Final Fest and New Focus

The 2005 Norcross Art Fest was a great success on several levels. Jan and I arrived in the wee hours to find that we had been assigned Spot #1. Very auspicious. Thank goodness for the sweet tempering of reality. A few adjustments had to be made in the space assignments due to some inebriated souls having abandoned their cars on the street the night before. Vendors were pitching their tents around the cars and those whose spaces had been parked on relocated to the right of us and provided blessed shade for my humble side-less tent. This is the second time I have felt like a gypsy cab in the company of Navigator Limos but once again I was able to pack all and go in my tiny car while others were still scratching their heads and waiting their turns for access to the small street.
The patrons were in a buying mood and it was good to "make the rent" before noon on the first day. Blue skies and slight breezes that caused us to leap up and grab the corner poles every 10 minutes or so, lest the whole thing take off for parts unknown ( lesson two - when setting up on concrete, be sure to bring weights to keep your tent secured if it gets breezy). My wind chime early warning system was a blessing. Our spot was right in front of Dominic's Italian Restaurant complete with mouthwatering aromas and the soundtrack from "Moonstruck" and "the Godfather" wafting through the tent all day. Except for the obligatory sugar-encrusted funnel cake on the first morning, we skipped the Fair food and got fabulous food to go from Dom.

There was so-so people watching Norcross being a relatively conservative community but I have never seen so many different and obscure pedigree dogs except when watching the Eukanuba AKC finals on TV. From a German shepherd wearing hi tech sunglasses to two puppy-like creatures no bigger than Guinea pigs, a fabulous black Giant Schnauzer named Brinks and a woman with a baby carrier on front - the kind for very tiny babies - containing a black & white cat whose wide yellow eyes screamed "Kill me NOW, Please". I wonder how long it was before he reached up, slashed her throat and made a break for it...



Now for the personal revelations. On my first stroll to see what the other artists were up to I walked into the booth of a local painter named Robert Griffis and was completely spellbound by his work to the point that, late on Sunday afternoon, I went back and made my first ever purchase of some else's ART. I am still thrilled by the little thing with no shred of buyer's remorse. His work is vibrant and ethereal at the same time and looking at the paintings and paying attention how strongly his art made me feel reminded me that I have not made any Art in a long time. Preparing and anticipating for these opportunities to "vend" has really sidetracked me and it's time to get back to the garden, as the song goes.