AUBURN #- It might be an art museum, but the Schweinfurth Memorial Art Center is not a quiet place where guests look at paintings on the wall and speak with soft whispers.
At the Schweinfurth, it has been a long-standing goal to turn the old standard on its head.
Year-round, the Schweinfurth hosts numerous lively, interactive performers, artists, dancers, musicians, singers and storytellers.
This led to the creation of Schweinfest Sunday afternoon.
“Today we really wanted to feature the variety of programming we do year round,” Donna Lamb, executive director of the Schweinfurth, said. “We really wanted to show the variety of things we do here.”
The festival featured a wide spectrum of programs.
“We really see this as a community event,” Lamb said. “We wanted to have a lot of different types of programming to appeal to all the different people in the community.”
Performers included people like Bob Piourn and many of his students, who regularly hold a music instructional clinic at the art center in the winter, as well as Jay Stetzer, a singer and storyteller who has performed at the Schweinfurth a number of times.
Schweinfurth also lent itself well for performers to demonstrate different cultures.
Robert Shenandoah, a member of the Onondaga Eel Clan, performed a song of friendship. He explained some of the instruments, such as the rattle and water drum, were often used in ceremonial and celebratory performances.
Much of the afternoon's performers and activities were designed to portray the close link between culture and art and how they all have a great deal to say to people.
Along side the performers were numerous crafters, including members of the Sudanese Lost Boys, from Syracuse, to explain their Cow Project.
Dominic Mathiang said that in Sudan, cows are like money. As a young boy one of the first things Mathiang learned was how to take care of cows and how to make clay cows as toys.
When Mathiang arrived in the United States and decided to use the opportunity to make a better life for himself by going to school, the group decided to use this background with cows as a means of sharing its story, culture and to help raise funds for tuition.
Mathiang said with many cows on display for sale and the chance for children to make their own cows, the festival provided a perfect opportunity to share the story of the Lost Boys. “Many people have been impressed with what we are doing,” Mathiang said. “And how we are studying and furthering our education. ... People have been very supportive.”
Many cultures were represented Sunday, with music and dance from the DiDinga of Sudan and African Music by Biboti Ouikahilo.
The event also featured face painting, pumpkin decorating and American folk art.
Gary Campanie, of Oneida, explained and demonstrated turkey calls. Campanie said duck and goose calls have roots in Europe, but when settlers came to America, they had to adapt and find ways to attract the turkeys that were more prevalent in the New World.
“These are the oldest calls we know of,” Campaine said. “They have been found in archeological digs from 2,000 years ago. The natives used them. It is a true American folk art.”
The day also included some food. In triute to the “schwein” (pig in German) in the Schweinfurth's name, a pig roast and beer tastings were also available.
“We wanted this to be a family day,” Lamb said. “We have things for the kids and we wanted to have something for the adults too. We wanted to show people that an art center isn't as formal as people probably think, so we decided to have the food and beer for the adults and just try to make something really fun.#”
Year-round, the Schweinfurth hosts numerous lively, interactive performers, artists, dancers, musicians, singers and storytellers.
This led to the creation of Schweinfest Sunday afternoon.
“Today we really wanted to feature the variety of programming we do year round,” Donna Lamb, executive director of the Schweinfurth, said. “We really wanted to show the variety of things we do here.”
The festival featured a wide spectrum of programs.
“We really see this as a community event,” Lamb said. “We wanted to have a lot of different types of programming to appeal to all the different people in the community.”
Performers included people like Bob Piourn and many of his students, who regularly hold a music instructional clinic at the art center in the winter, as well as Jay Stetzer, a singer and storyteller who has performed at the Schweinfurth a number of times.
Schweinfurth also lent itself well for performers to demonstrate different cultures.
Robert Shenandoah, a member of the Onondaga Eel Clan, performed a song of friendship. He explained some of the instruments, such as the rattle and water drum, were often used in ceremonial and celebratory performances.
Much of the afternoon's performers and activities were designed to portray the close link between culture and art and how they all have a great deal to say to people.
Along side the performers were numerous crafters, including members of the Sudanese Lost Boys, from Syracuse, to explain their Cow Project.
Dominic Mathiang said that in Sudan, cows are like money. As a young boy one of the first things Mathiang learned was how to take care of cows and how to make clay cows as toys.
When Mathiang arrived in the United States and decided to use the opportunity to make a better life for himself by going to school, the group decided to use this background with cows as a means of sharing its story, culture and to help raise funds for tuition.
Mathiang said with many cows on display for sale and the chance for children to make their own cows, the festival provided a perfect opportunity to share the story of the Lost Boys. “Many people have been impressed with what we are doing,” Mathiang said. “And how we are studying and furthering our education. ... People have been very supportive.”
Many cultures were represented Sunday, with music and dance from the DiDinga of Sudan and African Music by Biboti Ouikahilo.
The event also featured face painting, pumpkin decorating and American folk art.
Gary Campanie, of Oneida, explained and demonstrated turkey calls. Campanie said duck and goose calls have roots in Europe, but when settlers came to America, they had to adapt and find ways to attract the turkeys that were more prevalent in the New World.
“These are the oldest calls we know of,” Campaine said. “They have been found in archeological digs from 2,000 years ago. The natives used them. It is a true American folk art.”
The day also included some food. In triute to the “schwein” (pig in German) in the Schweinfurth's name, a pig roast and beer tastings were also available.
“We wanted this to be a family day,” Lamb said. “We have things for the kids and we wanted to have something for the adults too. We wanted to show people that an art center isn't as formal as people probably think, so we decided to have the food and beer for the adults and just try to make something really fun.#”
