8-18 West Marin Himalayan Festival w/ ABC profiled singer & SF Asian Art Museum artist

[hdoress]

ABC-Profiled Performer, Asian Art Museum Artist Headline Festival
Entertainment with a message from Leaders in Tibetan cultural preservation

Singer and dancer Tsering Wangmo and artist Ang Tsherin Sherpa , who will headline the 2nd West Marin Himalayan Festival at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center on Saturday August 18th from 11-5pm, share more than their passion for their chosen art forms, both are internationally-recognized leaders at the forefront of the effort to preserve Tibet¹s cultural heritage.

Seen on ABC’s “Profiles in Excellence” last year Tsering Wangmo, a co-founder of Chaksam-Pa, the world’s premiere musical group preserving Tibetan culture, is one of only 60 masters of the Tibetan performance arts. She was among those selected to study in the Tibetan Music, Dance and Drama Society founded in Dharamsala, India in 1959 by the Dalai Lama in response to China’s occupation of Tibet and use of Tibetan storytelling and operas to spread propaganda. Wangmo has performed around the world and with notables including David Bowie and Phillip Glass. To view the ABC profile please go to: https://video.google.com/videoplay?d...838&pr=goog-sl

Ang Tsherin Sherpa, a renowned third generation Thangka (sacred banners) painter who has shown in the Asian Art Museum of San Francisco twice and whose painting “Green Tara” is owned by actor Richard Gere, will provide an all-day demonstration of this sacred art form with hourly art talks. He has had murals commissioned by Monasteries, has been shown and collected internationally and teaches in Marin and other parts of the Bay Area. He and his father Urgen Dorje are working to preserve the tradition of Thangka painting and plan to open a school to train people of all ages and backgrounds in Thangka painting in Nepal, where Dorje is based. Commenting on his work Sherpa says, ”The strict tradition of Thangka painting teaches one how to view oneself as a channel through which all the deities manifest. There’s room for self-expression in Thangka painting but the actual practice is to eliminate the self clinging to ego.” *

The visual arts component of the Festival has expanded substantially with the all-day Thangka demonstration as well as a entire gallery devoted to a show by Fairfax-based Nepali contemporary painter, Sunila Bajracharya. Her work has been collected and shown internationally including at the 10th Asia Biennial Bangladesh, 5th International Art Exhibition at Gallery Dikmayer in Berlin, and as part of a special online exhibition of the International Museum of Women. Attendees will be able to meet Bajracharya at the Festival where she will be on hand to answer questions and discuss her work.

Additional performances include traditional Tibetan music and dance from the children’s performance group of the Tibetan Association of Northern California who are saving these traditions for the coming generations.
Vandhana Dance Company will perform North Indian Kathak dance featuring Megan Black who trained under Smt. Kumudini Lakhia, one of the foremost Kathak exponents in India today. Michael Davis, who has been seen on All India Television and at the Center for World Music in Madras, will perform Carnatic bamboo flute, a South Indian tradition accompanied by Douglas Vurek, who studied with South Indian percussion legend Palghat Mani Iyer on mridangam. Additional performers to be announced.

Event attendees are welcome to create their own Tibetan art in the Prayer Flag making activity. There will also be kid-oriented activities and a children¹s playroom available. There are also 3 playgrounds on our campus
outside the event area. Authentic meals, snacks and beverages will be available including mouth-watering traditional handmade Tibetan Momos (dumplings) and more food to be announced. The Festival offers the best of Himalayan vendors who have traveled from up to 2 hours away creating an exciting outdoor shopping experience where unique clothing, jewelry, carpets, art, household items, books and more can be found.

After drawing 400 attendees in it¹s inaugural year, the 2nd West Marin Himalayan Festival expects to draw substantially more to enjoy a dynamic outdoor family-friendly festival in the beautiful San Geronimo Valley
setting on this Saturday, August 18th from 11-5pm. Tickets will be: Adults $8-15 sliding scale; Kids 3 and up $5; Families of 4 plus $25. Coproducers: San Geronimo Valley Community Center & the Himalaya Resource Center. Partial proceeds will benefit Himalayan Organizations of the Bay Area. The other portion will support the Community Center’s programs including the emergency food pantry, teen center, and services for families.

The San Geronimo Valley Community Center is located at 6350 Sir Francis Drake Blvd. 9 miles west of San Rafael in Marin. There is extensive parking in the area and the Community Center is a Stage bus stop. Visit www.sgvcc.org <https://www.sgvcc.org > or call 415-488-8888 for more information

Directions: From US 101, take the Central San Rafael Exit and turn West onto 3rd Street. Follow 3rd street west through San Rafael and turn Right onto Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Follow Sir Francis Drake Blvd. through the towns of San Anselmo and Fairfax. We are approximately 5 miles west of Fairfax. Pass
the San Geronimo Valley Golf Course and keep going for another 1/4 mile. Turn into the 1st parking lot on your right. (Look out for the Community Center Marquee). (Under 1 hour from SF, Berkeley; Under 40 minutes from Petaluma, Bolinas.)

Closest Lodgings: Valley Inn (415) 488-0105. Camping: Samuel P. Taylor State Park 415-488-9897. From the east, we are en route to Point Reyes National Seashore.



Hannah Doress
Arts & Events Coordinator
San Geronimo Valley Community Center
Phone: (415) 488-8888 #253
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.sgvcc.org
Fax: (415) 488-9398
Street address: 6350 Sir Francis Drake Blvd.
Mailing address: POBox 194 San Geronimo, CA 94963

[margi]

Thank you for posting this. I will certainly attend. I have heard and seen Tsering Wangmo a few times here in the bay area and her voice is truly amazing.

Margi

ABC-Profiled Performer, Asian Art Museum Artist Headline Festival Entertainment with a message from Leaders in Tibetan cultural preservation

Singer and dancer Tsering Wangmo and artist Ang Tsherin Sherpa , who will headline the 2nd West Marin Himalayan Festival at the San Geronimo Valley Community Center on Saturday August 18th from 11-5pm, share more than their passion for their chosen art forms, both are internationally-recognized leaders at the forefront of the effort to preserve Tibet¹s cultural heritage.

Seen on ABC’s “Profiles in Excellence” last year Tsering Wangmo, a co-founder of Chaksam-Pa, the world’s premiere musical group preserving Tibetan culture, is one of only 60 masters of the Tibetan performance arts. ...