Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Chicago

I'm back from my travels for awhile, and dearly looking forward to resting and spending time in my garden. Chicago was disappointing as far as sales go, but was also one of the loveliest settings I've shown at. This art festival was an Amdur production, and Amy was there in person to make sure everything went smoothly. I was pleasantly shocked to see her in an orange traffic vest directing artists and cars to their assigned spots. She even came around to warn us of high winds for Saturday night so we could buckle down extra tight. This is a woman not afraid to get in there and make sure things are done right!

Before leaving the area, we stopped at the Chicago Botanic Garden - what a treat! 360 some acres of beautifully maintained garden, including a gem of a Japanese garden on its own little island. That alone was worth the trip...

I'll be back in Chicago soon for another of her shows, and hope to see a better return on my investment this time. If not, this sort of thing drives me to improve my work, find better shows, and re-evaluate my direction and how to get where I want to go.

See you on the road,

Jeni

Friday, June 26, 2009

from tornado winds to the windy city

Virginia Beach Boardwalk art show was a blast, if not an interesting collection of weather phenomenon. A tornado touch down near the show late Friday night tested the strength of every tent not to mention the nerves of each artist. This followed by sweltering heat in the 90's on Saturday, and then Sunday's high winds that culminated in a sand storm. Whew!

Smaller crowds and fewer sales surprised the veterans of this show, some who have been coming for over 30 years. Even so, I enjoyed myself completely, meeting new artists and patrons, jumping in the waves after show hours, and trying to body surf, too. I now have sand in places I didn't know were possible!

After restocking a bit, I'm off to Chicago to the Glencoe Festival of the Masters art show. Here's hoping for fewer tornadoes, cooler weather, and no sand in my teeth - am I asking for too much?

Artistically yours,

Jeni

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Updates

Show season's in full swing, so my posts will be a bit spotty as I scramble to fill orders, create new pieces, and travel the countryside.

Legacy Village on Cleveland's east side (near Beachwood) went well - and I got to meet so many new people! A special hello goes out to Linda and Lea who both have surprises coming in the mail very soon! Now I'm running around creating, cleaning, and packing for the big Va Beach Boardwalk show. The weather there is warm and sunny, but thunderstorms are a threat every day of the show, and coming off the ocean, sometimes they're pretty freaking violent. Let's see if I come back in one piece or if I have some terrific stories to tell you!

Relax, get yourself a lovely umbrella drink, and enjoy summer...

~Jeni