Sunday, June 6, 2010

Working It


Yesterday was the local Food and Wine Festival event "Grazing in the Gardens", which has got to be one of the best little festivals anywhere. (look it up: Tofino Food and Wine Festival and plan to come out!) As I've posted here, I designed the poster for this year's event and the image was also picked up for "Wine Trails" magazine; a most cool thing! and I've been told by many folks they've seen the image all over the place including TV! Man the publicity you pray for! So of course I was there - well, I have been to most of them I think. Anyhaveafinetimeway, it was fantastic weather, the kind that makes us locals all quite smug to admit we live here. And where my own hand painted tent was situated, I got a great view of all the folks gaily walking about and was front and center for all the live music. Good times, good times! I even was interviewed 'live on location' by Terry David Mulligan for 'The Tasting Room' ! (Except part way through the wind knocked over the wine glasses and advertising paraphernalia onto the table and all over my lap. Life likes to keep me real in case I get big ideas, I think) And I sure got excellent positive feedback for all the new series paintings I'm now doing. Met fantastic folks from all over and made some bonus contacts.
Today I'm exhausted from it all. It's the load the van, set-up and take down, unload the van, that wipes you out!
Today I'm musing on the whole 'event' participation things I've been involved in over these 16 years...maybe more if you count in the early early years but the mind has lost track of those....sigh*
Whenever I get myself set up and am waiting for it all to begin I always go through the 'trepidation' phase. You know, the ' Cheezly, what if no one comes or worse they all sneer or ignore me' goofiness your lowly self esteem wings at you. I think this is pretty standard for any creative soul who puts themselves in front of the public eye. I've often said that I think creative folk are the bravest souls there are because we put our own personal and graphic self right out there and take the smack downs along with the oft times faint praise and keep on going. At least most of us do. I'm sure there are those who just can't take the endless maneuvering through the mental minefield this life brings. No wonder we hover on the edge of breakdowns!
Ah yes, but what is Life without Adventure?
The pic is of my little thumbnail sketches I did while sitting in the sun by my tent. Thumbnails are little rough sketches Artists do to capture a moment or idea for a larger finished work. Often they are just a line or scribble, hard to understand, but can be really evocative. Think of Da Vinci and his work. If you are a new artist, get a sketchbook and just start with little things and let go of "It Has To Be Perfect". It's a great pleasure to just 'doodle'!

1 comment:

  1. Lady Marla.. I love this and I super appreciate all that you have done over the years to create and believe in such events..I have the exact same feeling every time we put on a show.. What if no one comes.. what if it is just us here.
    I am raising a glass of wine to you, maven of art on the West Coast.. you are amazing.

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