The Old Tavern

My husband and I spent Thanksgiving at The Old Tavern in Grafton, VT.  This has been a favorite place of ours for over 25 years.  When our family could not come for Turkey dinner this year, we decided not to sit around and have a pity party but instead headed up to Vermont.  It was just what we needed. The innkeepers were fabulous hosts.  We watched the parade in the Phelps Barn sitting by the fire and relaxing on the couches just as if it was our own home.  Jeff offered to tend the fire making it feel even more like home! We had the added bonus of being surrounded by a wonderful art exhibit that was hung in the barn.  One of the artists was a quilt artist who uses repurposed items and embellishes, embellishes, embellishes!!!!! Her work was a feast for the fiber artist's eyes!  Could life get any better, sitting by a fire, sourrounded by art work, having someone else cook the turkey, and being in quaint and charming Grafton, VT.

On our way back we stopped at a tree farm and cut down our Christmas tree.  Believe me this is the earliest we have ever gotten our tree. Most years we are frantic trying to find the time to go get our tree. Since we moved to Plymouth we have yet to find a good tree farm where you can cut your own.  So it was really special to end our Thanksgiving adventure by cutting down our tree and diving back with wonderful pine smells in the car. 

                                            

Last stop was King Arthur Flour Co.  Who knew that this spot would be where everyone in Norwich, VT goes on Black Friday!!!!  It was mobbed!  We persevered and stocked up on our Christmas baking supplies. It's really starting to look a lot like Christmas! 

So if you are looking for a great get away in the middle of all the hecticness, I highly recommend The Old Tavern at Grafton.  Check them out at http://www.oldtavern.com/. Wander around the area, check out The Old Country Store in Weston , and if you make it to King Arthur Flour Co, just make sure it's not Black Friday!

Here's what you missed!

My last post was the end of September.  My how time flies!  Anyway, here's a brief synopsis of what's happened over the last month.

I had a great day on Saturday at the Wheaton Arts Show in Millville, NJ.  The weather was perfect fall weather, my neighbors were a potter and a photographer who were great, and I had wonderful friends who helped me set up and take down. Sunday was a different story weather wise as it rained and very few people attended, the unfortunate and unpredictable plight of this business!  But I had a nice visit with friends and with my mom who lives in NJ.

After working so hard to be ready for shows in August, September, and October, I came home from NJ with a 7 week respite until the next show.  I had to ship items off to Guilford, CT for a show called "Artistry" at the  Guilford Art Center.  The show is by invitation and runs from Nov. 4 - January 9. I consider it an honor to be invited to this event as the quality of work represented is excellent.  Visit their site at http://www.guilfordartcenter.org/ and if you are in the area, stop by, check it out, and do some holiday shopping. I have a good representation of work there.

My 7 week respite allowed me some time for small pleasure excursions to enjoy the fall foliage and local landscape.  I'm a big fan of Louisa May Alcott and always wanted to visit her family home in Concord, MA.  So my husband and I decided to take a day to head north of Plymouth and visit Concord.  We had a great day visiting Louisa's house (which by the way, due to settling is so unlevel in places that I felt nauseous!), Minute Man Park and the Old North Bridge (remember your history, "The shot heard round the world"?) I remember writing a book report on "Little Women" in 7th grade and drawing a picture of this house, "Orchard House" for the cover.  I was so proud of that cover! 



Me at Orchard House



Jeff and me at North Bridge



We ended the day by going apple picking!  What fun!  I haven't done that for years, since my children were little! (And that has been a looooooong time!)  Some of those apples have been eaten, some of them have been baked into breads and apple bars, others are yet to be made into apple pie. Our freezer is full of apple delights!

Don't these look delicious!

My next show which I am getting ready for now is in Duxbury, MA.  It is November 20 and 21 at Duxbury High School.  It is sponsored by the Duxbury Art Association and it has been a good event for me in previous years. I hope this year will be also. Check out show information at http://www.duxburyart.org/.  Stop by and see what is new in my booth.

So that's what you missed!  (I won't mention the wicked cold I just got over which lasted for 10 days!)

Life has been full!

If you enjoy reading this blog, forward it on to someone else who might also enjoy reading it.  You can also sign up to be a fan.  I love to know who is following my blog!

Till next time, I'll be working in the studio!

  

Loop scarves

Sunday I did a show at UMASS Boston.  It was sponsored by the Laboure Center which is part of Catholic Charities.  The Laboure Center helps woman and children who need resources and assistance.  The event was a fashion show and boutique fund raiser.  I was part of the boutique.

