QUOTE
Reindeer and Sasquatch? Museum's celebration is inspired by furry beasts
Molly Gilmore
For The Olympian
Last year, the Washington State Capital Museum's Historic Holiday Celebration featured Santa Claus. This year, there's another figure of mythic proportions at the center of the fun: Sasquatch.
"You don't think of Christmas and Sasquatch going together, that's for sure," said Olympia artist Steven Suski.
While it might be funny if the museum had a Sasquatch in a Santa hat on hand, the Bigfoot theme is not going quite that far.
But how about a Sasquatch Christmas ornament? Well, there is a Sasquatch figure that you are invited to hang on your Christmas tree, if you are so inclined.
"We're going to be making little Sasquatch fi gures out of paper," Suski said. "I think there's going to be a movable element to them; you can cut the arms out separately and then attach them. They could be Christmas ornaments or whatever."
The idea is to celebrate the museum's exhibit, "Giants in the Mountains: The Search for Sasquatch," as well as the holiday. Three of the four craft projects the museum is of fering Saturday have a Sasquatch theme.
Along more traditional lines, the holiday celebration also includes reindeer from the Cougar Mountain Zoo in Issaquah, holiday music by Olympia High School Chamber Choir and carriage rides through the South Capitol neighborhood.
"The event will be more family-oriented this year," said Susan Rohrer, curator of public programs for the Washington State Historical Society. "There's a lot more stuff for kids to do."
The paper craft figures designed by Suski - who is best known as a painter and whose work is available at Whirligig in downtown Olympia - is inspired by famous footage of Sasquatch taken in 1967 in California. The footage is part of the film that is running at the museum with the Sasquatch exhibit.
Suski said he had fun designing the figure. "How big do you want the feet? It's an interesting challenge."
So what's his take on Sasquatch?
"The legend has been in our imaginations so long," he said. "I don't personally believe in the Sasquatch, but I don't want to crush anybody's ideas if they do.
"Growing up in Bremerton. I had a neighbor who would go out every weekend looking for Sasquatch," the artist said. "Which was sort of weird, I think, but any excuse for getting out into the woods."
Another Sasquatch craft project was created by Diane Kurzyna, known for her recycled artworks including plastic-bag babies and candy-wrapper dolls. She'll help children create furry Sasquatch dolls.
"I'm doing a Sasquatch out of the leftover fake fur from the exhibit," Kurzyna said. "They put big fake-fur footprints all over the museum, and they had leftover fur. I'm combining that with new chenille stems and new googly eyes and recycled cardboard and making little Bigfoot dolls or figurines."
Kids also can decorate Sasquatch cookies with museum staff members and do a bird-themed craft with artist Nora Walsh.
And if they can't sit on Sasquatch's lap, well, at least they can sit a Sasquatch on their own laps - or hang one on the tree. Historic Holiday Celebration
What: Washington State Capital Museum's holiday event includes carriage rides, reindeer, music and crafts for children, plus a chance to see the museum's popular "Giants in t he Mountains: The Search for Sasquatch" exhibit.
When: Noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. The Olympia High School Chamber Choir will perform at 1:30 p.m.
Where: The Washington State Capital Museum, 211 21st Ave. S.W., Olympia
Information: 360-753-2580 or www.washingtonhistory.org
Molly Gilmore
For The Olympian
Last year, the Washington State Capital Museum's Historic Holiday Celebration featured Santa Claus. This year, there's another figure of mythic proportions at the center of the fun: Sasquatch.
"You don't think of Christmas and Sasquatch going together, that's for sure," said Olympia artist Steven Suski.
While it might be funny if the museum had a Sasquatch in a Santa hat on hand, the Bigfoot theme is not going quite that far.
But how about a Sasquatch Christmas ornament? Well, there is a Sasquatch figure that you are invited to hang on your Christmas tree, if you are so inclined.
"We're going to be making little Sasquatch fi gures out of paper," Suski said. "I think there's going to be a movable element to them; you can cut the arms out separately and then attach them. They could be Christmas ornaments or whatever."
The idea is to celebrate the museum's exhibit, "Giants in the Mountains: The Search for Sasquatch," as well as the holiday. Three of the four craft projects the museum is of fering Saturday have a Sasquatch theme.
Along more traditional lines, the holiday celebration also includes reindeer from the Cougar Mountain Zoo in Issaquah, holiday music by Olympia High School Chamber Choir and carriage rides through the South Capitol neighborhood.
"The event will be more family-oriented this year," said Susan Rohrer, curator of public programs for the Washington State Historical Society. "There's a lot more stuff for kids to do."
The paper craft figures designed by Suski - who is best known as a painter and whose work is available at Whirligig in downtown Olympia - is inspired by famous footage of Sasquatch taken in 1967 in California. The footage is part of the film that is running at the museum with the Sasquatch exhibit.
Suski said he had fun designing the figure. "How big do you want the feet? It's an interesting challenge."
So what's his take on Sasquatch?
"The legend has been in our imaginations so long," he said. "I don't personally believe in the Sasquatch, but I don't want to crush anybody's ideas if they do.
"Growing up in Bremerton. I had a neighbor who would go out every weekend looking for Sasquatch," the artist said. "Which was sort of weird, I think, but any excuse for getting out into the woods."
Another Sasquatch craft project was created by Diane Kurzyna, known for her recycled artworks including plastic-bag babies and candy-wrapper dolls. She'll help children create furry Sasquatch dolls.
"I'm doing a Sasquatch out of the leftover fake fur from the exhibit," Kurzyna said. "They put big fake-fur footprints all over the museum, and they had leftover fur. I'm combining that with new chenille stems and new googly eyes and recycled cardboard and making little Bigfoot dolls or figurines."
Kids also can decorate Sasquatch cookies with museum staff members and do a bird-themed craft with artist Nora Walsh.
And if they can't sit on Sasquatch's lap, well, at least they can sit a Sasquatch on their own laps - or hang one on the tree. Historic Holiday Celebration
What: Washington State Capital Museum's holiday event includes carriage rides, reindeer, music and crafts for children, plus a chance to see the museum's popular "Giants in t he Mountains: The Search for Sasquatch" exhibit.
When: Noon to 3 p.m. Saturday. The Olympia High School Chamber Choir will perform at 1:30 p.m.
Where: The Washington State Capital Museum, 211 21st Ave. S.W., Olympia
Information: 360-753-2580 or www.washingtonhistory.org
