Where shopping is pure entertainment...

Our women's business group, Keystone Women's Circle, (more pictures if you click this link: keystonewomenscircle.blogspot.com) had a booth at the Jordan Art Festival, last weekend.  We were guests of Maureen Carlson, which allowed us to be in the festival even though not all members are artists in the typical sense.  Most members of Keystone are artists of some sort, though a few are more in the healing arts.  Maureen wanted to give festival goers a chance to meet this amazing group of entrepeneurs, all of whom are well versed in the creative art of inventing and growing a business (or two or three...we have some seriously courageous members!). 

Children's book author and owner of Bridging the Universe,  Cat (Cathy) Isles held down the fort while I ran around and snapped photos.

 Turnout for the festival was pretty strong this year, despite the fact that the forecasted clear skies stayed hidden behind light rain until Sunday afternoon.  The selection of artists at this juried show was smaller this year than in previous years, but all were highly talented, with fine quality work for sale.  I snapped photos of a couple of my favorites: 


Enjoying the light breeze in her hair, Phyllis Hunter displays her gorgeous metal and stone jewelry.  Click here to check out her website:  jewelrybyphyllis.com



Molly Mae's glorious calico rabbit caught my eye, and that of many others.  The original wasn't priced for sale, but the prints had nearly sold out by early Sunday afternoon, and if I caught the story right, this was her first show!  (No website yet, but you can email her to order prints, mmbiebl@comcast.net)  Her sister is a photographer with lovely work on display as well.  I should have taken a shot of her, too, but you know me and rabbits...I was twitterpated.

 There were artist demos and live entertainment going on around the show throughout both days:

Pete-the-insurance-guy steps up to give pottery throwing demos at this art festival, and other venues.  This father of three brilliant children, and husband to an allegedly very patient woman, doesn't make pottery to sell at art shows.  He just loves to entice others to get their hands into wet clay, in hopes of spreading the addiction. 

Maureen Carlson enchants children and adults alike with a Story Clay Telling.  The audience makes up a character with prompts from Maureen, and as it's story emerges, so does a unique little creature.  This one became Estevan, who is very kind and very stubborn, came to Jordan from the Empire State Building, and while he was being invented, his eyes traveled to the Louvre in France, his ears were crammed with an assortment of knock-knock jokes, and his head was filled with wise words from small children. 

I didn't get to watch much of the performance, but the puppet show was boisterous and noisy, and seemed to entertain the adults as much as the kids.

There is always live music at the Jordan Art Festival.  Please remember to tip live performers at fairs and festivals.  They are rarely paid to be there, and at some shows, they pay for their spot, even though they do so much to create the festive atmosphere, giving you free live music.  Of course, if you really like their music, keep them in strings by purchasing their cd's! 

Greg Herriges was the musician on stage when I was racing around snapping photos.  As I tend to be easily charmed by musicians, whether they are actually charming or not (or whether they are even trying to charm anyone or not), I didn't stick around to meet this one.  Sorry.  I'm sure he's a fine human being, and his music was certainly lovely.  I bet you can google him, if you want to hear it. 

My friends may forbid me to fall in stupid with musicians, but nobody said I can't fall in love with a gorgeous musical instrument.  Who cares if I don't know how to play it?  I seriously covet this beauty!

So, mark your 2012 calendar for the Jordan Art Festival.  It's always on St. John's weekend, and perhaps next year the weather forecasters will make sure that Mother Nature knows that they have predicted dry sunny skies.  There are still plenty of art shows all over the country this summer.  All the artists would really appreciate your business, so why not do your Christmas shopping now, in the open air, with great live music in the background, purchasing unique gifts from the people who made them.  You do remember what last minute Christmas shopping in the mall was like a few months back, right?  Google "art shows" + your state, right now.