Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 26, Number 11, 1 Nowemapa 2009 — ARTSFEST [ARTICLE]

ARTSFEST

Long a staple in the loeal arts scene, the Paeihe Handcrafters Guild Christmas Festival at Thomas Square will this year begin providing a venue for Hālau Lōkahi students to hawk their creative wares. Guild members recently launched a long-term partnership with the Kalihi charter school to teach its 6th- to 12th graders how to make jewelry, stained glass and hand-screen and hand-paint designs on fabric, and more. The artists are also passing on their business smarts, including factoring in costs to determine sales price. "It's on-the-job training," says Faith U'ilani Mokiao, the guild's events coordinator. "We wanted to build something in a school where art, education and business ean llourish." The Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce is donating the art supplies, and all the money the students earn at the art festival will go back to the school. The students, meanwhile, will also showcase their numerous other talents: they'll sing, chant andperform hula as part of the event's entertainment. Free, 9 a.m. to 4p.m. Dec. 5 and 6. For information, pacifichandcrafters guild.com. ■