WHY IS IT ALWAYS SUCH A SURPRISE?

Hundreds of cards printed, assembled and packaged. Many prints matted, packaged and priced. Originals framed and priced. A booth or Gallery Wall to clean, paint, repair, and get ready in myriad ways to show all of this. Getting ready for any showing of art, let alone a 66 day summer festival is always a surprising amount of things on a long and ever longer to-do list of things needed before one can even begin to think "ready." And I have probably omitted so much, this being only what a mixed media artist might have on the list. Think of the jewelers, the sculptors, the photographers, fabric artists and others, many of whom may have to rely on the timing of printers and such. Just writing this wears me out. But in the end it is always done on time and so very worth it. 

So if you are reading this, come to the summer Sawdust Art Festival in beautiful Laguna Beach and see what everyone has created and how each has mastered the long to-do list.

June 30-September 3

www.sawdustartfestival.org 

IS SUMMER OVER?

 The weather doesn't tend to answer that question in the affirmative. But those who are doing the art festivals here in town are thinking that day is REAL close.

Festival season starts winding down this coming Sunday, August 28th, when the Sawdust Art Festival shutters for the season.( If you need tickets for this final weekend, email me at cherril@cherrildoty.com)

I'm thinking that it is getting close to time to hit the road for a short road trip (hence the picture here) And workshops start up for me again on September 18th (almost full) so plenty to think about.

What are your plans?

FIRST LOOK

JUST A PEEK

Festival season is oh, so close. The countdown has definitely begun, with just five days until Preview Night, where our invited guests get that first look at what the artists have been up to in the "off" season.
Right now we are all busy with the final details of the booths and the art work itself--getting it all primed and ready for that first look on Tuesday night.
The excitement continues to build. Here's to a magnificent summer season for us all!!

SEPTEMBER SONG

Gone today

September is waning and there has been so much going on.The first workshop is tomorrow, is full, and I am really looking forward to both the teaching and the doing.  
Thanks to friend Laurel I was able this summer to have reproductions on wood of many of my celebrated women. They have been very well received. This lovely lady to the left is a 16x16 reproduction of a portion of a large piece that sold this summer. A fun guy came in on the last weekend and asked if I would take the "Sold" sign off the original. I laughed, but it opened the possibility and so today he picked up his slightly canted version of the original. 
So forward...what will show up tomorrow? I have birds on the brain right now...maybe.

MOODY MUGGY SUMMER

Mother of Exiles

The Emma Lazarus poem at the base of the Statue of Liberty is a not so gentle reminder of what our country has long cherished. We are a melting pot of cultures and countries that is currently challenged in these troubling times as to how to continue upholding these values while protecting our shores. So it seemed fitting that, as a part of my Celebration of Women series, the Mother of Exiles (as the Statue is called in the full poem) be represented. Come see the complete collection of women at the Sawdust Art Festival until September 3, Booth #202.

RUT OR SERIES??

"Resist"

Friend Catharine had a birthday recently. Here is the piece I made for her then.  It was so much fun to create something specifically for a person I know. 
There will be a lot of these pieces this summer at the Sawdust Art Festival. I had been asking myself the question was this a series or a rut until I did this one.  Not a rut, but sure a level of creating that I love.
Hope you will all come to see the entire collection/series this summer. 

TICK TOCK...

With speed like that of the hummingbird's wings, the summer festival season is drawing to a close.  As always, there are mixed feelings about this finale. Friends, old and new, will be missed.  The good music will float off on the cool evening breeze.  Appreciation, shared laughter, and good conversations will waft away too.

On the other side of this, though, a good night's sleep, time to read and write and create anew, slow, easy time with friends and family...what's not to like there?

The Sawdust Art Festival completes the 50th year on Sunday, August 28th and the artists will pack it all up.  I look forward to the free time and the time to teach again and maybe even a bit of travel.

Fleet flight

CLANG, CLANG...

...went the trolley as it came to a stop.  What a treat these neighborhood trolleys have been so far this summer.  I am finding more and more ways to use them to ease traffic congestion, parking issues, and any other summer driving issues you might think of. Riding the trolley to the Sawdust Art Festival for my shifts, I get off at the depot and walk the rest of the way.  To round out the day, walking from the festival grounds to the library gives me a great chance to unwind.  Such a treat and a blessing! I arrive everywhere refreshed and ready to teach, to sell, and to enjoy meeting new friends and visitors to our great community.

THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS

#131--Home for the Summer

Maybe not much to look at right now, but this will be my home away from home for this summer's busy Sawdust Art Festival season.  Booth pick was done yesterday and now the countdown begins. The 50th anniversary of this Laguna artist showcase opens to the public on Friday, June 24th and there is much to be done before that date arrives.  Not least of these is getting a satisfactory structure built on the pictured site.
I am excited to return to this street-side location with a view of the world outside.  It is deep and open-feeling with plenty of room to create while I am there.  WooHoo!!!