Events & Workshop Manager
Mike Talyad / Jungle Branch
As a fan of the Asheville Tool Library and its mission, as well as a member that has used your resources for workshop events of my own, I am excited to have come across the posting for the position of a part-time Workshop & Events Manager. My experience and skills as an artist, event speaker, and community coordinator perfectly align with the goals of this role as well as my personal and professional passions.
One of my biggest passions in life is creating connections and unique experiences - between people and ideas, people and the tools they may need, and amongst one another. All of my work and experience hinge around the core concept of connection and working at the Asheville Tool Library would be an excellent way for me to create new connections and deepen current ones.
Community-Minded Aid
& Event Creation
My current work as the Founder & Events Manager of Caravan Art Bazaar (CAB) has resulted in nearly 40 markets and several workshops featuring BIPOC artists and organizations throughout Western North Carolina since early 2024. I have also co-coordinated a 10-day, 15-event Asian Culture Festival in 2024 which raised over $4k for local BIPOC organizations and showcased much of the “hidden” talent right in our own community.
The workshops I helped create have been some of the most exciting elements of CAB for me because they embody ways to not only educate others and expand upon their skills, but avenues to create deeper community connection.
Below are highlights from a few of our recent workshops. Part of my intention behind our workshops was to photograph them in order to share the stories and use them for marketing material on future workshops, which is something I would be happy offer in my role as the Workshop and Events Manager at ATL, should I receive the position.
Reconnecting with Nature
Through Journaling + Story
CAB held two workshops lead by artist Carolina Corona who guided us through the process of Nature Journaling, hosted at the Beaver Lake Bird Sanctuary and Southside Community Farm. Our goal with this workshop was to help deepen our connection and curiosity with nature after the impacts and grief of Helene. Throughout these workshops we not only shared from our journaling sketches and observations, but stories that connected us with nature from both our past and present lives.
Mask Making with
House of Arulu
CAB held two workshops lead by artist House of Arulu, who guided us through a three day process of creating paper mache masks using clay, paper clay and paper mache, acrylic paints and more. All levels of artistic skill were welcome, and participants explored inspiration through dreams, culture, our connection to nature, and other themes. Some masks were designed for artistic/theatrical practice, some for altar display, some as a form of healing and exploring the past, and some simply for use as a Halloween costume!
Loy Krathong Workshop
with Dalaya Thai
Celebrating the Thai festival of Loy Krathong, we created floating lanterns before sharing a family styled long table meal together. This tradition of lantern making was done so using only natural materials, and co-lead by Chef Gun from Dalaya Thai alongside Mike Talyad.
Tackling the isolating side effects of running a restaurant, this event was created in collaboration with the WNC AAPI as a way to help deepen community connections between restaurant industry families in Sylva, NC with folks that would otherwise be “just customers.”
Collaborative Success
Since its inception in early 2024, Caravan Art Bazaar has helped artists earn a collective total of over $12K in art sales, paid artists over $5K in workshop fees, and helped raise nearly $17K in funds for mutual aid programs near and far.
I am extremely proud of this project, and although I’ve been largely responsible for many of the behind the scenes and public facing elements to CAB, this mission would not have been possible without the helping hands of so many others.
Collaborating with and building relationships with artists, businesses, organizations, venues, etc. in unique ways has been the backbone of CABs success. While I may be the one pulling the strings behind the curtains, this journey owes a great many thanks to so, so many others.
Through small, grassroots efforts, CAB has evolved over the last two years with the help of a few volunteers, grant funding from Crafting the Future, fiscal sponsorship through Soul & Soil Project, partnerships with dozens of businesses and organizations, and creative talent from over 20 local BIPOC artists here in WNC. It is these kinds of connections, and this kind of collaborative success, that I believe in and try to foster within every endeavor I choose to explore.
I really admire the ATL and its role here in WNC, and am excited at the prospect to collaborate with y’a’ll in ways that help serve the community by fostering and empowering individual and collective growth! I see my role as the Events Manager as not only a means for me to continue making the best use of my skills and experience, but also as a way to broaden and strengthen the goals of the Asheville Tool Library, and the expansion of the art balcony and events program.
Thank you for your time and consideration. Please don’t hesitate to reach out regarding any clarification or elaboration.
Mike Talyad
Founder of Caravan Art Bazaar &
Jungle Branch: Photography with a Mission
caravanartbazaar@gmail.com
630 - 415 - 8599