Misty Romanian Morning

{images from romania 2010: crucea eroilor on carpathian mountains, a roadside fern}

Creative Black/Tickets now online!

{tim burton fashion photographed by tim walker via harpers bazaar}

{tim burton fashion photographed by tim walker via harpers bazaar and chic dash}

{image via hauntstyle posted by model tara renee}

{image by adriana gerasimova via behance}

From your favorite little black dress to full on Tim Burton haute macabre, Cirque Du Noir is a night of magic for all! Last year's costumes were amazing. We had "Dia De La Muerte" winner, Todd Rawley, Tina Zlody as the "Golden Woodland Nymph", as the first and second place winners. Click here if you want to sneak a peek at the 2009 Cirque Fashion captured by Louie Despres. Todd walked away with two tickets for the men's semi finals at the US Open, sponsored by USTA New England via the wonderful Jeff Waters. Tina earned an Adventure pass donated by Vertical World Adventures. I wonder if she has gotten vertical yet?

Tickets are now available online via www.cirquedunoir.org or directly at eventbrite.com and there will be a kickin' prize for orders placed before the 17th of October, so stay tuned! If you can't make it out and you would still like to donate, you can go directly to the WCFB website. We already have one donation of a ticket for someone that can't attend. Thank you to that anonymous donor! This is what it's all about! Love it!

Artists, if you would like to contribute to the art auction, contact me as soon as possible. I would like to get everyones bio/donation image up on the website for exposure. The WOW factor of the donation is exceptional so I would love everyone to see the goods prior to the event! Previous artists are here. Check out their work. Shoot me or Andreea an email if you are interested.

Sponsors, if you are interested in supporting Cirque Du Noir, please drop a line. I would like to include all sponsors on a banner, the website and chat you up all over the place, so connect and we can make this year incredible! Previous sponsors are here. I would like to give huge thanks to all of you again for your contributions to local art, music and celebrations here in Worcester.

Cirque Du Noir Inspiration

{image via vogue italia and fotografiademoda}

{image via vogue italia and tom and lorenzo}

{image of prada via vogue italia and tom and lorenzo}

{image of mcqueen via vogue italia and tom and lorenzo}

Half the reason Cirque Du Noir came to be was my love for fashion, black clothing and celebrations. Until the event I will be posting images for inspiration here on Festival Creative. The event is special in the way that although it is all black attire and assuming everyone has something black, the space gets filled with either costumes or elegant people rocking their black. Another wonderful thing about the event is that it attracts a very diverse crowd to come and either people watch or indulge in the fascination of the live art fusion, the delicious food, or the ethereal music. Sounds of an elegant deep violin and world rhythms help to invigorate curious appetites. If you have not attended before, I have to say, it is a very different kind of event for Worcester.

Taking the talents of local artists and watching them create amazing works of art in front of you is intimate and really fascinating. Watching their faces, the nuance of how they sketch and watching them complete each piece is pretty incredible. All this while listening to really great music. The different groups that come together all for a night of celebrating together is what energized me and prompted me to really think outside the box and get this started. My house was too small to continue on there.

That really motivated me was the fact that at almost 40 years old, I had been waiting for things like this to happen in Worcester. I wanted to go out in the city and experience something artistic, edgy, captivating that transcended all the barriers. Worcester seems to have pockets of people, places and things. In my mind I wanted to intrigue people...to come out and give them something that would highlight what Worcester has to offer. Since my circle is full of creatives, I really wanted to celebrate the incredible artistic talents here in town. I also did not belong to any artists groups, I was not involved myself in any of the artistic communities here in town. My fault. Without knowing much about anything in event planning and execution, I set out to find out that there were many people willing to make it happen. Especially, Andreea Waters of Kai and Gipsy, a creative herself that could really see where I was going with Cirque Du Noir, and jumped in right away. She is my partner in crime on this. Together we spin crazy ideas into reality. I love when that happens.

