Date: Saturday, September 23, 2017
Time: 12:00 – 6:00 PM
Location: Nathan Hale Inn, 855 Bolton Road, Storrs, CT
This event is free and open to the public.
Join us for traditional food, music, dancing, a rug weaving workshop, a lecture on filmmaking in Armenia, and a show! Note that the evening performance will take place at the Rome Commons Ballroom.
Featured Activities
12:00 pm Lunch & Traditional Armenian Dance Performance
Performance by Vanush Khanamiryan Dance Academy Troupe of St. George Armenian Apostolic Church
1:00 pm – 3:00 pm Concurrent Workshops:
- The Making of Armenian String Cheese by Maggie Stepanian
- The Art of Rug Weaving by Hayk Oltaci, Master Craftsman, Hayko Fine Rugs and Tapestries
Join Master Craftsmen Hayk Oltaci for a unique weaving workshop demonstrating the hand-made textiles of Asia Minor and Central Asia. Participants will learn the ABC’s of vertical rug weaving, including terms such as warp and weft, techniques such as knotting and the basics of design. You will actually practice the art of rug making by weaving a small piece on your own loom. All materials will be provided.
Hayk Oltaci–Hayko, as he prefers to be called–was born in Istanbul to Armenian parents. He came to New York City in 1988 with his wife; their two daughters were born here. With more than 35 years experience gained in the leading ateliers of Istanbul, Strasbourg, Paris and New York, Hayko is one of the most genuinely knowledgeable experts in fine oriental rugs and tapestries in the world. Hayko understands the subject down to the last knot. Widely respected both for his personal integrity and for the quality of his rugs and tapestries, Hayko works closely with museums and serious collectors, many of whom return to him again and again. For more information, please visit his website: http://hayko.com. His shop, Hayko Fine Rugs and Tapestries is in Long Island City, NY.
3:00 pm Afternoon Lecture: Filmmaking in Armenia
by Mr. Arsen Bagdasaryan, Film Commissioner of the Republic of Armenia
Arsen Bagdasaryan is an accomplished film producer with a passion for the promotional and business side of film making. Shortly after graduating from college, Arsen’s unique skills and creative talents led him to the marketing Industry. Arsen has worked with some of the most recognized brands in the world which include Calvin Klein, Marc Jacobs, Gucci and Prada. Arsen has worked closely with several of the most recognized media networks including Time Warner, Clear Channel, Associated Press and ABC. Additionally, Arsen has provided marketing and promotional services for major department stores such as Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Saks Fifth Avenue. He is known for coordinating high profile events including KIIS FM Wango Tango concert series, MTV Music Awards , Golden Globes, various community events for the city of Los Angeles and the state of California and red carpet entertainment premiers.
In 2010, Arsen was invited to join Tarantino Productions as a producer and is tasked with utilizing his large marketing network, creating through his outside-the-box thinking to evaluate projects and increase production of films. His earliest work include the feature “Underbelly Blues,” and a webseries entitled “Ridiculous.” By 2011, his joint venture with Tarantino Productions lead him to the Dominican Republic where he worked with the Government and other production entities to help enhance the film tax incentive program, suggested financing solutions and promoted filming in the country.
In 2012, by collaborating with Projecto Alpha Productions, he traveled to Mallorca, Spain to produce his first multi-million dollar feature “Mediterranean Blue.”
In 2013, he teamed up with Ken Davitian and Ara Kachadourian to launch Hollywood Film Partners. Hollywood Film Partners is a full-service network of feature film companies established to develop, finance, produce, distribute and promote high quality, A-List, feature films and other entertainment platforms for the domestic and international marketplace.
In 2017, Arsen Bagdasaryan was invited to Yerevan, Armenia as the first Film Commissioner in the country and is now in the process of establishing the world’s first instant cash back program for film makers in order to enhance the film industry of Armenia; paving the way for film makers from America and around the world to experience all that Armenia has to offer.
View his IMDB page here.
4:00 pm Reception
5:00 pm Evening Concert: Huyser Music Ensemble
(Rome Ballroom, 2110 Hillside Road – Doors open at 4:30pm)
https://www.facebook.com/HuyserMusic
Vendors
Bachigs [Lucine Tegnazian, Jewelry & Crafts]
Cafe Sofia [Sofia, Baklava & Coffee]
Love on a Plate – Armenia [Lisa Kouchakdjian, Instructional Cooking Videos]
Migrant by Moush [Ani Moushigian, Paintings]
Silk Heart by Abgaryan (Karine Abgaryan, Silk Scarves]
More coming soon.
Parking
Visitors may park in the Nathan Hale Parking Lot or the S Lot adjacent to the Nathan Hale Inn. (Permit is not required for parking on Saturdays). To obtain directions, use the map below and add your point of origin above the destination.