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CAMILLE GAVIN: Enjoy the medieval magic

The Bakersfield Californian | Wednesday, Oct 12 2011 04:16 PM

Last Updated Wednesday, Oct 12 2011 04:16 PM

Village Artisans, a long-established local arts and crafts group, seems to be flourishing as a result of its revival about two years ago and is now back in action sponsoring medieval fairs.

Coordinator Linda Shorr said about 40 vendors have signed up for booths at the Faire in the Kingdom of Camelot, which takes place this weekend in Central Park near the covered bridge that spans Mill Creek.

"We've had a very good turnout, even more than last year," she said. "About one-fourth of the vendors are from out of town."

Although the event includes food and entertainment, including belly dancers and sword fights by the Society for Creative Anachronism, the emphasis is on handmade items made by individual artisans, each costumed in medieval style.

"There's a lot of interest in bottle art right now," Shorr said, adding that these particular items are "green," or recycled.

For example, Tara Henson melts the bottle down to a nearly flat surface, and, using the neck as a handle, turns it into a cheese server. She even includes a cheese knife.

Another craftsperson, Elizabeth Wishba, turns bottles into vases filled with candle wax. And Lisa Entriken creates holiday pieces by putting tiny Christmas tree lights inside bottles.

Other popular items include handbags, hats, Christmas ornaments, children's tutus, hair-band feathers and flowers, body creams, handmade jewelry, tie-dye clothing, laser engraved T-shirts, topiary plants and mosaic pieces.

A variety of foods and beverages will be offered for sale, including roasted turkey legs, tri-tip sandwiches, fresh corn on the cob, coffee drinks, kettle corn, funnel cakes, shaved ice and corn dogs.

A kissing troll will be selling kisses to benefit Village Artisans. Depending on the net, a portion of the proceeds may be given to a public school's arts programs.

"Last year we gave $500 to a Foothill High School's parents' group," Shorr said.

"They used it to invest in a sound system for their Shakespeare performances."

Some of this year's proceeds will be used to promote Village Artisans' future events. The next one, Christmas around the Corner, takes place Nov. 11-13 at Dante Italian Heritage Hall.

Coke design for Olympics

An internship with a major graphic design firm has turned out well for Laurel Geddes, a graduate of Centennial High School who's now attending the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena.

As part of her work for the company, Turner Duckworth, she was assigned to a team that was asked to create new designs for Coca-Cola, one of the company's clients.

Two of her designs were chosen and will be shown during the 2012 Olympics in London.

Unfortunately, that's all she can say about it right now. She isn't even allowed to describe her winning designs or say what product they will be on. Coca-Cola is a major sponsor of the Olympics and everything has to be kept under wraps until the Olympics next year.

"All I can say," she said in a phone conversation, "is that I came up with my own interpretation of the approved elements to combine Coca-Cola with the idea of London and the Olympics."

An interesting thing about Geddes, whose mother, Patrice Lambourne, lives in Bakersfield, is that she's currently working on her second bachelor's degree. This one, which she expects to complete in June 2012, will be in graphic design.

Her first degree, in 2005, was from UC Santa Barbara, where she had a double major in Spanish and fine arts.

"I worked for a few years in Santa Barbara as a Spanish translator, at City Council meetings and translating documents," she said. "But I missed my creative side."

In her view, there's not that much difference between the two subjects.

"Spanish and art," she said. "It's all a way of communicating."

Auditions scheduled

On Sunday, The Empty Space will hold auditions for two upcoming shows: "Boy Gets Girl" by Rebecca Gilman, a main stage production, directed by Michael Pawloski, and "Late Night with Christopher Durang, Part II," directed by Justin Thompson.

Performances for "Boy Gets Girl," are scheduled for Jan. 13-28; the Durang show is set for Jan. 20-28.

Workshops for young artists

Jesus Fidel, director of The Empty Space gallery, says the $150 fee for his young artists workshop covers everything needed for the instruction as well as the creation of the artwork.

"The only thing they need to bring is clothes they can get dirty," he said. "We provide everything else."

Fidel, who is aided by several volunteers, offers the four-session workshops every quarter and each one has a specific theme.

"This one will be about fall, a broad range of leaves and trees, but not Halloween," he said.

"We don't do holidays, just seasons."

The instruction is open to ages 5-18. In addition to creating several pieces of art, students will learn how to put together an art exhibit and then sell their artwork at a reception slated for 2-5 p.m. on Nov. 5 and Nov. 26.

Registration in advance is preferred but not necessary. Fidel said he'll accept students who enroll on Monday, the first day of the workshop.