Oscar - and a Grand Barter

Oscar
Oil on canvas, 20x20

I was on the edge of sleep last night when something close to panic set in, yanked me awake and kept me there for hours. 

Today is set-up day for the Stockley Gardens Art Festival in Norfolk. (The show is Saturday and Sunday, 10-5 and noon-5 respectively. Click here for more info).  Then, on Thursday, I leave for New England and the Paradise City Art Festival in Northampton, MA - and, I realized, as I was falling asleep, it's also the day I leave for shows in Cincinnati, Omaha and Columbus. 

And this is what slapped me into wakefulness. Do I have enough paintings? Will I be able to paint on the road? Do I have enough canvases to paint on the road? Have I finished all my commissions? Will I be able to finish them by Thursday? How will I pack the van? Have I made reservations, filled out forms, done all the stuff I need to do? 

Usually, I can quiet my mind. Last night, I couldn't, and it was hours and hours before I could get to sleep. It will be an exciting time, I know, and it will be fun, this big Midwest Swing - but it's not without its moments. 

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Bartering Babes

ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS of the show at Crozet last weekend was bartering with Judy, above. She walked by me, wearing the most beautiful loose, flowered patchwork blouse. I remarked on it and asked her if she'd trade for a couple small paintings - and she said yes! So here we are, above, with our bartered treasures. What fun! 

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Dog of the Day

After meeting Alison Thomas online at Art Fair Insiders, I've had the good fortune to meet her in person. She's a wonderful photographer/digital artist who lives in Louisa, VA, out near Charlottesville. You can see her art at her website, Serenity Scenes (click here) . 

Alison has been doing shows for many years, and like so many other artists, has answered my questions and given me innumerable tips and insights on the whole process. 

Little Foot is one of two sister cats who were born under Alison's house, to a feral mama cat. 

Want your pet to be the Dog of the Day? Send a jpg to me at carrieBjacobson@gmail.com

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A Final Thought

"I invent nothing. I rediscover."

- Auguste Rodin

Carrots - and Crozet

Carrots

Oil on canvas, 10x10, $100

Please click here to contact me if you're interested in this painting

The show this weekend in Crozet, VA, was interesting, took place in a lovely spot, and was a pretty good show for me in terms of sales, too. So that's a grand combination! 

The town is just west of Charlottesville, in the foothills of the Shenandoahs. When I arrived, I found that getting there from Wachapreague, about four hours away, does not involve "going over the mountain," a question that a number of people asked. 

This mountain figures prominently in Crozet. The town was named for Claudius Crozet, a French engineer who, among other achievements (helping found the Virginia Military Institute, for example), designed the tunnel through the mountain. When the first diggers reached each other, digging from either side, they were only 6 inches off alignment, after 4,273 feet of digging. At the time, the Crozet-engineered Blue Ridge Tunnel was the longest in the US, and one of the longest in the world. 

The show had a lot of beautiful art and craft items, and made me think of a small Paradise City, in terms of quality and diversity. We set up under a huge tent, and in small pole barns. Music and food vendors were in their own area, a little bit away from the art. I was one of 20 or more artists camping at the site. I stayed in my van, like about half of the campers. The others had RVs, pop-ups and tents, and the encampment made for a fun sense of community. 

The show attracted lots of folks, and especially lots of families. Moms like art! The fair-goers were fun and engaging, and many of them liked my paintings. Two cowscapes sold! And that's great - and unexpected. Both went home with really nice people, who will love them, I know. 

Above, my booth, in the big tent. Below, Dave and Susan, who bought "We Three Kings."

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THIS COMING WEEKEND, you can see "Carrots" and other new paintings at the Stockley Gardens Arts Festival in Norfolk, VA, Saturday (my birthday) and Sunday, 10-5 and noon-5, respectively. I don't know my booth number or location yet, but it's a small show - you'll be able to find me! 

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Dog of the Day 

I am always happy to go to the shows, and always happy to come home and see Peter and the dogs. Here are Jojo, left, and Abby, romping in the yard a few weeks ago. 

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A Final Thought

"I make myself rich by making my wants few." 

- Henry David Thoreau