That was 3 years ago. Today we look forward to working hard to bring another, bigger more magical event to Worcester. If you think it's not for you, think again. This may be just what you have been waiting for! Museum goers, art admirers, art buyers, voyeurs, lovers, foodies, music lovers, curious, adventurous, zombies, politicians, teachers, lovers of fun...if you want to take a night to experience art and music in a new way, treat yourself to this elegant evening of eye candy, yummy food, creative people, and a fabulous night out in town.

The bonus? All proceeds go to the Worcester County Food Bank, just in time to feed so many Worcester families for the holidays. Tickets will be up online soon. They will be $25 in advance and the same at the door.

Big thanks today to:

Checkerboard Ltd. (the company I design for) in advance for the wonderful invitations they are about to print.

Niche Hospitality and the staff at The Citizen/Speakeasy for their incredible and accomodating support.

Cathy Walsh from Sprout, who always brings the fun on!

I also want to thank in advance the artists and musicians who make the event really super cool. Worcester is overflowing with outrageous talent. Come see what they can do!

Anyone new artists would like to be a part of the art auction, please contact me pronto! If anyone would like to donate a piece of art, please include a little bio piece with your donation, so our curator can tell the buyers about you and your work.

You can reach me at mlhiggs2{at}yahoo.com.

Expose yourself...

Take a peek... {click}

Save the Date for Cirque Du Noir!

Cirque Du Noir was inspired by the prolific and creative artists and musicians in my community. Actually my Halloween party was outgrowing my house and the company I keep is pretty darn creative, so I thought I might bring it all together to make some magic happen, not just for us, but for the Worcester community. The holidays were approaching, so I wondered how all of this could make a difference.

My idea was to bring art, music, and creative black attire together to raise money for the Worcester County Foodbank. In other words, a really cool upscale Halloween party with live art fusion and an art auction, all happening while listening to amazing music. Cirque is an exciting and unique event for Worcester. The crowd is diverse, the vibe is amazing. The music by Esthema in years past has really set the tone for the event. The international sounds of their music are intoxicating and ethereal. We have a lot of new things in store, including a new venue, The Citizen and the Speakeasy located right behind. The atrium area is a wonderful room and we are exciting to be working with Niche Hospitality for the 3rd year!

Keep checking back for incredible inspiration for your black attire challenges and more information, as we announce the artists and the music in the next few weeks. Get your black on! Costumes are optional, but attire is black. There are amazing prizes for the costumes for creativity, macabre, uniqueness & popularity. We can't wait for a magical night filled with incredible talent to celebrate giving. Worcester is a pretty cool place to be these days.

Rediscovering Brasov

{the circular flusher makes a wonderland image in my favorite place in brasov, the all new festival 39, the initial inspiration for my blog...even better now! you must come visit brasov}

{images of brasov, romania 2010}

So much has changed in Brasov since my first trip in 2004, prior to Romania joining the EU. The economy has prospered so much, evident in all the new homes, cars and infrastructure. New more efficient roads have been built, diverting most commercial traffic outside the downtown area and keeping the city free of congestion and pollution. Emissions are way down and the mountain air is clear and fresh, and free of litter, which used to be a huge problem. The town itself is popular among tourist groups. Just sitting at the plaza, you see so many who travel the three hours on small roads from Bucharest to see the town once known as Kronstadt, when occupied and built by the Germans. This medieval town is filled with elements of it's former self, most reflected in the city's coat of arms, Brasov is also known as the "crown city", populated now by a large amount of Moldovians as well.

Being from the States, you do not see old buildings like you do in Europe. I think this is the most evident thing I feel when I am here. The history is all over. Walking around town and seeing history reminds me how young our United States are. I feel overwhelmed when I see the dates on buildings and stop to think of the people that would have built them with their hands, much like I do walking in the woods near my home in Worcester, MA when I see old stone walls separating land.

Today we are off to Bran to take our little one to see Bran Castle. A very touristy place to go, but it's close and she is into princesses these days. Little does she know what Bran represents for the world, thanks to Bram Stoker. I am wondering if all the hoopla with the vampire shows in the US have casued an influx of sightseers to Transylvania. We will go from there to Transfagarasan, a long mountain road that leads up to a lake.

