Buffalo Rising Online

May I suggest that everyone check out the art work of . a very talented artist friend of mine ( who is really struggling) He is trying to launch some of his SAND ART artwork at a tiny art gallery that a friend of his owns during this Art Festival. The art gallery is on Main street at the corner of Main and Allen streets. The artist, Mathew Saemenes creates striking pieces that have allot of emotion in them (in my opinion). I know he puts his heart and soul into each peace. I hope a few of you out there will stop by to check his work out during the art festival (or anytime).

kelly, you are soooooooo right. Roby's event sure provided a great deal more for aspiring young musicians than the money distributed for scholarships by this event. It's a sad state of affairs - and from the pics, it looks like the same vendors this year as in the past.

BUT - my bet is the shepard's crook plant stand and the tri-poled rust effect yard doo-dad (like the one the guyin the last pic is holding - again - this year. I got mine at local garden stores. (See I made sure I responded to the original post.)

If you're out and about tomorrow - don't forget to get over to the West Village Flea Market - opens at 9 am - about 18 - 20 vendors or so and includes a jewelry/ring maker, antique dealer, and stuff for everyone - even power tools just in time for father's day. Johnson Park Green off S Elmwood next to Hutch Tech HS.

Ooops, sorry, forgot - Lucia, we'll go by and see Mathew's work, too!

The arts festival was very nice this year as usual! I tried to find a copy of the June Buffalo Rising Magazine but couldn't...where can I find one?

Read the news article - Hitlerish. How any organozation can prevent businesses that contribute every day of the business week from getting a lift up is almost grotesque. We need to support local busines and these businesses should reap the benefit from the crowd for this event. As well, shame on the city for their lack of support for a young man that could have easily stayed in LA, where he has a successful business, like many others who had to move away during those lean times. Instead Roby came back, to start a business, contribute to the economic climate and notoriety of the city, start a foundation for kids that have lost their ability to have music classes due to budget cuts and poor overall economic growth. And he gets the crap. Nice way to say Thank You, City Hall Administration. One thing that always impressed me about Roby's event - he always had room for community and nonprofit organizations, he created an awareness of services not known to everyone, and his crowd ages ranged from infant to 80+ without incident. From the Irish dancers to punk and metal, from watercolors to high end grafitti, MIA presented it all - and that's FINE art.

David, guess Kelly answered your question. Thanks for stopping by today - it was good to see you. I'm exhausted - gonna hit the sack - it's hard sitting in the shade all day........................... :-)

Love this quote from the Buffalo News this morning describing a hot new sale item from the festival:

"Perhaps the hottest items of the year were wooden lawn signs painted with summertime slogans like “Another Day in Paradise” sold from a booth called Parrotville."

Yeah, FINE arts.

I agree with MRodgers - it's really become a craft show.

And can you believe that someone brought their cat on a harhness to the fesitval!. As I walked by I saw the cat dug deep under a table shaking all over. His owner and some others were trying to dig her out but she was too frightened. I said to the owner, " You must have a special cat because most cats would be terrified and overwhelmed in a situation like this". He replied with, " she is terrifed that's why she's hiding down there". Well, that says it all. What are these people thinking? Shame on the festival for not banning animals. You know it's funny- they ban artists from putting out signs and displaying their work, etc (unless they have the Allentown Assoc. approval) - but they don't ban animals (who don't want to be there at all)!

Martin, I have a better idea: Why don't we close down the entire festival.

hmmm, parkstreetwoman, although I'm an anti-AVS, I guess the event shoudl carry on as it is an important one for Buffalo. HOWEVER: Here's my suggestion, there's plenty of parking lots all around the area - provide residential parking to the surrounding small streets during that weekend. That way people can continue on with their needs and schedules without having to be "displaced" for a weekend.

AND, Lucia has an excellent point - the AVS should certainly ban pets from the festival. The Allen-West compnent is much smaller in size and geography, so pets could attend with their owners - less time for them to have to tolerate the heat and crowds. BTW - thanks for coming by yesterday, Lucia.

Great Work, WRUS! That's always been the issue with most laws - no enforcement - why not use the parking enforcement crew for quality of life ordinances? this could surely fall under that.

