
Organizers Ron Harrity, Diane Topher, Noah DeFilippis and Sean Wilkinson. Amy Teah Was Not Available.
- Nabil Sibouih of Moth Written
- Tracy Sunday Mastro With Some Of Her Jewelry
By Carol McCracken
Even though the rain was heavy at times and interrupted the annual Summer Picnic (Music+Arts Festival) at Lincoln Park on Saturday, it did little to dampen the enthusiasm for the event by its organizers and vendors. In fact, before the end of the day at 6:00 p.m., organizers had already announced that there will be a Winter (Indoor) Picnic on December 13th. Most vendors were interested in participating.
One of the five organizers, Noah DeFilippis, said that this craft show was different from most that he and his wife, Amy Teah, have attended around the country. “Most of them are directed toward seniors or tourists,” he said. “We planned this one to appeal to a younger crowd and not to tourists. That’s why we planned it for after Labor Day,” he said. Last year there were 60 vendors in the show and this year the number of vendors jumped to 100.
As to the Winter (Indoor) Picnic planned for December 13th at the Maine Irish Heritage Center, formerly St. Dom’s Roman Catholic Church), a lot of these vendors asked us to do it. “It would fill in a real gap,” said DeFilipppis. “There are those who aren’t members of SEA who have their holiday crafts show at the East End Community School and others who have no affiliation with Maine College of Art and so can’t participate in their annual holiday sale,” he said. These folks now have a holiday venue in which to sell their crafts.
The quality of the products of the vendors was impressive. MHN has chosen to highlight two of her favorite vendors in the show. Tracy Sunday Mastro makes lovely enamel jewelry. It is “powdered glass applied to copper and fused in a kiln at 1500 degrees,” she said. Her email is pitchford@concast.net and her delicate and feminine earring and necklace sets can be purchased from her mother’s studio – Hole In The Wall Studioworks at (207) 655-4952 or jimpasto@maine.rr.com. The other favorites were the original T-shirts and cotton bags made by Mary E. Robbins in stunning colors on very soft cotton. Standing in for her at the Summer Picnic was her husband Nabil Silbouih. The name of Mary’s company is “Moth Written.” Part of the company’s purpose is “encouraging positive dialogue about the arabic speaking world.” Mary studied Art at N.Y.U. as well as overseas. Please visit www.mothwritten.com for more information.
Sean Wilkinson, another organizer, said at the end of the Summer Picnic that: “Despite the rain, the day had been very successful. He thanked all the amazing vendors for staying until the very end – through the rain.”
The five organizers are: Diane Topher, Noah DeFilippis, Sean Wilkinson, Amy Teah and Ron Harrity. Please visit picnicportland.wordpress.com for more.
Pingback: etsy