Perfectionists: Davis Art Gallery

{wyatt wade of davis publishing and a strategic woman,
who i almost stepped on earlier in the evening}

{a closeup of the work of bryan davagian}

{taking in the work of bryan davagian}

{a guest discussing details with the artist, howard b. johnson jr.}

{the work of howard b. johnson, jr}

{the work of scott boilard, always a favorite}

{j. fatima martins and john dion discussing the show, a johnson work in the background}

{"rising up" is a signature piece by scott boilard, was my show favorite}

Historically Davis has been a catalyst worldwide for it's publication of art resources. Worcester is incredibly lucky to have a company like Davis, enriching students and teachers with art publications through text and online media. Their stretch is worldwide and they are nestled in downtown Worcester between the RMV and the Worcester Public Library. How appropriate is it that they open their doors to Worcester as they host several art exhibitions a year.

The Perfectionists opened on July 23, with a smashing success. The show features the work of three Worcester talents, Scott Boilard, Howard B. Johnson Jr. and Bryan Davagian. Each artist is quite different in their own right, but the pleasure of viewing each is all in the details. The show of about 40 pieces is showing at Davis Gallery on the third floor of the Printers Building on Portland Street.

If you would like to read and see more images, visit Worcester Mag for Doreen Manning's article and cool hipstamatic photos and here for J. Fatima Martin's, in depth curatorial take on the show.


Stay looped...
Join the Worcester Artist Group on Facebook and pay attention to their happenings as well.

Art in the Park, hosted by Worcester Arts Council (with their snazzy new logo) is coming up too.

Worcester is rocking art all over the place. I love it!!!

Rodrigo y Gabriela

{images of Rodrigo y Gabriela from May 5th show at Capitol Theatre in Concord, NH}

If you love guitar, flamenco music or metal...yes, metal...you must discover the Mexican duo Rodrigo y Gabriela. Every song on every cd is incredible. What is even better than listening to them is seeing them. Do not miss a show if they swing by your town. They are due back in the states in August and are set to play Redrocks. That would be the most amazing place to see them. The ushers were not too pleased with the cameras, so I was happy I got a few shots even if they are fuzzy.

Friends, Old Friends

{image by the sartorialist via ffffound}

Facebook has brought a lot of old friends together. Sometimes real friends don't need facebook to do the trick, but it sure is an easy way to find and rally up the ones you miss. I got a message yesterday from an old friend from elementary school. We have been friends since I moved to the school in second grade. We were lucky. Our group from elementary school really remained friends all through life. I don't know how many people can say that. So, this friend that contacted me lives out of state now, but our families have kept in touch and live in the same town in the summer and the same state in the winter. You know, the lucky parents that retire and summer on the Cape and winter in the sun down in Florida, where the children and grandchildren can visit them and Mickey at the same time. A sweet life.

This weekend is her grandparent's 90th birthday party! Her whole family is together on the Cape for that celebration and she has invited me to join them, while they are still there. We used to call her grandfather "the candy man" because he sold candy and his home was filled with Willy Wonka style goodies. His house that I used to visit, was a camp on the Stiles Reservoir in Spencer. My mind is filled with the craziness of childhood and this friend, Laura, who really made it fun, i mean pee your pants "fun". So today's post is dedicated to old friends that you can see in the mind's eye as if it were yesterday.

This image above could be anyone of the girls from Wawecus Road School on any hot summer day, riding their bikes to Kendrick Pool or from Burncoat Street to Penny Parker's out in West Boylston. My childhood days were pretty awesome because of the friends I had and the school I went to. I hope my children feel that same way when they are in their 40's and that friend invites them to hang out. So, Laura Ann, it's also your birthday, I did not forget! So happy birthday to you and thank you for the wild and incredible memories of our childhood. I don't know how our parent's did it.

xo to you little lady and I hope to see you on Sunday!