MRodgers -- I was being sarcastic.

If I could ban anything at the Allentown Festival, I would ban smoking. Maybe I wasn't paying attention, but I didn't see any animals in distress, or, for that matter, causing any particular distress. I did, however, have several near misses with other peoples, cigarettes. And the entire neighborhood is knee deep in butts this morning.

parkstreetwoman - yeah, I know - but there are issues that we are affected by, especially the animals that I have witnessed before. Maybe we should all have to experience what they do to understand what looking a thousands of feet in intense heat feels like.

And just by the way, the "Another Day in Paradise" signs were sold at the Allen West Festival, not the Allentown Festival..

To Balth-

I am glad you enjoyed the festival - I wish I could have. Speaking for myself - I am NOT " just pointing out how terrible things went" (many parts of the festival could have been enjoyable). I am just pointing out what ruines it for me---- with the hope that by pointing it out-- some positive change might result.

Balth, I agree, and I didn't mean to sound bitchy. I went to the festival (both of them!) both days, and made several purchases that I am VERY pleased with. And I will confess, I took my dog who had a great time (I believe) greeting people. I enjoy the Festival, and don't know why people bitch that it's not high art. It's not -- so what? What are they expecting. Let me add that I spent two hours on Allen Street last night cleaning up trash with other volunteers. I picked up everything from a dirty diaper, a shoe, mounds of unpopped pop corn (I had to risk my life fighting off the sea gulls to do it!) and what seemed like thousands of bottles. And I think it was worth it.

I was trying to figure out what psw means -- I thought it was some instant message abbeviation -- then I realized you meant me! Do I take my dog to impress people? No, not at all. I pretty much just walked him around the neighborhood, like I do several times every day, and as he is a very well socialized dog (which is a good thing, by the way -- dogs should be able to be around large groups of people and other dogs without going ballistic) he seems to me to enjoy it. Then he goes home, has a drink of water and a nap, and then he goes and stands by the door with his leash, ready to hit the streets again.

And regarding the trash issue, I think Allentown is always very dirty, and people on this site have called me every kind of idiot for saying so. Quite honestly, I would say that most of the litter I picked up last night was a.) trash left behind by vendors, b.) gross overflow from trash cans, and c.) bar trash. The bar trash was the worst, in my opinion, becasue it seems to me that the bar owners and patrons should be responsible for that clean up chore.

The term "Fine Arts" was used by Mary M of the AVS - That is the term she has constantly used to define her event and to keep MIA and others away.

Euclidian, smoke all you want and walk your dog where you want! And thank you for picking up your butts. I wish we could get the Allentown bar owners to put out pots full of sand, or whatever, so smokers didn't have to toss their butts! And HP (yes you), I think you and I can at least agree that Buffalo and Allentown have way too much littering. I really have never understood that. I've lived lots of different places, and Buffalo is the messiest. Oops -- there I go. That's exactly what I said on this site once before and got called an idiot! Let's all agree to be positive, take good care of our dogs and properly dispose of our litter. Peace back at 'cha.

I think it's too bad the report focused on stuff like the garden tripod and totally ignored the artists and fine artisans who make up 90% of this show. I think it's too bad some people think the Allen West Festival...not juried and filled with imports...should get their money instead of the original show because somehow Robbie Takac's clumsy attempt at bringing his festival in on the absolutely wrong weekend turned an art show with a 50 year tradition into some sort of joke to the cool kids. I think it's too bad that even an event as positive and fun and rooted in Summer tradition as Allentown Art Festival gets the ubiquitous slam at all things Buffalo. Sooo predictable. It was not an unusually hot day and most of the dogs I saw were having a fine time. I am more concerned for the babies strapped into strollers, crying and bored. Do parents really think their little ones like this sort of thing? My beef, as a participant, was the annoying over-amplified voice of the MC at the Seigel Kelleher party droning on and on. You could hear him all the way to Allen. Rude. By the way.. there are some very good people who show at Allen West, either by choice or because they aren't able to get into the main show. There is also lots of junk. They do not jury in the people, it is striclty pay and show up. Sell what you want. If that is the Festival you choose to support, be aware. Allentown is a highly regarded show in the "industry" I am proud to have it in my city and in my neighborhood.

