Art in the Barn 2012

Several months back, I was with friends for our annual trip to Art in the Barn in Barrington, Illinois.  It is how we mark time and how we spend our birthdays together.  Art in the Barn...followed by lunch and a few beverages, lots of talking and laughing.  It is always a delight, and always too short and it makes me think how fast time goes.  Everytime we meet there, I can NOT believe yet another year has passed.

Art in the Barn is a staple of Barrington life.  It has been a festival to benefit the local hospital now, for 38 years. My mother used to attend regularly, her art teacher Dale Wilson, an oil painter, would show his beautiful paintings of the local barns and the countryside.  She could not resist picking up a piece or two to add to her ever growing collection.   The 6th year of Art in the Barn, a teacher from the High School, who was the folk club leader... Mr. Offet and I were strolling minstrels.  We walked among the artisans and show gowers... and played our guitars, and sang when we were so inspired.  

Fast forward about 12 years...Once we were all reunited and our children had grown, we were free to head out to enjoy our birthdays with one another.   Without fail my Sister Leslie, other "Sisters" Jinny and Lee, My daughter Aubrey,  good friend Cindi along with her husband Hank and other wonderful friends throughout the years, Sandy, Jan, Elaine, Pam and more...go back "home" for the festival.  We NEVER miss it.  Rain or shine.  

From year to year the same artists gather, sometimes there is a new artist or two.  This year, a favorite new pair of talented artists was a duo from MyNihilo.com,  a delightful booth, fulled with handmade fiber scarves, and handmade fused plastic totes along with other trinkets and baubles.  What made it even more delightful, was the creative use of  props in the booth.  Springs mounted on a 4"x 4"x6' pole to create a "coat stand" for items to hang from, corrugated metal for their sign, which was created using repurposed metal parts and pieces.   SO CREATIVE!  They had so many great ideas,  the use of old palettes and wood for much of their back drop... but the best part... by far, was the personality of these "Sister-in-Laws".  They could NOT be more darling.  Their quirky and fun sense of humor shone through in their work.  One knits beautiful, long silk scarves out of repurposed saris and silk that was sourced from other countries.  Colorful and lovely, I could not resist purchasing one (only $24)  and it is well over 118 inches of goodness!  

I loved them, and their work so much, that my girlfriend Jinny went back with me... after winning a raffle... (from which she chose the scarf) and chose a beauty!  Yet another girlfriend was browsing there for about a half hour before finding one she loved.  

The colors of the scarves and the originality of the display as well as the lovely personalities of the ladies in the booth, kept drawing me back!

Moral of the story.  Spend time with good friends, Find new friends and artists.  Support local artisans.  Find things for Chirstmas gift giving and help out locally.  ( The Art in the Barn festival proceeds do good works for the hospital.  These artists all donated a percentage of their sales to the cause, Art in the Barn is a festival that takes place in the Fall each year. Usually the 3rd Saturday in September) 

Who knows...someday maybe you will find ME there selling something I have created, Hand painted silk scarves, original watercolors and oil paintings ?  That day... the Circle will be complete.  Going from being a musician in the late 70s or early 80s to buying there for years, to showing there... would be a wonderful goal for me.

Be sure to click on the mynihilo.com link above to see where in the area they are showing!

               
Thanks for stopping by!
   martha
opendoorstudio.etsy.com

Friendship Lasts...

Ever had one of those times in your life, where things are at a low? You are feeling a little sorry for yourself... and then... BAM! REALITY CHECK!  Well, I have and it happened this past week.

Here is the back story in brief.

The Setting:
Barrington, Illinois. St. Paul United Church of Christ Youth Group.  We had such fun, Sunday mornings with our swanky carpet sample laden lounge and boxes of fresh donuts, retreats, softball games, camp outs, trips to Wisconsin, bi-centennial ice cream socials, live nativity ( I was the Virgin Mary) and lots of friendship and fellowship.

When youth group/high school buddies J.P. and Dave turned 16, my girlfriend Tina and I thought to make a special gift.  We painted a little ladder orange, adding to it the likenesses of the boys who were our best friends at the time.  One of them, we used to joke, was a little shorter than the other and so we painted a little made-up saying on the top "Whenever you feel down in size...step right up and measure-ize".  Looking back, the better "play on words" would have been "measure eyes"... but what did a couple of crazy teenagers know.