It was held in the campus center which looks out onto the Ocean.  What a beautiful setting.  My space was set up in a place where I could look out on the water on one side and on the other see Sister Corita's wonderful abstract rainbow painting on one of the gas tanks on the shoreline.  You can Goggle her to learn more about her.

I sold a couple of my hand dyed loop scarves and when I went to the ballroom to take a peak at the fashion show, I saw that one of the women was already wearing the scarf!  What a lovely compliment! 

My next show is this coming Saturday and Sunday at Wheaton Arts in Millville, NJ.  I have been doing this show for 7 or 8 years and it is always a good show for me.  You can get more information by going to my website, http://www.judyconnorjones.com/. If you are in the area, please stop by, let me know that you follow my blog, and check out my warp painted hand dyed loop scarves.  

   

Rainbows and Hopes

At the end of the Mad River Valley Show, while we were breaking down, a beautiful double rainbow appeared!  Since we were in an open field, you could see the complete arch.  This actually was the second time that weekend I saw a rainbow.  This was the more spectacular one.  Those of us who were still taking our tents down, stood in awe at the sight.  One of the exhibitors remarked that our "Pot of Gold" was waiting at the end! (Maybe that means the next show!) 

The Mad River Valley Show was a success.  Sales were down from last year but better than the year before.  It seems to be a fairly stable show take a few hundred dollars one way or the other. Would I have liked to have done better?  Yes, but there are other pluses to doing this show besides income.  I love being in VT this time of year.  The scenery is beautiful and the weather is usually a little "coolish" in the morning and evening giving me a taste of fall. I also get to visit with other artist friends who have become like family.  It's a happy time.  Despite the threat of rain, it held off until the very end and just a few sprinkles occurred as we were taking down the tent. It actually was a beautiful weekend.

So the rainbow is a promise.  Take it to mean what ever you want.  I choose to think it means hang in there, good things are coming! 

See you at the next show!  Check out my schedule at http://www.judyconnorjones.com/

    

Mad River Valley Show

This weekend is the Mad River Valley Show.  It's always Saturday and Sunday of Labor Day weekend.  It is the "finale" event of the 2 week Vermont Festival of the Arts.  I always enjoy doing this show.  It gives me a taste of the beginning of Fall in the beautiful mountains of VT.  I've made many friends there and it is a chance to spend some time with them at the end of the day.  The show is put on by The Valley Players, a theater group in Waitsfield, and this is the 40th Anniversary of the Show. 

So if you want to get a taste of Fall, enjoy beautiful scenery and excellent crafts, come visit me at: 

Mad River Valley Craft Fair

Kenyon's Field

Route 100, Waitsfield, VT 

Saturday 10 - 5

Sunday 10 - 4

                                The first 40 people get in free so get there early! See you at the Fair! 

Goodbye/Hello

I said goodbye to an old friend last Friday!  We traded in the Ford Windstar for a brand new Honda Odyssey.  The Windstar was the best car/mini van I have ever driven.  I loved that car.  It was perfect for carrying my booth and other items to shows. (It had the largest cubic capacity of all the mini vans at the time we bought it). I am short and I could actually see above most things on the road! (I'm one of those people when you are behind them, you wonder if anyone is driving the car!!!) The Windstar was well broken in!  Perhaps too broken in as, after 10 years and over 100,000 miles, it started  to have some costly problems, but not until then.  So this fall when I am out on the road going to shows I will have more confidence that the car will not fail. So it's Hello to the Odyssey!

My husband and I will have to figure out a new packing plan.  It looks like the new car has more flexible packing space and loads of options.  We just need to figure out what is best.

The first test will be my show over Labor Day weekend in Waitsfield, Mad River Valley, VT.  Come visit me and see how it all worked! http://www.madrivercraftfair.com/

Speaking of shows, I never mentioned how the Chase Center on the Riverfront Show went.  Sales were slow, probably a reflection of the economy as many artists said the same thing.  The Chase Center is beautiful and the show was full of wonderful craft artists and their work.  I had fun seeing friends and perusing the interesting and exciting work that was exhibited. We also got to stay in a fabulous hotel at a discount rate for exhibitors, The Hotel DuPont in Wilmington. 

Here are a few pictures of setting up the booth in the Chase Center.  

Ready to Go!

Radio Interview

Today I had an opportunity to be interviewed for a short radio spot which will air tomorrow morning. The spot is sponsored by the Plymouth Art Guild and is called "Hats Off to the Arts". Each week an artist is featured and talks about their work. This week it was me!!!! I've never done a radio interview before. What fun! The spot is only about 3 minutes of air time and will air tomorrow morning, Wednesday, August 11 at around 7:10 am. Thank goodness I could tape it today at a more reasonable hour!!! So if you are in the Plymouth/South Shore area, tune in to 95.9 WATD - FM in Marshfield, MA. Those of you who live farther away, you can listen on-line by going to www.959watd.com I just hope I sound intelligent!!!!!! Or at least a little bit interesting!!!!! Let me know what you think.

