Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Art and Highway Whimsy


On Columbus Day we sailed over back roads to the Northampton Tri-County Fairgrounds and the fall show of Paradise City, a juried collection of beautiful things.
 Even though it was ten degrees colder than at our house only about forty-five minutes away, and felt even colder than that in the open buildings, we still had a lovely day.

The booths pretty much cover five things: handmade (and often hand-woven) clothing, jewelry, furniture, furniture, and smaller items for the home. Almost all of it – it is juried, after all – could be classified as art.

Too bad I can’t see my way to buy a jacket for $350, or earrings for $75. I need a different sort of life to justify that sort of expenditure – there’s little need to get all decked out for free movie night at our town library.

Just to give you a taste:

























Here's work by our local semi-celebrity glassblower Josh Simpson
who is married to former astronaut Catherine Coleman and
appropriately enough, creates imaginary worlds.




I enjoyed the items in all the buildings, but some of my favorite things were outdoors. 

And how could you not love this giant carrot?

But wait - check out the other side of it.

And on the way home we were reminded that there’s something special about living in Massachusetts even if the trademark accent hasn’t made it to our end of the state:

(Make Yah Mah Proud)

9 comments:

  1. Love the signs- very appropriate! I like the imaginary world - that is beautiful!

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  2. I like the imaginary world, and I always wear my seatbelt!

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  3. If I had a ton of money, I would take home the imaginary world and that dog.
    Love the colloquial sign.

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  4. Oh! I am in love with that carrot! Laughed out out when you showed me the back side. :-)

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  5. I love to go to juried art and craft shows though I haven't been to one in many years. and yah, the carrot. I would have been hard pressed not to buy that.

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    1. I would imagine that with your fabulous work you'd be a participant rather than a viewer!

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  6. Funny!

    There are some wonderful things here but I do understand about not wanting to buy expensive clothes and jewellery. I would stick out like a sore thumb in the village hall coffee morning.

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  7. I LOVE that little glass world, and the metal dog! Fabulous stuff.

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Thanks for stopping by and I'd love to hear what you think.