Surving and enjoying my first Juried Art Show

It was alot of fun this past Saturday in Saluda, NC. It was nice to see husbands take interest in buying a piece of jewelry for their wives. Also,I was grateful to my husband who helped me set up and take down my tent.
Since I was by myself, I could not visit all the art booths, but from I understand there was a nice variety of mediums. It was nice to be affirmed in what I am creating from other folks.

Birth of Spartanburg Art Forms

New galleries, new excitement, new co-op, new Cultural Center, music scene offerings, an Indie book shop are all being energized by a crop of people striving for some level of excellence and creative energy in our community. It has been along time coming but in the size of Spartanburg renewed prospects are coming. There is a new enthusiasm about the arts and more groups are working together. Hope this fever is catching and it will flow into our schools and get young people excited, that they can try and do.

A resurgence and pride is coming back in working with one's hands. This is how our country started. Blacksmithing, making clothes,soaps,homemade breads,etc. were normal chores in the good ole days. It is sad that kids today can't even sew on a button, but with exposure to the arts, more and more people will appreciate the love and detail that goes into a piece of art. The creative process can not be measured by a test like S.A.T.. So more opportunities need to be out there for our children and teens and especially those who are the most vulnerable and can not afford expensive programs.

Oh! My! I did not mean to give a speech! But I feel this important to promote the arts and develop other parts of our brain!

Exhibitions

I am excited to be part of some upcoming art shows, but most of all it's about meeting other artists and the people coming by my tent. My husband is helping me tomorrow by bringing some of my gear to Saluda, NC. It is his day off, so for him to take time off for me was very generous. He has a new workshop,that he has been finishing the inside with sheet rock etc. My husband enjoys working with wood.

I am grateful to Lisa Kiser for inviting me to be part of "Metal Mania" in Seneca,SC for the next month. If you live in the area, this is an interesting exhibit of folks working in 3d metals [sculpture and jewelry],please stop by the Blue Ridge Arts Council Exhibition Hall.

Beauty in Scrap

This is one of my favorite pieces that combines different metals that were left over from previous projects. Can you guess the metals?

Humble Pie

Sometimes we just have to slow down and eat humble pie. This week started off with a bang literally on my left arm that dislocated my elbow after falling down on my granddaughter's toy. Four hours later in the emergency room with great care and being prescribed pain pills and loaded with a temporary cast, my husband and I were home. The next few days were frustrating to say the least because it was my dominant left hand that left me sad not to be able to make any jewelry this week. Thursday was the specialist day and the good news was that I could take off my cast but was not provided any information about therapy, so I am doing it on my own. A week later I tried to drive my car slowly and had asked my husband to back it out beforehand. Thursday was also another milestone when my grand daughter, Emma, celebrated her kindergarten graduation with 6 special children. A day for tears and cheers. On Sunday, some fellow artists gathered to hear about some marketing tips from a well know art coach.
Getting ready for some upcoming shows and cancelling shows has been an ordeal for me this week, but life will go on. God Bless!