Many local artists have amazing bodies of work. One organization is working hard to give them a face in the community as well.
Fine Arts and Crafts Entrepreneurs (FAACE), founded in 2011, provides support, camaraderie, and education to help artists grow and thrive. Open to anyone interested in promoting the arts, the Fayette County-based organization’s membership includes regional and national artists.
Using two famous artists as examples, Charlene Sibaja, executive director of FAACE, showcases the necessity of the organization’s programs. She said that while Leonardo Da Vinci found fame in his lifetime through diverse interests, which included business as well as art, he also had a network of people. Vincent Van Gogh, who focused only on art, sold little if any art during his lifetime and died poor and depressed. Sibaja said that sometimes artistic people are introverted and don’t have the skills needed to survive as an artist. “We want to help that person grow and share their art with the world in their lifetime so that they can benefit from it,” she said.
FAACE programs include the Artpreneur Workshop, where artists can sharpen skills and learn best business practices; Artist in Residency, which allows experienced artists to mentor beginning artists; and the Magnolia Arts Festival, which gives artists a venue to exhibit and sell their art and provides grants for local art instructors.
Sibaja believes one important aspect of being involved in the arts is that it helps people think creatively. “When you're creative, it gives you different pathways to solve problems,” she said. Coming from a technical background, she admits she had to learn to be creative. The unlikely head of an art organization, Sibaja is a retired Army officer who worked as a software engineer and as a director of information technology and training. She and her husband Roger retired from the military almost 20 years ago, and looking to leave their stress behind and find something they could enjoy as part of the community, opened Gobi Photography. Participation in FAACE followed shortly. Getting to know fellow artists, Sibaja said, “was a whole different climate for me.” In addition to building problem-solving skills, she believes that art helps people find ways to relax and enjoy each other, and fosters understanding of other cultures.
When Sibaja became president in 2015, she knew FAACE had unrealized potential. Using her military training and development background, she set about connecting people and developing a sense of community among diverse local artists. She also wanted to give back to the community while allowing artists to showcase their talents and the first Magnolia Arts Festival was held that year.
Sibaja said The Magnolia Arts Festival is diverse not only in color and culture but also in the arts. “When we do Magnolia, we have everything from dulcimer players to people rapping and Christian music. We have Chinese dancers; we have Indian dancers. We try to blend all the different cultures so people can have an appreciation for each other."
“We try to use Magnolia to give those people a voice and also to let them have a dialogue with other people instead of making assumptions and stereotyping,” Sibaja said adding that art can be the vehicle to have a conversation with someone different. “It’s about building community and loving people that are different and appreciating those differences. Sometimes we think things are one way because of what we see from the outside but when you start to talk to a person and you see their point of view, you realize that things are a little different from what you are seeing from your point of view.”
Magnolia Arts Festival is on Oct. 21 and 22 at Drake Field in Peachtree City. For more information or to register as a vendor or artist visit magnoliaartsfestival.org. To learn more about FAACE visit www.faace.org.
“It’s about building community and loving people that are different and appreciating those differences." Charlene Sibaja