a day at the fair…

My Morning space!

 

I have been sitting here in tented space in the yard, feet on the ground, surrounded by nature, feeling the humidity on my skin, the chatter of birds, the sounds of the day waking up. Having spent time in my reading practice, not the practice of reading, but of jogging the mind into wakefulness, with literature  that offers refreshing idea’s of mind, body, and spirit, in the midst of that, I was brought back to a memory of yesterday, not much in the moment, this experiences filled me joy and creativity even if I was not completely aware of it at the time.

Earlier in the day, yesterday I decided to get out of the house, I had no real plans, thoughts where to go to the Town Center for the last day of the used book sale in which $3.00 buys  you a paper shopping bag of all the books you can fill it with. This was my third trip to this sale. The finds have been amazing from science fiction, biographies of Walt Whitman, Thomas Eakins, some mystery thriller, a couple of spiritual text of Neale Donald Walsch and Matthew Fox, and heaven only knows what else. This sales is a fundraiser for the counties of Camden and Burlington to raise money for scholarships for women.

I had loaded my camera, and packed my computer with cord and books, because after the sale I was planning to hang at a coffee shop, to read and to write, sip on some nice rich coffee, maybe have big fat muffin of some sort. Yet while choosing books, Linda had called, we had talked earlier about a street festival in Philly, at the Piazza, and area of Philly that is being gentrified with new shops, and gallery creating a fresh area North along the river where people can celebrate their weekends.

Im ready for my close up!

Linda’s call suggested there was also a county 4H Peach Fair Festival and that she and Brian where going to go there, I said no I would just hang, but after I finished filling my bag of  books, and got into the car, I change my mind, called Linda to see if they had left yet, which that hadn’t. I said I am on may way, I will pick you up! So off we went to the County Fair, Peaches and 4H what more could one ask for? These country fairs are a bit of a cultural shift, farmers, kids, cows, horses, rabbits and birds, barbecue foods grilling filling the hot summer air with aroma’s mingled with the other earthier scents of the animals. How often do we get this close to farm animals that you can pet, look their eyes and even talk too?

A fair Moment

Well the afternoon was hot, we wander about, the three of us sometimes going in different direction, according to interest and energy levels, about an hour later we headed back up to the Van, which we were permitted to park in the shade, under some old pine trees. Back at the van we sat around had some lunch of shared tuna wrap and left over coffees, and water, a few cherry. Brian was feeling the heat and his energy level was fading fast, so off we head back to suburbia, of course another stop at the super Wawa! Freshen of up our beverages, and on to the next leg of the adventure. Linda suggested the fine arts fair at Cooper River in Cherry Hill, sounded like a grand idea, B, we dropped off at home, to rest to make some dinner, for it was now 3 O’clock.

Because of the late hour of the day the fine arts fair was quiet, better to see, and chat with the artist, about their day, about their work, and whatever comes up in conversations. Linda is very good at this, she seems to invite everyone in, showing interest, asking questions, examining that art in front of her, whether it is jewelry, pottery, soap making, photography, etc, she is child like in her enthusiasm, one reason she is great to hang out with! I learn more, I find out more, the whole experience is enriched by her presence! The one artist we spoke with was a South American, a 20 something young man, who hand crafted string in a process called knotting, which looks like crocheting, which is than attached to stones, the craftsmanship is amazing and a great way to wear pieces of sacred stones. We continued to wander, chatted with a Photographer,  an English guy, who had a lot of his work done of canvas which I have been considering have some of my work created on. It adds a different dimension to the work, offers another option for buyers. His booth was like a small gallery with deep gray textured panels, the art hanging from artist wire, which allow the work to hang straight, offers a much more pleasing viewing. We traveled around bit more, it was getting late, the artist were beginning to pack up, or just off chatting with each other, and I wandered over to this booth of photographs that had caught my attention, because they were also on canvas, but besides that they where bold and creative. In some ways they are product images, yet they where colorful, eye-catching panels of 20 x 40 with 2″ depth with themes. The first one I saw, where of a piece of paper near the bottom of the panel, the next one was a pair os scissors standing on end like a ballet dancer, I had not caught the theme of this guys work as of yet, when I truly looked at the first panel, if realized it was shot of rock, making up the game, rock, paper, scissors, title Rochambeau ! Looking around at the others I had that moment, ah ha! playful, artful, creative, here were panels of marshmallows, Graham crackers, and Hershey’s to create S’more. I was entranced!  In walks the artist, another guy and his little girl, who found these photograph panels as playful and creative as I did, she was even beginning to suggest idea of new panels or enhancements to the ones already thought of, Greg the artist was thrilled and was taking note!  I have not spent that much time viewing photographs in ages.

When was the last time you spend the day at a fair?