This past weekend I had a booth at Art in the Park in Appleton, Wisconsin. It was my first time participating in this event, and I was so pleased. First of all, I am truly thankful and overwhelmed by those who tirelessly put an event like this together, especially the Trout Museum of Art for sponsoring the event.
Also, thank you to the artists who participated and for their dedication to setting up, packing, and unpacking their work, and for watching the tents go up and come down; it's a lot of work, but so worth the effort to make connections and bring the community together.
What a wonderful scene to see the historic eight-acre City Park surrounded by white tents filled with artists’ work and their dedication to be there, as well as vendors for food, drinks, and treats. And of course, the art lovers who came to enjoy the day.
As for me and my booth, one of many, I appreciated each person who visited Art and Books Studio and took the time to do so, as there were so many choices.
It is all about making connections and the stories people shared with me; I found their comments and support to be uplifting.
The experience of that one person who relates to an artwork on a personal level is such a gift! A woman visited my booth with two favorite pieces, and she could not decide. A few hours later she returned and chose the mixed media collage, “Queen Bee.” In our conversation, she chose this particular piece because her grandfather was a stamp collector. He was a mail carrier, and people would send him stamps from around the world. Her story related to the story behind my inspiration to create this artwork, which uses a French stamp from my grandfather’s collection. A vintage French 19th Century legal stamp, “Reine des Abielles,” translates to Queen Bee. A sculpted bee from polymer clay emerges from the center of a larger drawn stamp in ink, near the actual stamp that is collaged. She also enjoyed the color scheme of violet and yellow, chosen for being complementary colors.
My small bee paintings generated a lot of comments and enjoyment by those who viewed them. Another conversation piece was the 3-d collage “Frida’s Pain,” a tribute to Frida Kahlo's artwork and life. I really enjoyed talking to young adults who were familiar with her work and connected with me for the sake of art and art history. An art teacher wanted to share this idea with her high school students! It’s all about connections!
Viewers also connected with the small aquarelle pencil drawing entitled “Sheepscape,” for the love of sheep with their inquisitive faces, and the new movie “Sheep Detectives.” It definitely created conversations from different perspectives. The sister piece in watercolor pencil in peaches and green shades, “Grazing and Gazing,” found a new home.
From perfect weather on Saturday to a sultry summer heat on Sunday, I am so thankful to those who attended, especially for the water, snacks, and help we received from the volunteer staff. Thank you so much!
Also thankful to new readers who were interested and purchased my books. I’m so grateful.
Do you enjoy attending art fairs in your community? What are your favorite experiences when you do? Please leave your comments below.