We had such a fun social group, we were inseparable.    After graduation from high school, making new friends in our new collegate worlds, keeping in touch via letters and phone calls to our land lines, if even keeping in touch at all, after friends moved, got married and found new lives...I would reflect on the wonderful times we shared, filled with laughter and memories of days past.  We all lost touch!

It is difficult when your friends have last names that are so common... Price, Bennett, Smith, Butler, King... It is one of the reasons you kept "Layton" in your email and contact information.  Hoping those folks with the common last names...might someday find YOU.

Well, 15 years after establishing my online identity and nights spent searching for friends who have the same childhood memories...searching via facebook, google, linkedin, classmates.   Not knowing where in the world they were....

Last week happened.

The words we had written on the little orange ladder, were written there...in a post comment...along with the words "where is this written".   A smile immediately came upon my face... I wrote back saying... "There are only 3 people in this world who could possibly be commenting on this" (and I have been in touch with one of them for years...my friend Tina... so there are only 2 people it could be) "and it is written on a little orange ladder... I hope life has been kind to you my friend"   Several days later...

...in the midst of a political rainstorm of feelings with another aspect of my life and while celebrating the successes of family who had been featured on HGTV...Saturday night,  I had a friend request to my business facebook page from "Buck Wheat".  Having long forgotten about that nickname, I just ignored it, until I arrived home to see who it was.  I clicked on the photo and it was a facebook page made up completely for me!  It was my long lost friends, reunited in a photo, and a complete collection of photos of the well used little orange ladder,  It had withstood the test of time and had never made it into a dumpster,  It had moved around the country with Jeff and was finally immortalized in a photo! .. still painted as I had remembered it!

"Friendship Lasts..." was J.P.'s post...That couldn't be more true!

I am so grateful they contacted me.  I feel whole again.  A piece of the puzzle that I call my life... had been found and placed where it should be. Having lost both parents, it is wonderful to reconnect with friends who have the same memories of days gone by!  Thinking of them brings to mind the lyrics of a song called "Everybody's free to wear sunscreen".   If you don't know it, you should!  Google it or better yet, I will link to the lyrics here.

Thank you JP and Dave for finding me again.  I am happy to see your sense of humor never left you both!

You two bring a smile to my face every time I see your photo!

Memories of Memorial days past:

      Marching Bands, Cemetery Ceremonies , Taps from the lone trumpet afar.

              Fond memories of Barrington, IL and days gone by.

Thank you to all who have served this Country and for those who have made the Ultimate Sacrafice.

  We, as Amiercans, are eternally grateful.

Refreshed and ready for Fall!

Just viewing some lovely blogs I have discovered. Some are from friends I have met along the way and others are from friends I would like to meet!

I have been inspired to begin changing my space for fall and now I just need to root through bins and bins of seasonal items to find just the right touches!

I have never been one to want to decorate for Halloween too soon! I like to add those elements in mid october. I do love the feel, taste and smell of fall so I will be finding my diffuser, bittersweet, pumpkins and gourds to add to the festive look. This year I am putting a more modern spin on things!

Before decorating for this harvest season, it is my tradition to attend a most cherished event!...

This weekend I will be graduating in to "Middleagedom" .... To usher that in, some of my best friends will be gathering for our traditional "usher in fall" trip to "Art in the Barn" in Barrington. This is a place I began to go to with my mother when I was young. She was an artist and her teacher would sell there every year. It is one thing I loved doing with my mom. As I grew more independent, I played my guitar and wondered the crowds as entertainment, Kind of a strolling minstrel.

After that, I never missed this wonderful event. Now, many old friends and neighbors gather to celebrate the fall, Carmel Apples, Raffles ( and we love those) and ART!

For Me... it has been my ultimate goal to be an artisan there! I will do it someday... but for now, I love to browse amongst the various artists finds!

I hope you will enjoy your day in the country and be sure to usher in fall properly by tipping back a cup of hot cider and perhaps even bringing home some Apple Cider Donuts!

enjoy