It takes hard work, commitment and a whole lot of awesomeness to put on the Cherrywood Art Fair. So who are the CAF behind-the-scene superstars? Keep reading to get to know each a little better.
Artist Coordinator | Event Chair | Food Manager | Music Booker | Public Relations | PR Assistant | Silent Auction & Artist Lounge Coordinator | Sponsorship Steward
MEET ARTIST COORDINATOR DEANNA DEOLLOZ[ Return to top ]
1. What’s your day job? Currently I work with Teatro Vivo in collaboration with the ZACH Theater and in partnership with UT. I have the honor and privilege to help present Mariachi Girl, the first Latino based children’s production at ZACH to 4000 Austin area students!!
2. What’s your favorite hobby? If you know me, you know you cannot get me off my bicycle. Recently, I rode from San Francisco to LA as part of the AIDS Life Cycle ride—my team raised close to $10,000. My bike does truly take me to places I could never have imagined.
3. What are you most excited about for this year’s Fair? The question really is what am I not excited about. The food, music, the art and most of all the people are the best that I could ever have dreamed for.
4. What’s your favorite East Austin hang-out? For a great dinner in an amazing atmosphere I like Contigo, for drinks Yellow Jacket Social Club, and for hanging with my friends with little ones (and a great taco) Cherrywood Coffeehouse.
5. What Austin celebrity should come shop at Cherrywood Art Fair? I have yet to see Robert Plant around Austin, so he is high on my list. I, of course, would also love to see Willie.
MEET EVENT CHAIR RICK McNULTY[ Return to top ]
1. What’s your day job? When I’m not prepping for radio shows, I spend time working at RubyRico Productions, a company I started with my wife where we produce live music and dance events.
2. What’s your favorite hobby? I love to immerse myself—some would say obsessively—deeply into a musician’s album or period. I’ll spend every spare moment reading, listening, and dissecting every bit of minutiae.
3. What are you most excited about for this year’s Fair? I always look forward to seeing the work of the new artists and craftspeople.
4. What’s your favorite East Austin hang-out? I’m a slave to Justine’s. If the city were under attack, Justine’s would be the first place I’d defend.
5. What Austin celebrity should come shop at Cherrywood Art Fair? Mack Brown should come to the Fair because he clearly needs a hug and something to lift his spirits.
6. If you could pick any band to perform at the Fair, who would it be? Steely Dan—then we’d get to enjoy the stream of scorn from Cherrywood legend Spike Gillespie.
Come back soon and get to know Silent Auction & Artist Lounge Coordinator Pia Agrawal!
MEET FOOD MANAGER SUSAN LAMARCA[ Return to top ]
1. What’s your day job? I teach fifth graders in the Austin Film Society’s after school program, Film Club and I also freelance in the film industry.
2. What’s your favorite hobby? Dancing, for sure.
3. What are you most excited about for this year’s Fair? I’m excited to see the art, but seriously, I’m most excited about the food.
4. What’s your favorite East Austin hang-out? Mr. MC’s and the Kleen Wash for atmosphere, the swings under the 7th Street bridge for fun, Rio’s Brazilian for breakfast at lunch time and best vibes.
5. What Austin celebrity should come shop at Cherrywood Art Fair? I’d love to see the culturally viable and profitable collaborations that would result if Michael Dell rolled up at Maplewood Elementary on Dec. 7 and 8.
6. If you could pick any band to perform at the Fair, who would it be? Gremlins UK. Best band in Austin with the best jokes.
MEET MUSIC BOOKER DONALD MILLER[ Return to top ]
1. What’s your day job? I am a Customer Service Partner at Central Market.
2. What’s your favorite hobby? Between football season (Roll Tide!) and living at the movies, my hobbies keep me quite busy.
3. What are you most excited about for this year’s Fair? I have never attended the Cherrywood Art Fair, so I am most excited about just getting to be there and witnessing what all of the buzz is about.
