A Mellow Monday Afternoon

Its Monday, Oct. 27th and we are still in Queen Valley, Arizona where gentle breezes and clear skies make for a very quiet and mellow afternoon in such a peaceful place.
We had a show in Suprise this past weekend which is a suburb of Phoenix. Saturday and Sunday were warm but pleasant and the small crowds of people that did attend this event put on by the West Art Museum, were friendly and responsive. In this struggling economy, I felt lucky to have been able to sell my handcrafted products to such receptive folk. Many were considering gifts for the upcoming Christmas season and some expressed concern for the artisans that make their living week to week doing festivals and art events such as this one. I laugh at the idea that politicians can try make a point about someone like "Joe the plumber" as a struggling American in a small business and not even consider the hundreds of artists, musicians, performing artists and micro business people like ourselves who depend on the American buying public to support our work and our way of life. Week after week I watch fellow artists and crafters show up at weekend events, take hours to set up their mini shops in parks, parking lots and other various locations, arrive early each morning to open and do business, stay late to pack up and then do it all again the next day. And this is only after they have worked at their respective art all week long to get ready for the weekend vigil that may or may not be a success. Considering what a "Joe the plummer" makes on an hourly rate, todays artisans have a real upward battle just to make a decent wage for their labors and forget health care and retirement plans.
As for the weekend and the lovely patrons that appreciated my work enough to purchase, I thank each and every one of them. They are the ones that make it all worth while and keep the wind in our sails.

Fall in the Arizonan Desert

John and I have made a short trip to Queen Valley this month to check on things and do a few shows here in Arizona. We've been here for only a few days and have settled back in to the sunny days and gentle fall breezes. Our first show was in Prescott and it was a tough one to get through. The winds were insane and the temps dropped to the mid 50's and it was all we could do to get through the weekend, but we managed as we always do and its onto the next show. I still wonder sometimes about the life of an artist and the inconsistency of any structure or normality. Its not for the faint hearted, especially these days. Many of us in this line of business wonder at the changes we've seen over the years and are saddened by the thoughts of what's happening in the world of arts and crafts fairs. This is our lively hood and what defines us, but its a constant struggle to educate the American public on knowing the difference between those of us that truly make our own products and the ones that don't and wondering if it makes a difference at all. Enough said, we are here until the end of the month and plan to enjoy our time in the Arizonan desert before heading back to Nevada.