Let's Have Another Cup

I'm starting to like this "let's have an art show" mood. Aside from planning one at my house with friends this upcoming May, I am just wrapping up a month-long show at my local caffeine hangout, J&B Coffee. It was unbelievably easy. I just walked up to the manager and asked her if they wanted to hang my artwork there for the next First Friday Art Trail.
Done!
Made some postcards and sent them out. I'm getting this promotion thing down.

 Then I made a big billboard sign to put on their easel:

The back room was a little dark, almost like a grotto, but we made it work. (I sold that big quilt to a friend later, plus a few other small prints and drawings)

 

 A better image of "Three Cups" done in acrylic.

My daughter also showed some of her photography of the Flatlands Dance Theatre.

The actual Flatlands dancers performed:

And friends turned out to wish me well. (Ellen on left)

Oddly enough, one of the most popular items there was a slapped together "art journal" I had made over the previous weeks. Ellen had given me, for Christmas, a little inexpensive Smash scrapbook targeted for teenage girls. By spreading gesso on the pages to fortify and prep them I used it to experiment with some of my hand carved stamps of coffee cups, as well as collage with clippings, abandoned art projects, random sketches, and found ephemera, all based around the theme of coffee. I laid it out on one of the tables and just let visitors flip through it. Nothing fancy, just making a big art mess. Journals should be free of judgment and just loaded with fun.

I can't believe I used to angst over my art and be fearful of showing it to anyone. Now I realize it's not all brilliant and I will never hang in a museum (unless I personally bungee jump over a balcony) but it is always such a joy and pleasure to create. My soul is satisfied.