a september to remember

Wow- what a month! Here's a brief recap: it started with a very busy First Friday Art Walk, followed by a very busy collage workshop for kids at the Family Arts Festival (both of which featured a very special guest: my dear friend Tim, who was visiting from New York and went home with my "Brunswick-Topsham Bridge" painting!), then it was onto a very busy Second Friday Art Walk (where I sold four mixed media pieces). Now, on to topics I haven't covered yet...

The following week, I went on a mixed media tear and I'm still in the midst of it. I've started and finished 8 new pieces within the last 12 days, one of which is my largest mixed media piece to date...and it's still morning right now- who knows what will happen later? I also found out on Wednesday of this week that four of my paintings have been accepted into the Dempsey Challenge Community Celebration Art Walk in Lewiston next month! That event takes place on Friday, October 12th, so I can't be there physically because I'll be at Second Friday, but that's okay- as long as my work is there, I'm fine with that!

Friday was the Brunswick 10x10, which is always a very big deal. It was raining, but that didn't dampen the show at all. In fact, 47 people were waiting outside for the doors to open at 5 pm! If you're not familiar with the 10x10, here's the deal: all works are 10" x 10", and they're all priced at $200; $100 goes to the artist, $100 goes to Arts Are Elementary, a program that brings the arts to Brunswick students from kindergarten through 5th grade. No online sales are permitted, and if you want to purchase a piece, you have to stand next to it and flag down a volunteer, who will then take it off the wall and escort you over to the checkout table. The show is so big, it's in two buildings: the Morrell Meeting Room at Curtis Memorial Library, and the hall at St. Paul's Episcopal Church. This year, the first half of the alphabet was at the library, the second half was at St. Paul's. The two buildings are technically on two different streets, but there is a walking path between them.

Terry and I got there around 5:10. We walked in and I saw that both of my paintings were still there. I wanted to go over and take a picture next to where my work was, but the place was packed and I figured I'd just wait until things thinned out a bit. I should have known that things would stay packed all night, because they always do at the 10x10!  I started talking to another artist, Debbie Casterlin (whose work is always hung next to mine at the 10x10 because our last names are very similar, alphabetically speaking). We were chatting and chatting and then she casually said, "Yeah, one of your paintings has sold." I said, "What???" and turned around to see a blank spot on the wall: "Re-birthday Cake" was on its way to the checkout table! I walked closer to the checkout table, and I saw my painting there, waiting to be purchased and wrapped up. I was able to snap a couple of pictures of the transaction, and I was able to meet the woman who was buying it! I gave her a hug and thanked her. She said she was originally planning on buying it for her father's 85th birthday, but she decided to give it to her daughter instead, who is about to turn 21. "Plus," she said, "that way, it gets to stay in my house!"

A little while later, Terry and I decided to check out what was going on at St. Paul's. As we were walking out, I passed Lucy Cooney, who is a member of the 10x10 committee. She said, "Hey- you're in the paper today!" I said, "What??? Which one?" and she said, "Times Record!" Terry said, "Hey, that's a good one to be in, because it's the weekend edition- that will be on sale for three days." Naturally, I made Terry stop at the store on our way home to pick up a copy (even though it wouldn't be going anywhere)! Anyway, we stayed until nearly 8pm, chatting with friends, show attendees, and other artists. Oh- file this one under "it's a small world": over at St. Paul's, Terry ran into an elderly woman he met recently at work. She had a piece in the show and we were talking to her about it. The younger woman who was with her looked at me and said, "Yes, I've bought work from you every year at the Gorham Art Fair!" You could have knocked me over with a feather...this woman was related to the woman who Terry just met! She said, "Yes, I have all of your mixed media pieces in my meditation shrine." What a compliment! I gave her a big hug and thanked her for the support.
The next day was the first pick up date for all unsold work. I was glad to have been able to make it, because this way, I can hang "Mandala Fiasco", my gelato-spoon painting, at First Friday this week, and possibly at Second Friday next week!

One more thing about the Brunswick 10x10: I am always impressed at what a well-oiled machine this entire show always seems to be. Every year, things are professional, organized, and beautiful, from the drop off, to the show, to the pick up, and everything in between. The food is always fantastic, the event is always well-publicized, and the work is always great. My hat is off to them once again! Nice job.