Missouri Folk Arts Program

Visit their own web site

Again this year we feature a presentation from the Missouri Folk Arts masters/apprentices program, one of the highlights for traditional folk arts at our festival. The session last year at the Presbyterian Church went very well: The more intimate space and the interview format conducted by program directors Lisa Higgins and Deborah Bailey enabled the audience to get closer to the artists and to their crafts. So far, artists planning to participate include Joe Patrickus for Western cowboy bootmaking; Jan McMichael for Native American porcupine quillwork and lazy stitch beadwork; Angelia Stabler for Native American jingle dance dress making; and the Sitze Family, a bluegrass gospel group from Frederickstown. Two family members are in the apprenticeship program this year learning the regional style of bluegrass mandolin playing their grandfather plays.