Prim Folk Fest is Born!

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In the summer of 2016 my plans for successor shows to Steve Schutt’s Teddy Bear Reunion in the Heartland (TBRH) have finally come together as Prim Folk Fest. Updating a 25 year old event for today’s market was quite a process. I ended up with two smaller events that I hope will find a place in the hearts of collectors and artists.

Americana Fine Folk Art Festival

Folk art is a big category encompassing many forms that compliment each other, so it’s no wonder it’s a collector favorite. Many teddy bear artists have embraced additional art forms and make upcycled jewelry, assemblages of found things, make-dos, art and primitive dolls, steam punk themed pieces, and needle-felted pieces in addition to the traditional mohair bears.

We’ll celebrate the diversity by featuring the work of a wide variety of artists on June 16 & 17, 2017. The show is Americana-themed, but you will probably find other treasures as well. We have invited a number of Midwestern folk artists whose work we love and you may not have seen before!

Teddy Bear Festival

Lovers of teddy bears and their friends will be treated to an array of their favorites on October 20 & 21, 2017. A lot of artists who were signed up to exhibit at TBRH 2015 are already on board for this event. Collectors from past TBRH’s, Kansas City Teddy Bear Jubilee and other Midwestern events that have gone by the wayside will gather for a long-awaited reunion.

Venue

Finding the right venue was a struggle. I didn’t want this to be just another sale in a hotel ballroom. As luck would have it, just when I felt I would never find the right place, a couple of entrepreneurs opened a charming new venue in the same building as their thriving antique mall. Our events will take place at Decades Event Center, 1208 Grand Avenue, West Des Moines, Iowa. It’s close to the freeway (it’s hard to get too far away from things in the Des Moines area!), easy to find, in a nice neighborhood with plenty of free parking and it is decorated with antiques for a rustic and charming atmosphere.

Schedule of Events

How do you keep things simple, yet festive and special? The schedule will be the same for both events. We’ll be open for an Early Buy celebration on Friday evening from 4:30 – 7:00. Admission is $20 and includes a pass for a return visit on Saturday. There will be a cash bar and opportunity to be the first to see and buy some wonderful creations, relax and show off your purchases to other collectors, visit with friends about your favorites at the show, and maybe make plans for supper with artists and collectors after the showroom closes. On Saturday admission is $5 and we’ll be open from 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. We may have some surprises up our sleeves for this day as well.

What Else Can We Do In Des Moines?

If you haven’t visited Des Moines in awhile – or ever – you might be surprised at all of the events going on here all the time! It’s one reason I found it difficult to schedule Prim Folk Fest! I know when we make a road trip to an event, we always look for other things to see and do to enhance our visit.

There will be plenty of other activities to entertain anyone who attends Prim Folk Fest whether it’s finding something else to do after you have been to our show or need something to interest family members or friends who might accompany you on your trip. We are working with the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau to make you feel welcome and help you take in all the great things our city has to offer while you are here.

In addition to our shows and The Picker Knows antique mall next door, there are many antique shops and malls in the area that will be helping us promote our events. Maps and recommendations will be available!

If you come to the June event, there is a huge annual city-wide antique walk Friday, Saturday and Sunday in the town of Walnut, Iowa just a little over an hour west of the Des Moines metro area. If you like antiques, this should be on your bucket list. Visit the show on your way into or out of town!

Visit Our Website

Be sure to bookmark our website, www.primfolkfest.com and visit it often for updates. You can also sign up for our mailing list there. We’ll send out an email whenever we have a new development. Exhibitor profiles will also be found on the website to help you plan your shopping!

A Bear from Russia with Love

One of the features of artist teddy bears is how different artists play with proportion. My bears usually have more human proportions, but other artists distinguish their work with larger heads, longer bodies, big feet, etc. Placement of facial features also plays an important part in marking an artist’s work as their own design.package

I love adding bears to my collection that exhibit characteristics that are different from my designs, but still convey an old classic teddy bear feel.