Off to a Show

I'm off again to a show. This time it is in Wilmington, DE. It is a show put on by the PA Guild of Craftsmen. I am a juried member of this organization and have been connected with this guild for quite some time. To be a juried member means that my work has been examined by a team of members who look for excellence in craftsmanship (or "craftwomanship" as the case may be!) and original creative design. It is quite an achievement to reach this status and I am proud that my work is considered to be of such high quality.

So if you want to see a great craft show full of excellent and gifted artists' work, then come visit us this weekend, July 31 and August 1, at Chase Center on the Riverfront in Wilmington, DE. I am thrilled to be in the company of all these wonderful artists. The show is indoors so you will be comfortable no matter what the weather. Check out my booth (#432) and see my new work, "Loop Scarves" and "Summer Tops".

More info can be found on the guild's website, http://www.pacrafts.org/, including special deals for staying at The Hotel Dupont. Click on the crafts person link and see who will be there. You might recognize a few names!

Hope to see you at the show. Let me know that you read my blog!

Wedding

The wedding was beautiful. It was outdoors in Newport , RI at Castle Hill Inn. The weather was hot and humid (bad hair weekend!) but a beautiful day. The wedding took place overlooking Narragansett Bay and couldn't have been prettier. The bride and groom were surrounded by friends and family and the ceremony was officiated by our friend, the Rev. Professor Peter Gomes. Peter is also a Bates College alum as are Chris and SooAe. The traditional "Batesy" photo was taken with all the bates alums who were there. My guess is there were about 25 of them!


Jeff and me


We had a great time visiting with friends from PA and NJ. My son's friends from High School were there, about 8 of them. It was fun to see them as young men, all grown up and yet still at moments acting like those HS boys I remember so well! I remember the "field of dreams" team playing Wiffle Ball in our back yard and the after Thanksgiving football game which is a tradition they still continue to do! (They have more aches and pains now!)



The memories were sweet and the new journey begins for Chris and SooAe. They looked so happy. My son just beamed! I love to see that and wish only the best for them in the coming years.






















Mr and Mrs Christopher Matthew Jones

Another Wedding!

We will be celebrating another wedding this weekend! Our oldest son is getting married. The weaving is put on hold for a few days as final preparations are made. As with all special family occasions you can't help but reflect. I think of that baby I held and comforted many times. I think of that little boy I use to read to during our special time at the Library. I think of that young child who loved to play in the snow and I think of that older child who won a blue ribbon for his first place chocolate chip cookies. (I wonder if his fiancee knows that!) I think of that preteen who played Wiffle Ball in our back yard with what I call "The Field of Dreams Team". (Most of them are coming to the wedding!) I think of that teenager who experienced growing pains. I also think of that young man who went to Bates, traveled and lived in China, matured, and learned to be a world traveler who appreciates the lifestyles of those different from his.

Now he is on a new journey, one of being a husband, soul mate, and loving partner to a beautiful young woman who has her own story to tell. They will begin a new life together. We once again will expand our family. I can't wait to celebrate!

Best wishes to Chris and SooAe!

A Brief Encounter

Pierre Tullier died last week. I've been thinking a lot about this. (Pierre is second from the left in the picture.) Why should this be important to me? I met Pierre about a year ago when my husband and I traveled to Washington, DC for his Page School Reunion. (I won't tell you how many years but let's just say it was during the 60's.) Jeff and Pierre were Pages together and spent many high school days working in the Senate and going to class at 6:30 in the morning! It was fun hearing about the "Glory Days" and all the things that went on behind the scenes with the various Senators, the remembrances of the Kennedy brothers, Martin Luther King , Lyndon Johnson and the social gatherings with Lucy Baines Johnson . It was interesting to hear the insights to all that was happening politically during the Vietnam years. Everyone agreed that they were present during a very unforgettable and unique time in American history.

Pierre and I had several conversations about life and business. He was very interested in what I did as a weaver and fiber artist. He took my card, the weekend ended and everyone went their separate ways. That was my first brief encounter with Pierre Tullier.

The second encounter was when I received a call last December and much to my surprise it was

Pierre. He had kept my card and wanted to buy scarves as presents for his family members. Thinking he was talking about 5 or 6 scarves, I was blown away when he said I'll take all the chenille scarves you have in stock!!! That was 29 scarves! Trying to maintain my cool (like this happens all the time!) I was happy to oblige! Little did Pierre know that after I hung up the phone there was a lot of dancing around the studio!!!!!! So Pierre had entered my life again in a another brief encounter.

