:15 The Green AM Tambourine
12:00 ALL AROUND PM THE WORLD
1:00 The Spinning PM Leaves
2:00 Members of PM The Dill Pickles
3:00 TINYCIRCUS PM Tangle Movement
The Green Tambourine believes music is for everyone, and teaches a range of classes for every type of musical experience
Guitarist Jay Sand teaches an interactive music program for children up to 9-years-old that encourages kids and their families to explore the world by enjoying great global melodies, rhythms and movement.
The Spinning Leaves are steeped in traditional American music, sweetened with psychedelic folk and a garnish of New Weird America.
The Dill Pickle Old Time Orchestra is comprised of fun-loving gents and gals who enjoy playing the old-time string band and Tin Pan Alley music of North America.
To learn more about All Around This World, visit allaroundthisworld.com.
Arts presents tinycircus, an ongoing free, outdoor performance series with a wide variety of performers and styles.
ALL Juggler Brien DAY Eckenrode Brian will be performing “random acts of juggling” throughout the day.
Times subject to change
and tea room
TINYCIRCUS
A victorian c o n c o c t i oice n s •cream c u r i o s i tparlor i e s • t r eand a t s green community center at the head of the Cynwyd Heritage Trail 375 Conshohocken State Road, Bala Cynwyd CynwydStationCafe.com
Aerial dancers tinycircus wows through fluid movements
M
embers of Tangle Movement Arts, an aerial dance and interdisciplinary performance company, know what it feels like to swing high above a captive audience. The all-woman troupe based in Philadelphia blends dance, theater and circus arts, and was founded in 2010 by Lauren Rile Smith. In 2011, Tangle created tinycircus—an eclectic, familyfriendly showcase that features dancers twisting, hanging and gliding using ropes, trapeze and aerial silk. Most of the members of Tangle participate in tinycircus shows, and Smith says she also invites performers from a wider community of jugglers and hoop artists to join for specific shows. Tangle puts on two full-length shows each year, in addition to free, outdoor tinycircus performances, which have been a part of Go West! Craft Fest since the spring of 2012. “We love being part of the festival,” she says, adding that it allows the dancers to show off new movements. “It’s a chance for us to experiment and to share what we do with a wide range of people,” she says. “[It’s great to hear the] excited shrieks of a child when they see us upside down 20 feet in the air."
To learn more about Tangle Movement Arts and tinycircus, visit tangle-arts.com.
photo by Michael Ermilio
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Go WEST! Craft FEST | Spring 2014 | 15
SCHIFFER
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