4. What’s your favorite East Austin hang-out? I’ve got a pretty awesome group of friends living in a house on Haskell St, but when I am not making their house my second home, I like to track down the love of my life: waffle wrapped fried chicken. Lately, Lucky J’s has been my exclusive provider.
5. What Austin celebrity should come shop at Cherrywood Art Fair? Patty Griffin and Robert Plant.
6. If you could pick any band to perform at the Fair, who would it be? I have narrowed down my options to ten. Coincidentally, all of them are playing at Cherrywood this year on the Performance Stage. You should come see them with me!
MEET PUBLIC RELATIONS GAL GISSELA SANTA CRUZ[ Return to top ]
1. What’s your day job? Much like Clark Kent, I’m a defender of justice. (Maybe that’s a little too sexy a description. I’m a journalist, without the superhero flair).
2. What’s your favorite hobby? Photography. I wish I could say I was great at it, but I can’t. However, I can say with certainty that I’m not bad.
3. What are you most excited about for this year’s Fair? Hands down, I’m most looking forward to shopping. This year’s line-up of artists and makers is amazing.
4. What’s your favorite East Austin hang-out? Buenos Aires Café for the empanadas and delicious cuatro-leches cake.
5. What Austin celebrity should come shop at Cherrywood Art Fair? Willie Nelson, for his sheer awesomeness.
6. If you could pick any band to perform at the Fair, who would it be? If I’m dreaming big, I’d go with Girl in a Coma. They aren’t local, but they’re nearby.
MEET PR ASSISTANT (& MARKETING MAVEN) LARA INDRIKOVS [ Return to top ]
1. What’s your day job? Nerding out! I spend a lot of time with numbers; numbers are my friends.
2. What’s your favorite hobby? Being barefoot in the kitchen a la modern, Latina Julia Childs.
3. What are you most excited about for this year’s Fair? Um, shopping! I’m excited to find those rare and unique gifts for my love ones and friends, and a few for me too, of course.
4. What’s your favorite East Austin hang-out? Green Gate Farms, the quaintest little urban farm down on 969. I love that I can pick up my organic veggies, hang out by the corral, soak up the fresh air and have a beer all at the same time.
5. What Austin celebrity should come shop at Cherrywood Art Fair? Robert Rodriguez. I think the local, independent arts scene is right up his alley. I’m sure he can find a blinged out machete.
6. If you could pick any band to perform at the Fair, who would it be? I’d have to go local and pick Hello Wheels!
MEET SILENT AUCTION & ARTIST LOUNGE COORDINATOR PIA AGRAWAL[ Return to top ]
1. What’s your day job? Working on events like the Cherrywood Art Fair. I do project-based work on non-profit fundraisers and music, dance, and theater events.
2. What’s your favorite hobby? Hanging out with any four-legged creatures, either my own or the adoptable cuties at Austin Pets Alive!
3. What are you most excited about for this year’s Fair? I’m excited to see how all the growth in the Cherrywood neighborhood over the last year will make this the biggest, baddest Fair yet.
4. What’s your favorite East Austin hang-out? The brujeria-esque aisle in Fiesta.
5. What Austin celebrity should come shop at Cherrywood Art Fair? David Komie, the attorney that rocks. Just ‘cause.
6. If you could pick any band to perform at the Fair, who would it be? Any? Whoa. The Replacements since they haven’t announced an Austin date yet.
MEET SPONSORSHIP STEWARD ROGGIE BAER[ Return to top ]
1. What’s your day job? I wrangle rock stars, invite VIPs and find homes for an 80-foot Snake and a zoo full of 15-foot butterflies..
2. What’s your favorite hobby? Cooking + Eating + Dancing + sitting under the stars being grateful for all of that fun.
3. What are you most excited about for this year’s Fair? To see my Sponsors happy and proud.
4. What’s your favorite East Austin hang-out? My house and Justine’s.
5. What Austin celebrity should come shop at Cherrywood Art Fair? I don’t know but I am good at inviting them once y’all pick one.
6. If you could pick any band to perform at the Fair, who would it be? I did and he is! My client teen wunderkind William Harries Graham!