12/06/2017
The last big craft fair/art sale of the year has come and gone (for which I am most grateful). "How'd you do?", they ask. "Did you get rich?" - always asked with a little snicker.
The standard artist reply - especially when one hasn't done too well - is to speak of the great "exposure", the friendliness of fair-goers, the fabulous contacts that were made, etc.
The truth: I came out ahead on money - which is always great! But I came away with an indescribable wealth of inspiration, validation, and newly revived enthusiasm for what I do and why I do it. (I also came away with pneumonia, but that was all on my own...)(Bummer)
One woman went straight to one of my black & white High Sierra pictures and told me about her father (who is gone now), that he used to take pictures "just like this" and that my pictures had taken her back in time, back to his photography. It was a sweet memory for her; it created one for me.
I love the stories that Fair-goers told me about growing up playing in and around the old barns and buildings that I had captured in my photography. Old friends good-naturedly corrected each other's memories, but they were back there in time, together.
Even the car portraits seemed to get folks talking: Their family had had a DeSoto "just like that"! Gentle arguments ensued: "That's a '39 Ford!" "Nope, you're wrong, it's a '38 Chevy!"
There were "aha" moments: "That would be the perfect gift for..."
Did they all buy something? Not a one.
But every one of those who shared their stories, their memories, and their observations with me left me feeling incredibly rich in spirit, and blessed in the affairs of the heart.
Not a bad way to spend the weekend...
(Now, back to bed)
