Figurative Artists Consortium

The mission for the Figurative Artists Conference (FAC) is to promote and support the practice and the teaching of figurative art by providing a safe and supportive environment for exploring one’s creative and artistic potential. FAC strives to do this by providing new and exciting workshops and related activities designed to help individual artists achieve their full potential in the figurative arts.

A special event to bring figurative artists, old and new, together to experience four days of learning and sharing creative ideas that will inspire The Figurative Artists Consortium is a non-profit organization designed to provide a safe and inviting setting for figurative artists, from beginner to the most experienced, to meet, share, and grow.

The conference is being organized by Adele Sciortino and Roberta Russell with the help of a team of volunteers/friends. There will be a wonderful line-up of International teachers to tickle your creative side and teach you new techniques to create wonderful figurative art. Among FAC 2009 teachers will be Barbara Schoenoff from the United States, Marilyn Halcomb and Pearl Moon from Australia, and Wendy Rinehart, Adele Sciortino, Peggy Wilson, Edwina Sutherland from Canada. All award winning teachers.

	Reception Meal – A laid back event to enjoy, mingle and meet other artists
	Vender Market – An array of goodies that you won’t be able to pass up
	Shoe-Delicious Challenge – Yes, there will be prizes!
	Figurative Art Display – Everyone is proud of their creations. Well, this will be the place to show them off.
	Silent Auction, Creative Art Auction and Raffles – Going once, going twice, gone….don’t be shy, jump in with a bid. Drop those tickets in the boxes. You never know, you might win something really special.
	Creative Demos – Everyone wants to learn a new technique. Well, here is your opportunity. Included in your registration will be a number of demonstrations of techniques that you will be able to apply to your future creations.

Your conference fee of $385 (Cdn) includes the following:
	Three days of classes
	Thursday’s Opening Reception and Dinner
	Pin Doll Exchange
	Hands on Demos
	Delegate Bag Filled with Goodies
	In-House Shopping
	Participation in Figurative Art Display
	Participation in Shoe-Delicious Challenge
	Surprise (Mystery) Challenge
	Banquet Celebration on Sunday
	Access to Hospitality Suite
	Access to Creative Play Station
	Lots of laughs and sharing. This part is free and it will be unlimited.
	It does not include your accommodation.

The conference wraps up with a Banquet on Sunday evening. This promises to be a festive event with a fabulous dinner and a very special guest speaker. There will be a cash bar and one last chance to buy raffle tickets at the reception before dinner. Winners of the Challenges and the successful bidders on silent auction items will be announced during dinner.

You will also have the chance to express your passion for shoes. The conference’s shoe theme will be carried over to this event from the table centerpiece dolls to the ballroom decorations. Everyone is encouraged to wear their fanciest and/or craziest shoes and to wear anything else that is shoe themed from earrings, hats, clothes in shoe themed fabric, and other accessories for a head to toe testimony to the “wonderfulness” of great shoes. And there will be prizes for the delegates who most imaginatively express this in their shoe themed evening attire!

On top of all this we will have a very special guest speaker, world renowned puppeteer Noreen Young. Noreen is Artistic Director for the Puppets Up! International Puppet Festival. Over the course of her illustrious career, her distinctive puppet characters have appeared on CBC, CTV, TV Ontario, The Disney Channel, BBC America, Canal Famille and Much Music. She was awarded The Order of Canada in 1995 for her contribution to puppetry and children’s television.

Throughout the evening raffle tickets will be drawn and you will have opportunities to visit with friends, to see the various displays one last time, and to exchange e-mail, and mailing addresses.

The Banquet is included in delegate registration fees and delegates may bring a guest at a cost of $40 per ticket. Please indicate on your registration form if you will be bringing a guest and include the $40 fee with your conference payment.

Award-winning puppeteer and puppet builder, Noreen Young has held roles of designer, writer, and ultimately, executive-producer for “Under the Umbrella Tree”, a children’s series that ran on CBC television and The Disney Channel for many seasons, and is now a eight-volume DVD compilation marketed by Cinerio Productions. She starred in the series as Gloria Gopher, alongside her brother, Stephen Brathwaite, who co-starred as Jacob Bluejay.

A graduate of the Ontario College of Art, she started her own Corporation, Noreen Young Productions, in 1979. Over the course of her illustrious career, her distinctive puppet characters have appeared on CBC, CTV, TV Ontario, The Disney Channel, BBC America, Canal Famille and Much Music. Her look-alike caricature puppets include Governor General Adrienne Clarkson and her husband, John Ralston Saul, Citizen Publisher, James Orban, CTV’s Max Keeping and JJ Clarke, CBC’s Peter Mansbridge, popular TV personality Wayne Rostad, hockey host, Don Cherry, prominent politicians, as well as several local residents and business people in her own community of Almonte.

As the Artistic Director for the Puppets Up! International Puppet Festival, she has been instrumental in securing troupes from around the world to showcase their talents to Canadian audiences. These have included visiting troupes from Britain, the Czech Republic, Cost Rica, France, Brazil, Mexico, Hungary, United States, and from across Canada.

Well known as a teacher of her art, Young was awarded The Order of Canada in 1995 for her contribution to puppetry and children’s television. A promoter of education, she has conducted numerous workshops in schools to teach young people the art and enjoyment of puppetry and has encouraged its application to all parts of the curriculum.

Noreen Young was born and raised in Ottawa and has made puppetry her lifelong passion. She currently resides in Almonte, in Mississippi Mills, Ontario, and continues to foster a tremendous appreciation for the arts through her artistic endeavours and community spirit. She takes great pleasure and pride in mentoring young people and promoting education in the arts. She founded the Noreen Young Bursary Awards and, during its 13 years, raised over $300,000 to help young artists achieve their dreams.

If you would like to purchase the Commemorative FAC 2009 Poster (Price $15.00),
please emial to : info@figurativeartistsconsortium.com

Thanks to all those who have volunteered to help. If you, too, would like to help please contact us through the website.

Space will be limited so be prepared to sign up early to participate in all the fun. You don’t want to miss this event!

Check our website regularly for updates and information

www.figurativeartistsconsortium.com

Email address: info@figurativeartistsconsortium.com