Cookie Creatives

{images courtesy of jennifer burkhart of cookie creatives}

When you meet someone and just know that they are right up your alley, it is such a great pleasure. There is a lot to be said for a vibe, a notion that someone is on the same wave length. That's how I felt when I met both Michelle Bohigian of Something Sweet by Michelle and Jennifer Burkhart of Cookie Creatives. Both of their insanely talented wedding businesses are in Massachusetts. Michelle is right here in Worcester, known for her delicious cakes and award winning flower designs and Jennifer, who is fast becoming a crazy success herself, listed in Style Me Pretty's Little Black Book is between Boston and Western Mass. I have featured Michelle's cakes on Festival Creative before, maybe you saw the post. Both ladies were also incredibly generous and enthusiastic when asked to be a part of a fun collaboration I had brewing.

Months have passed and soon the finished products, our new wedding invitation collection will be at market. It was such a great experience having busy people put forth their efforts to make my work turn out the way I had envisioned it. Did I mention that I was a virtual stranger to them? I have met Michelle at Worcester's Taste of the Nation a few years ago and introduced myself. She remembered me a year later. I am so proud and happy to know them and recommend them to anyone needing their services. They go above and beyond for you!

If you would like to be a fan of Festival Creative Invitations on Facebook, join here.

Michèle M. Waite Photography

{images via michèle m. waite photography}

Recently, I have had the pleasure to work with some very talented wedding pros, one being Michèle M. Waite, photographer, mother, wife, and oh so creative. As long as I have been trolling wedding blogs, her images stayed with me. I can't imagine what that means to the couples that share their day with her. What a gift being a part of so many life changing events in people's lives. I know that creating invites gives me a pretty incredible feeling. Knowing we can create a lasting memory for people is pretty extreme. When I see our invitations on press, I am compelled to go take a peek to see the names and the place the wedding will be. Our clients are our dealers, so we never really get to meet the couples choosing our designs. I am lucky that I am a designer and also a dealer, so I can share a little of both worlds. I wish I could meet every couple really and say thank you!

Working with Michèle over the past couple of weeks has been amazing. I presented her with a crazy idea about changing the way our clients shopped and were inspired as they chose invitations. I started thinking that it is very romantic to plan all of the elements of such an incredible day. I wanted to give couples something exciting...imagery, that would get all of their ideas flowing. For this project, Michèle's photos were what inspired me really...looking at them, I thought how incredible it would be to share her creativity to enhance the experience of our customers and make it easier to plan. There are creative people that thrive on imagery and there are the people that gain so much insight as they use inspirational compilations as a tool.

Look at the 3 images above! I was so excited to share her photgraphs in our industry of paper, to inspire and guide. Wedding blogs and magazines are filled with imagery. I don't think there is a time in your life when you look for inspiration as much as when you are planning your wedding. Every detail is special. Michèle's work made my project rock! I cannot wait for our client to see it.

Join us for Global Slow Art Day at WAM

Admiring art ... slowly

Take a day to "see" artwork at the Worcester Art Museum
In the footsteps of the Slow Food movement comes Slow Art. On April 17, 46 cities around the world are participating in International Slow Art Day.

Research shows that people spend as few as eight seconds looking at a single work of art in a museum. The aim of Slow Art Day, powered by the dynamic Phil Terry and Reading Odyssey last summer in New York, is to encourage people to spend more time and fully admire single pieces of art.

Both expert and novice art lovers are invited to join Slow Art Day in Worcester at the Worcester Art Museum, where the event will be hosted by Michelle May and Kathleen Horgan. It will be followed by a meet up in the Museum Cafe, where everyone can purchase lunch or a beverage and enjoy lively conversation about what they experienced.

We will provide participants with a list of works to look at and a map for locating them in WAM. Participants will view the art on their own or with a friend. Organizers encourage people to attend with a friend or family member. We request that children under 12 years attend with a parent.

