Info from: https://www.annick-odom.com/morgantown-crankie-fest.html
What is a crankie?
A crankie (sometimes called a moving panorama) is a handmade, scrolling artwork that i painted, printed, cut, or sewn and comes to life in performance. As the artist turns a crank, the images move from one spool to another, revealing a story over time, often accompanied by live music, song, or spoken word.
Rooted in folk and community storytelling traditions from around the world, these paper movies continue to be reimagined by artists today. The Morgantown Crankie Festival celebrates crankies as storytelling machines where visual art, music, poetry, and storytelling come together to create a kind of low-tech magic that is intimate and handmade.
About the festival
The Morgantown Crankie Festival is a new, community-centered gathering celebrating crankies. The festival brings together over 20 artists from West Virginia and beyond, alongside local performers, makers, and community members.
You can expect:
Live crankie performances throughout the weekend
A mix of locally created work and visiting guest artists
Opportunities to learn about and make crankies
A welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere
Workshops
Book illustration, crankies and the imagination
Thursday May 28, 6 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
$30/student*
A workshop to show how the art of book illustration can help making crankies. During the workshop we will make an illustrated book and see how it can be turned into a mini crankie and scroll. Peter is a book illustrator, writer, crankie maker, folklorist and storyteller who wrote The Moon-eyed People, the stories of the Welsh in Appalachia in 2019. This class is great for all ages.
Paper Cut Workshop
Saturday May 30, 12:30 p.m. - 2 p.m.
$35/student*
In this workshop, renowned papercut artist and crankie pioneer Katherine Fahey will speak about the history of paper cutting, provide each student with a template and the materials they need, and guide the group in making one of their own papercut pieces.
*Please email info@monartscenter.com if the cost is prohibitive, and you'd like to inquire about scholarships.
Festival Performance Schedule
Each performance features a different lineup of crankies—so no two shows are the same.
Saturday, May 30 at 7 pm
Annick Odom, Double Trouble Duo (Linda Durrett and Yank Halmuth), Hannah Lewis, Hannah Standiford, Jo Ann Dadisman, Jody & Jay Best, Lindsay McCaw, The Lantern Sisters (Katherine Fahey & Dan Van Allen), Peter Stevenson, and Sam D'Agostino
Sunday, May 31 at 4 pm [most kid-friendly show]
Annie Trimble, Barbara Walker, Carol Denney, Denise & Richard Warren Smith, Evan Clough, Francene Kirk, Hannah Standiford, Jo Ann Dadisman, The Lantern Sisters (Katherine Fahey & Dan Van Allen), and Peter Stevenson
Additional music by José Fernando
Sunday, May 31 at 7 pm
Annick Odom, Carol Denney, Chris Haddox, Emily Lehr, Evan Clough, Hannah Lewis, The Lantern Sisters (Katherine Fahey & Dan Van Allen), Lindsay McCaw, Olivia Insani Perske & Brie Kelley, and Peter Stevenson
Recommended for ages 8+
Reserve your seat: bit.ly/morgantowncrankie
Katherine Fahey and her beautiful paper cut art crankies
Peter Stevenson and his crankies (many of which are also books!)
List of Performers and Artists
Thanks to the Center for Cultural Vibrancy for their micro-grant which is supporting several of the visiting artists (*) to be able to attend the festival and the creation of two new crankies.
Annick Odom (Morgantown, WV) *
Annie Trimble (Pittsburgh, PA)
Barbara Walker (Morgantown, WV)
Carol Denney (Elkins, WV)
Chris Haddox and Eddie Spaghetti (Morgantown, WV)
Christie Slingluff (Pittsburgh, PA)
Denise and Richard Warren Smith (Morgantown, WV)
Double Trouble Duo, Linda Durrett and Yank Halmuth (Green Bank and Philippi, WV)
Emily Lehr (Morgantown, WV)
Evan Clough (Morgantown, WV) *
Francene Kirk (Morgantown, WV)
Hannah Lewis (Detroit, MI) *
Hannah Standiford, with Annick Odom and Judy Swanson assisting (Pittsburgh, PA) *
Jo Ann Dadisman (WV)
Jody & Jay Best (Confluence, PA)
Katherine Fahey and Dan Van Allen, also known as The Lantern Sisters (Baltimore, MD)
Lindsay McCaw (Detroit, MI) *
Olivia Perske (Elkins, WV)
Peter Stevenson, with Mark Kemp assisting (Wales, UK & Morgantown, WV)
Sam D'Agostino (DC) *