Today, I went to the post office as soon as they opened to pick up a package from artist Olya Isaenkova. The post is slow from Russia to the U.S. and I had almost forgotten about this purchase.  When I received the delivery notice it was my husband who suggested it was probably “another bear thing” and then it hit me!  I could barely sleep in anticipation!

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Tulip arrived snuggled in tissue paper and bubble wrap tied up with string and a cute tag.  I wasted no time when I arrived at my office and soon had her set free.

TulipMeetsFriendOf course, one of my bears was on hand to greet her. I nearly always have a bear with me in my purse or on my desk. You never know when a welcoming committee will be required.

From the top of her head to the heel of her tiny ballerina-like feet Tulip is about 6 inches tall.  She is made of a delicate jade green short sparse mohair and will look pretty with my turquoise bears.

Olya stuffs her bears with pine sawdust.  They have a good weight and a bit of a pleasant crunchy feel. She has embroidered a tulip with silk ribbon on the bear’s tummy.

TuliponComputerI think what drew me to Olya’s bears was the long body paired with long slender limbs, small ears and a tiny snout. The shape of the face and placement of the features are child-like and endearing. She used the same size onyx beads for eyes that I did on my 4 inch bear – tinier than what some artists would choose for the head size, but this choice enhances Tulip’s winsome expression.

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The two little friends will sit on my computer today and supervise me as I work. It makes my work day more pleasant to be surrounded by the things I love.

I can’t wait to see how Tulip looks with my turquoise and teal bears.  They will make a very spring-like grouping! And look – she matches my McCoy pottery!

McCoy

From the Bucket List: Ghoultide Gathering 2015

My friends and I frequently talk about events or places that we would really like to go to…some day.  Well, in the spirit of getting older, I decided that this year we would go to Ghoultide Gathering in Chelsea, Michigan.  These artists put on a good show.  They seem to do everything right and we have wanted to go and experience it in person.  When I mentioned it to friend Joel Hoy, he literally clapped with delight.  He and partner Daniel Epley decided to go, too.  It’s a 10-hour drive for us from Des Moines and probably another four hours for the guys, but we were undaunted.  Bruce and I drove it in one day.  Joel, Daniel and I arose early to “get the whole experience” as Joel put it.  We were at the fairgrounds an hour before the doors opened for early buy and lined up in the early morning to await the magic moment when the doors would be opened and all of the Halloween art would be revealed.
 
DanielandJoelbeforeGGIt was cold waiting for the doors to open, but the outdoor decorations were fabulous.  Here are Daniel and Joel with a huge Ghoul under a tent set up outside the venue where folks were waiting. We actually met a few people we knew while we waited

I have to say that this is the coolest show I have been to and the artistry of the whole event was fabulous.  Here are Daniel and Joel in the tent that was provided for early-buyers.  It was cold that morning and I wished I had brought a jacket as I shivered in my sweater.

We got a chance to chat with some of the other early-birds while we waited and discovered that they come from far and wide and try not to miss this event.

PocheWhen we finally got to go inside, we were treated to wonderful displays at each booth.  They had imaginative backdrops, table coverings and props and some were even in costume. Poche even took advantage of the steel fairgrounds building’s rafters to hang many pieces in a fascinatingly different approach. This wouldn’t work in every showroom, but how fun! (I have no idea how he got these down for the buyers!)

WithJody We have all been in the business for years and there were several artists we knew or with whom we had been to shows or were at least acquainted. We met our friend Jody Battaglia who was there with her Fun Town creatures and her new book which I forgot to purchase in the excitement. It was great chatting with Jody as we hadn’t seen her for ages.

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Fellow bear-maker Lori Ann Corelis had these cute and spooky creations. I couldn’t resist a little bear on a  pumpkin pin cushion.

I am not a Halloween fanatic, but this show would almost make you one. The whole atmosphere, the presentation, the artwork, the people…not to be missed!  I bought a few pieces to enhance my autumn décor at home – after all, I came this far!  The town of Chelsea is filled with interesting old houses and restaurants and I wished we had allotted more time so we could explore more of the area. Maybe we’ll have to go back!

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When we left, we discovered the outside had been transformed, too. Perfect Halloween experience!