It's A New Day: Arts Festival

Thanksgiving isn't the only reason to look forward to November...the first weekend of the month always brings the Great Gulfcoast Arts Festival to Seville Square in downtown Pensacola. Fall, in general, means plenty of festivals in the area, many with an art component, but this one is the cream of the crop. For starters, it's a juried show which means a committee assures that a wide variety of styles and types of art are represented and the quality of artists exhibiting is high. Substantial cash prizes are awarded, and the show is well-supported by the community with many individuals and businesses making purchases.

Wayne and I headed down this morning, hoping to beat the rain forecast for later in the day and the big crowds the weekend would bring. With over 200 artists exhibiting, we had plenty of booths to explore. The photography booths were an automatic draw...a chance to study composition and subject matter of real professionals. Most exhibited landscapes of one kind or another, including some places we recognized. We took a closer look at some pottery and stopped in a jewelry booth or two. Often we paused to admire the talent it took to create some of the art, even if it wasn't our style.

We made a complete round of the festival, including the heritage arts, and then headed for the food area. The event has grown over the years, and the food is now in the block next to the square rather than around the perimeter. And with the larger area comes more choices and big food booths...much like going to the fair. But best of all was the bakery! So many choices, all sinfully delicious, and they were arranged so beautifully. It was art in itself.

And then came decision time. In the past we've bought paintings, jewelry and pottery but we've gone home empty-handed the last few years. Nothing caught our eye, I guess. Today, however, we'd spent a lot of time looking at the mixed media work of Peaceful Prairie Pottery. Termed mindful mosaics, their collages of inspirational quotes, ceramics, broken plates and other found objects were beautiful and unique. Making the decision to buy was easy; picking the one that would come home with us was not. It's hard to appreciate the details in such a tiny photo but maybe it will give you an idea of the one that's now hung where I'll see it several times a day. My favorite quote on it is "Normal is just a setting on a washing machine."

A little art, a little food, a little fresh air and a little time with my favorite guy...lots of things that made me happy today.