Slow Art Worcester Details:

Saturday, April 17, 2010
Slow Art
Worcester Art Museum
55 Salisbury Street | Worcester, MA
11:00AM - 12:30PM - art viewing, 1:00PM -2:00PM Lunch The Museum Cafe

Meet at 10:30 in the Lancaster lobby if you can for a quick hello and you are off on your own to enjoy the selections. Remember, sharing is fun with friends, so I urge you to sign up with a friend, your mom, or the personal next to you at the Bean Counter!

The list and map are provided with online registration at http://slowartworcester2010.eventbrite.com.

If you are on Facebook, check out the fan page for Slow Art, you can get inspiration from the global community that is involved. I just love how Facebook makes this world a little smaller!

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/SlowArt?ref=ts

Twitter hashtag for Slowart: #slowart

For more information and to see the expanse of global ideas and to learn more about the Reading Odyssey, see http://showsupport.typepad.com/odyssey/

Thanks and we hope to see you there!
~Michelle and Kathy

stART at the Station

{image by Van beoordeling via trip advisor}

stART at the Station is coming up on Sunday, December 6th at Union Station in Worcester! Come on down and shop over 125 local artisans. The art, pottery, textiles are incredible. Once again stART hits Worcester, bring amazing creative energy and people together.



{image of soleil, wearing a Festive Boa}

Festival together with Payal Kripalani will be there as well, with handmade boas perfect for any holiday festivity or simply snazzing up any outfit. Dets coming soon with a preview of the goods!

Green and Harrison

{images of Alexis Grace & Harrison Street Worcester}

The clothing swap that Punky had a few weeks ago prompted a little exploration in the Green Street area, waiting for friends, I went on a little walk taking pictures and enjoying the sun. While dropping my clothing off at the swap, a handsome gent representing Alexis Grace, told me about the vintage shop owned by his wife located right around the corner. With time to kill, I stepped out and found that there was a cute little row of stores on Harrison Street, including the dance studio of Salsa Storm. Green Street now has sunny open places like the Center Bar and Grill, The Banner, owned by Sean McInerney, a former Burncoat alum, Block 5 and the beer garden at The Dive Bar. Have you heard about Secret Society? Right around the corner on Water Street is Jeff Jemma's new digs....looks pretty cool from the outside.

The Canal District is thriving. I have a vision of this area becoming a central cultural area for Worcester. If I called the shots, I would shut down Green on Saturday and Sunday and make it pedestrian only. I would also put out a call to artists, musicians and street performers. Tables would be set up all the way down Green, a festival of umbrellas. Seating areas would be serviced by the respective establishments adjacent to them. I hear music, bustling people, children laughing, parents and grandparents having lunch, coffee, maybe a cocktail in the sun.

I see neighbors greeting each other in the street, visiting the quaint little shops that emerge. See you need the cool little shops to bring foot traffic that spills into restaurants. Does anyone see what I see?

Enjoy every minute

{images 1941 by Peter Stackpole via Life}

Patti McCarty and Betty Brooks return to hotel after a day of fun to rest up for dinner. Betty Brooks and Patti McCarty motor boating at Catalina Island.

These ladies make me remember that fun and the moments that you are fully engaged, taking it in completely, letting go of all seriousness and pretty much acting like a child, can make the best memories. I like to do this, often.

Have a great weekend

{image via them things via ffffound}
It must be warm somewhere in the states.

Pecha Kucha Worcester #1...unbelievable!

{John Herman ~ New-Media Guru / Inspiration through Collaboration}

{standing room only~that's me on the far left with my co~hosts Scott Zoback, center sitting and Cynthia Woerhle on the far right. Also in this photo is Scott Erb of Erb Photo, sitting left,
and Paul Dalpe of Point Source Media, back center}

{guests @ Bocado}

{Schedule of presenters/graphix by Todd Rawley}

{Megan Mcintosh~ Freestyle Slalom Skating / Aspects of Freestyle}

{Adoniram Sides ~ Photographer / Quiet Spaces and the Way of Inspiration}

All images in this post by Andreea Waters, who was also one of the presenters,
Art Director / Life By Design