Good for you, ArtGypsy, the juried show is an important one for Buffalo, but the show, itself, is not FINE art as evidenced by the tripods, shepard's hooks, multi-colored plastic wind catchers and other paraphenalia sold that is mass produced in factories.

As far as Roby's event, I felt it added to the festival and produced some FINE art as fine Art includes music and dance. From the Rince Na Tiarna Dancers to Ballet, African American Cultural Center performances, rock, pop, folk, and more, this event provided a glimpse into other performing arts and complimented the whole scene. It also spawned an incredible organization that continues to promote youth activities in music and provides a chance for our young people to experience various programs in music recording, production, and even promotion. This "clumsy attempt" as you call it, has produced more effort in four or five short years and has also created new partnerships that include UB, Albright-Knox, and others. If that's clumsy, then I'd hate to see what you would term the efforts of the AVS and their scholarship program. And, don't forget, if Mary M. Myszkiewicz, the president of this organization, hadn't made the incredulous statement that Music was not art, MIA would not have had their name!

I guess I like the Allen West Fest most because it's inclusive and adds spice to the program. Street vendors, street musicians, and more. And, whether fortunate or not, it's invisibility, as far as it being a separate entity from Allentown, just adds to the interest of the whole effort - this could have been the result if the AVS would have partnered more readily with MIA.

But, I guess we can agree to disagree.

Perry, my wish as well.

Err...I like all three. I can only do the hugeness of AAF for 1 day and for so long...so Allen West is nice...and well, MIA events are always welcome any weekend of the year.

Wow. There is a hell of a lot of judging going on. Judgy Judgersons!!! Everybody do what they want. And if someone has a problem with it, hope they're not bigger than you.

BuffaloCook and toureur -- thank goodness you two showed up with a sense of humour (and a sense of proportion!). I was about to declare my own personal moratorium on reading posts on Buffalo Rising! Thanks for the chuckle.

Let me explain this all from an exhibitors viewpoint. . A lot of things that the people don't like about AAF are the very things that bring in artists and craftsmen from all over the country. We pay $200 just to pitch the tent. We have to send slides of our work for a panel of artists to review and they decide who gets in. That costs money, too. We cannot sell anything that is not "juried in". The organizers review each day of the show to make sure you don't slip something in. If they don't like what they see, you have to remove it. So, after all that, if a bunch of stores set up sidewalk sales right behind us, selling things we cannot, at prices that undersell us..think about it. How would you feel? when AVS tells shop owners not to set up outside, that is why. It feels wrong, I know. But these things keep good people applying to the show.We do this as a profession, not a hobby. Every festival that attaches itself to the main event takes money away from us. We are all fighting for the same dollar. I think Allen West is fun, too. But if attendees are spending money on Peruvian ponchos, they are not buying art and craft. If they are not buying art and craft, the folks that are really good at that stop applying. Simple. And that's when the show starts to slip. AVS people are trying to keep the integrity of the show alive against a lot of odds. MIA is a great idea. Why it has to be the same weekend escapes me. Franklin Street went from the "arty" street to the party street when MIA happened and artists dropped out. That's just the way it is. I'm sorry that so many people don't stand up for AVS on this. Remember that the 1st year, Robbie plopped that thing down on them with 6 weeks warning and artists had to be moved and plans that had been hammered out over a year's time were trashed.(that's what I meant by "clumsy") I don't remember anyone feeling bad for AVS. I don't know if this will illuminate anything for anyone, but sometimes knowing what it's like on the other end of things helps. Oh...and the "shepherd hook" thing? Many an iron worker/blacksmith makes a bunch of those to help meet expenses because it's hard to sell an intricate, beautiful thing for $500 and having lower priced things in your booth helps put food on the table. Nothing wrong with that. I couldn't make one, could you? I hope AVS keeps "rubbing people the wrong way" because there are precious few quality shows left. I truly understand the concept of several shows co-existing for the enjoyment of the community. I think MIA is a great idea. I love Allen West, too. As a participant, though, I wish they weren't there. Sorry. That doesn't make me a snob or whatever. I'm just telling it like it is from a business standpoint.