Storytelling, art bring event-goers to Flat Iron Park

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Storytelling, art bring event-goers to Flat Iron Park

Storytelling, art bring event-goers to Flat Iron Park

Nearly 200 people attended the two-day Whitewater Storytelling Festival held this year in Flat Iron Park, according to Katy Wimer, a co-chairperson of Discover Whitewater, a brand of the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce, the organization which, along with the Whitewater Arts Alliance, co-sponsored the event.

Activities kicked off Friday with an open mic, offered inside the Whitewater Cultural Arts Center, which is located adjacent to the park, with some 40 people attending, Wimer said.

Friday night’s activities continued with live entertainment provided by Nazario Chickpeazio, a husband-and-wife performance-based group from Milwaukee, featuring classical instruments such as the oud and latva, and a second musical act called “County Craic Irish Fiddling.”

Indoor and outdoor activities continued Saturday, with children’s games found on the lawn, storytelling, an outdoor vendors market, and lunchtime food truck options found parked along North Street.

Inside the Whitewater Arts Alliance gallery, housed in the Cultural Arts Center, event-goers found an opening reception for the Wisconsin Regional Artist’s Program (WRAP) exhibition, during which several winners were announced, along with a watercolors demonstration offered by Barbara Mathews.

Saturday’s activities were attended by some 150 event-goers Wimer said.

The WRAP show will remain available for viewing through Sunday, May 26, gallery organizers said. The show can be viewed during the gallery’s regular hours of operation, Thursdays through Sundays, between noon and 4 p.m. The theme of this year’s WRAP show is “Art Through Stories.”

Photos from Saturday afternoon’s storytelling festival activities follow.

Willa Zeigler, 4, plays with blocks in Flat Iron Park. The youngster and her father, Jim Coons, arrived Saturday to participate in the Storytelling Festival event. Coons, from Milwaukee, in an associate professor with the history department at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

Discover Whitewater co-directors Katy Wimer, at left, and Karin Silvius, who joined the organization last November, greet event-goers Saturday arriving at the Whitewater Storytelling Festival, held this year in its new location, Flat Iron Park, in front of the Whitewater Cultural Arts Center. Festivities additionally were held inside the center’s gallery, operated by the Whitewater Arts Alliance.

Rico and Sadarri Saskill, a husband-and-wife storytelling team from Kenosha, prepare to entertain guests assembled Saturday in Flat Iron Park with stories. The couple further described themselves as multilingual storytellers, sharing their tales in English, Spanish, and sign language. Stories often are of Haitian and Creole tradition, they said.

Sadarri Saskill, at left, captivates an audience through activity and animation as she tells a tale. Rico Saskill provides a drum beat.

Rico and Sadarri Saskill share the spotlight as they tell a story together.

Barbara Mathews offers a watercolors demonstration to event-goers gathered inside the Cultural Art Center’s gallery. The activity was offered as part of the opening reception of the Wisconsin Regional Artist’s Program (WRAP) Exhibition. Activities inside the Cultural Art Center were provided in tandem with outside events over the course of the Storytelling Festival two-day, Friday and Saturday, event. This year, Discover Whitewater, a brand of the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Whitewater Arts Alliance co-hosted the event.

A group of artists and art enthusiasts, several of whom were earlier announced as winners of the Wisconsin Regional Artist’s Program (WRAP) exhibition gather to receive a watercolors demonstration.

Wisconsin Regional Artist’s Program Exhibition judge Barbara Mathews, from left, along with WRAP show winners who were on hand Saturday, including Angie Alesci, Sylvia Linton, Dawn Hunter, Seonjoo So, Jessica “Jaymes” Lacki, Jeff McDonald, Rick Santovec, show participant Adena Zastrow, and John Koebler, gather in the gallery. Winners not pictured include Roy Schmidt and Joan Canto.

Angie Alesci, Whitewater, presents her WRAP award-winning fused glass piece “Season’s Change.”

One of three pieces presented within the “Season’s Change” ensemble depicts trees in various seasonal stages. The piece, along with other WRAP show entries, remains available for viewing in the Whitewater Cultural Arts Center gallery through May 26.

Artist Jessie “Jaymes” Lacki, at left, and Whitewater Arts Alliance Gallery Director Kim Adams, flank a mat board artwork made by Jaymes, titled: “I’ve Been Thinking About Our Fishing Trips.” The piece is among WRAP show award winners.

Joan Canto presents her oil on canvas work, titled: “The Edge of the Sea.” The work was included among WRAP show award winners announced Saturday.

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater student and student gallery assistant Caryana Dominguez greets visitors to the Whitewater Arts Alliance gallery Saturday. Dominguez is an intern who will serve the gallery this summer and fall. A university senior, she is studying professional writing and publishing, along with music.

“Spring Thaw,” by Sylvia Linton, is displayed in the Whitewater Arts Alliance-operated gallery in the Whitewater Cultural Arts Center. The piece is part of the WRAP show, which will remain available for viewing through May 26.

Performing before an audience assembled in Flat Iron Park and near the steps of the Whitewater Cultural Arts Center, storytellers Rico and Sadarri Saskill share a tale.

Event-goers assembled in Flat Iron Park watch and listen to storytellers.

Bambi Zblewski, Whitewater, assists her 11-month-old son, Leif Transo, as he works to get a closer look at the storytellers as they perform.

Alerdale Wimer and his wife, Katy, a co-chairperson of Discover Whitewater, a marketing brand that works alongside of the Whitewater Area Chamber of Commerce, enjoy the storytelling performance. Alerdale, as a member of the band, County Craic Irish Fiddling, was among musical performers featured Friday, which was the first of the two-day Storytelling Festival event.

Event-goers enjoy visiting at a table set up on North Street near the food trucks.

Whitewater Arts Alliance Chairperson of the Fran Achen Photography Exhibition and contest Jeff McDonald, at left, and the alliance’s director Kim Adams remind area artists that the organization is seeking exhibitors for the upcoming photography show. Cash prizes are awarded as part of the event. A story about the alliance’s recent “call for artists” is here: https://whitewaterwise.com/whitewater-arts-alliance-seeking-entries-for-annual-fran-achen-photography-show-contest/.

Kim McDarison photos.

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