Spirit & Place held an opening celebration for its 29th annual festival Nov. 1 at the Garfield Park Arts Center.
Against the colorful backdrop of the center’s Día de los Muertos celebration — complete with a large ofrenda, or altar — the event showcased DIY art, live music, Argentinian food and globally inspired storytelling.
I made my way to the musical duo, clarinetist Eric Salazar and bassist Alexo Cazares. They took improv inspiration from words and images that guests shared – the word “brave,” or a picture of the sun shining amongst clouds.
Tables, arranged in a long line, were covered in bright paint colors, papers and linocuts.
Festival attendees lined one side of the tables and Ivy Tech fine arts students lined the other to help guide those new to making linocut prints. The process involves rolling paint on pre-cut linoleum blocks, pressing them on thick paper and peeling to reveal a collaborative handmade piece.
Because many of the attendees were about the same age as my oldest aunt – who considers herself a vintage creation – it was sweet to see this intergenerational exchange of ideas and skills.
Storyteller Sally Perkins wove tales that took listeners around the world and landed back on this year’s theme for the festival: Gratitude.
While I listened, I enjoyed empanadas from Che Chori, a local Argentinian restaurant on the near west side. Their food was fire and I appreciated their simple act of labeling each empanada so I knew what I was biting into. It’s the lil’ things.
The event ended with another DIY art activity, with folks using book-binding materials to make gratitude journals.
The festival’s focus on not only local humanities but also ideas as big as gratitude and awe is uniquely satisfying. I’m looking forward to attending more events this year and as well as next year, when the theme will be “nature.”
The festival will host events through Nov. 10, most of which are free.
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