Everything, Everywhere...
All At Once.
If you're one to keep up with the Hot New Movies this year, you'll recognize the title of this week's blog.
That is because it feels like so much has been going on in preparation of the Open Air Market coming up on Saturday!
[I want to pause for a moment, before continuing on with the flow, to say the blog post about our friend Jimmy Tidwell is coming along. It's taking me time to reach out to a couple people to ask for stories and pictures, and I want to make sure I write with a sense of joy and celebration of his life, because I feel like that's the only way he'd want it to read. Well, that and if his answers to the Members page bio is any indication, short. But, sorry Jimmy, I have never done short writing in my life and I don't intend to start now. So, look for that in the next blog update or so!]
At least, if all the emails my mom has been sending that have been dinging my inbox over the past two weeks indicates anything! (I love you mom, but you sent an email at midnight the other day and I was right in the middle of the good part of my fanfiction when my phone dinged and I lost my groove. )
Anyway, a couple of things you need to know about the Open Air Market, if you're like me and just want the highlights:
- Set up is from 8am - 9am.
- Cars MUST be out of the parking lot before 9am. Cars will not be allowed back into the lot until after 6pm.
- We are in the parking lot next to the Merchants Bank on the south side or left as you enter the parking lot.
- You can use either the Monroe City Hall parking lot or the Riverfront Parking lot to park your cars after unloading.
- Bring your business cards, if you have some.
- The show ends at 6:00PM. PLEASE pick up your art after the show. We have nowhere to store it.
- If you will be working at the show, please bring a chair to sit on.
If you've signed up for the show and want more specific information or have questions, please do not hesitate to
contact us!
Also, just some basic things you should probably know if you're going to the Open Air Market, as a spectator:
- Wear sunscreen. As someone who has red hair and fair skin, and now takes medication that makes her extra suseptable to sun burn, I cannot emphasize this enough. It's likely available at most stores, so like. You have zero excuse.
- Drink water (especially the night before! This is a trick I learned during my bandcamp days to keep you hydrated in the morning). Yes, you'll have to pee more. But you need to stay hydrated, espcially with the summer heat and especially with the Air Quality Alerts we have had lately (for excess pollen. I know this, because my migraines are triggered by weather and pollen. Yay me!). Also, coffee, tea, juice, pop, and wine are not water. They're fine, but like. Y'all need regular, old-fashioned water.
- Eat! Eat a good breakfast. Bring a lunch with you or plan on buying lunch. Put some snacks in your bag or car (i.e. granola bars, crackers, dried fruit, nuts, trail mix). I've seen one too many people faint at conventions because they didn't eat something before going, and didn't eat while they were there. Don't be one of those people!
- Cash is King. I can tell you this from years of experience going to conventions: bring cash. Cash doesn't require wifi to work. Cash won't crash when you open it on your phone. Cash doesn't have a loading time to approve transactions. Bring more than you think you'll need--you can always deposit the cash back into your bank account!
But, of course, the most important thing is to enjoy yourself and have fun!
Next up we've got some pictures from this week's Plein Air Painting event, which was held on a beautiful June evening out at Sterling State Park!
What is Plein Air you may be asking?
Good question!
Plein Air is French for "outdoors" and "is about leaving the four walls of your studio behind and experiencing painting and drawing in the landscape. The practice goes back for centuries but was truly made into an art form by the French Impressionists."
Every so-often the Monroe Art League likes to leave behind the studios and guest rooms and dingy-lit places to step outside and paint in nature. With any luck, the fresh air, sunshine, and cool breeze will clear your thoughts and allow you to take in the moment as you paint. And doesn't it look like those lovely, lovely ladies are having a grand time painting out at the beautiful Sterling State Park shores of Lake Erie?
(Fun fact: you'd catch a better sunrise at Lake Erie than you would sunset! If you're looking for a sunset, I highly recommed the two and a half hour drive over to Saugatuck or Holland to watch it over Lake Michigan.)
Make sure to check our event calendar to find out when the next Plein Air painting event is so you can try your hand at it! Don't forget to bring your materials and a chair!
Lastly, Gladys Drummond's watercolors class is having their final night on Thursday! Everyone in the class has come so far from the beginning, and it's a testiment to Gladys' teaching skills that attributes to the wonderful work they're doing!
To round out the end of this blog post, I thought I'd leave you all with a simple thing to do if you ever find yourself in a spot where it feels like everything, everywhere is happening all at once:
(Watch the cat. Breathe in time to the cat. The cat will calm you. And maybe go drink some water. Wash your hands. Get a snack. You'll feel better.)
Until next time,
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
P.s. If you've made it this far and are like, "Sami, you didn't write a post last week, what's up?" My dearest reader. Last week was ridiciously busy for me at work, and then I spent all of my free time getting mentally prepared to turn 32 on June 5th (which was also my parent's 37th anniversary). And like. I don't know about you, but birthdays when you're older are more about slowing down and enjoying the days and less about parties and gifts.
...
They're still about cake, though. :)
