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Ferndale gets 'Funky' for annual art fair

Integrity Shows presents the 2011 Funky Ferndale Art Fest from 4-9 p.m. Sept. 15, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sept. 16 and noon-5 p.m. Sept. 17. Artists are located all along Nine Mile from Woodward to Planavon.
The festival is a juried show; over 300 artists from across the country applied for the 100 open spots. Included are paintings, jewelry, photography, sculptures and much more. The work is selected with an eye toward the Ferndale sentiment. "We are twice as 'funky' as the average fine art show," said event coordinator Mark Loeb in a press release. "We focus on quality art, with a focus on work that is a bit more contemporary and edgy."
One part of the show that is expanding this year is the newly renamed Art Scholars section. Jordan Congligiaro has graduated from being a student artist to coordinating this year's section. "I have been exhibiting in student art shows for nine years," she said. "I was ready for a new challenge, so this year I am running the section." Congligiaro's duties range from recruiting public school age artists to marketing the section. Her final job will be to select a student artist to train next year to take over the section.
The festival focuses on acoustical music designed to enhance the experience, rather than to compete with the viewing. Food participants are chosen to provide a variety of local flavors, from Ethiopian food to more traditional offerings.
The kids' art area this year is expanding to include the entire family. Two interactive projects are planned, including toilet paper mache – which is just what you think: Festivalgoers are invited to create a small face out of this specialized paper. When it hardens it becomes a permanent work of art. "We plan to exhibit hundreds of these at the Ferndale Library," said Loeb. "Since there won't be time to paint, we will have a variety of food colors that people can dip their paper in to provide some color."
The second project will be ransom poetry. Essentially, patrons will cut words and pictures out of supplied magazines to create short poems that fit on 5" by 8" cards. "It's kind of a mix between Twitter, haiku and mystery novels," according to Loeb.
The Funky Ferndale Art Fest has been a local tradition that has grown each year. Tens of thousands attend the festival, and even more are expected this year. True to its Fashionable Ferndale roots, the event continues to be funky and fabulous.
For more information, visit http://www.downtownferndale.com.

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