Arlene Owseichik

City: Berkeley

Years with HSB: 13

The job: I’m considered the artistic director, which means the look and feel of the festival.

Qualifications: I was the art director for almost 2,000 Fillmore posters for Bill Graham Presents.

Landing the gig: I knew Dawn Holliday from when she ran the box office for the Old Waldorf. When I no longer was at Bill Graham Presents, Dawn called me. This was 13 years ago. They were taking a big step up in terms of stages. Dawn wanted it to be prettier, like MerleFest back east. That’s when she hired me.

The decor: I originate all the giant banners and tower graphics and stage logos and signage and maps. Every year we update the logo. I also curate the HSB Museum . ... The museum is a tribute to the festival. It’s a 40-foot tent. There are pictures and posters signed by everybody that played.

The theme for 2018 is Tree of Life. Last year, it was Summer of Love. We are talking every dressing room tent is cherried out.

The mascot: In 2009, we had a county fair theme, and I purchased a life-size cow made out of plastic. We named the cow Butter. In the off-season, she went home with one of us. The third year she went home with Sheri. Around that time, she had her makeover to bovine psychedelia.

Butter stands in the plantings above the Porch Stage where she views the folks entering the festival and listens to the music from that stage.

Photos by Amy Osborne / Special to The Chronicle Artistic Director Arlene Owseichik oversees the festival’s look and feel.