I don't think Pierre knew that his purchase "made my year" and helped my struggling business survive and make a profit. I don't think Pierre knew that it helped me to make the last 2 quarters of my Social Security requirements. I don't think Pierre knew that it enabled me to think differently about my work and aim for better, more expensive shows. I owe a big thank you to him.

But then again, maybe he had an inkling of how important that sale was. He knew that my business was trying to get back off the ground after moving to MA. He knew that I had hopes and dreams to expand. He knew that an artist's life is unpredictable. But I also think he knew and understood the passion that comes with the work of an artist. He was a wonderful photographer himself.

My connection to Pierre was too short. We encounter people briefly all the time and then they are gone out of our lives. Sometimes it is more significant then other times but life makes no promises. It's important to live each encounter to the fullest no matter how brief. I liked Pierre. I wish we had more opportunities for extended encounters. I grieve for his family and wish them God's abundant peace and love in the days to come.

So where did all those 29 scarves go? I don't know but I hope the recipients are wearing them with both Pierre's and my blessings.

After the Show

Ever wonder what happens after a show? Do artists wander off in the sunset, happy to have been sitting at a show all weekend selling lots of work and chatting with customers? Well sometimes, yes. But more likely the show work continues on after the show is over. For me breaking down after a show takes about 2 -2 1/2 hours. Then it's the trip home which varies depending on where the show is located. At the other end there is unpacking and putting the tent, display items and all my work away. Whew, are you tired yet?

Sometimes the work goes on to the next day as it did this past Monday. The show in Cohasset ended with 2 storm systems coming through on Sunday afternoon. One was a thunder and lightening storm with 2 really close lightning strikes! I have to admit it was a little scary being in a tent with metal poles! We had to break down in the rain so everything was thrown in the Windstar wet. On Monday morning the tent had to be set up in the back yard, hosed down to get the acid rain off of it, and dried out to be ready for the next show. The floor mats also had to be hosed down as they were muddy from the rain. All the garments had to be pressed. Creases form when they are damp and put in the garment bags for transit. I still have to unload a few boxes from the car. Are you tired yet?

This is the unglamorous side of being a craft show artist. So why do we continue to do this? Are we all crazy?! Well, yes, a little! But I like to think it's really about passion. Artist's are passionate about what they do! Artist's need affirmation. When you buy our work it is the greatest affirmation we can receive. It tells us that you are paying attention and relate to what we are doing. We like to tell you about our work and we like to see your eyes light up when the work speaks to you. We are sharing ourselves with you.

It's a special treat when someone connects perfectly with a piece of your work so that you know it was meant for only them. That happened to me this weekend when a lovely young woman bought one of my shrugs titled "Tribute to the Women of Jane Austen". It was to be her birthday present. When she tried the shrug on it was like magic. It was perfect on her. When I told her the name of the piece which was created after watching the PBS series on Jane Austen (you can read about it if you go to the archives under April, 2008) she told me how much she loved Jane Austen and was a big fan of all her work. Perfect!!!! That shrug has been waiting for her!!! That moment was worth all the work it takes to do a show! I hope she has many years of wearing that shrug!

Show Week

I'm frantically getting ready for a show this weekend. It seems that all special occasions in my house fall on a show weekend or near one so that I am preoccupied with either the show itself or getting ready.

My husband and I celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary on Monday. (I can't possibly be that old!) I am so lucky to have found a wonderful man who will support this crazy craft show life I lead. He has been cooking meals, washing the dishes, baking bread, and washing the clothes ( the bread and clothes he does all the time)! How lucky can a girl get! When I look back at our 35 years I can't imagine it being any different than it has been. (Well, maybe the job loss in 2002 didn't have to happen! But then again I wouldn't be in Plymouth enjoying this historic seaside retreat if it hadn't happen.) I can't imagine a better life partner.

So as I work hard to get ready for this show, I know Jeff will be there for me. He will be my "roadie", helping me set up and take down. He will understand when I come home exhausted every night this weekend. And he will enthusiastically support my artistic abilities.

So if you are in the area come visit me at the show. Here is the information:

Judy Connor Jones
Weaving/Fiber Art
www.judyconnorjones.com
Come visit me at the South Shore Art Center Arts Festival on June 18 - 20.

See my new work:

Brand New Painted Warp Loop Scarves

Brand new Silk & Tencel Summer Tops

Silk & Wool “Collapse Weave” Scarves

Chenille “Butterfly” Jacket


I will also have my signature Chenille Crop and Tunic Tops along with Chenille Scarves, Knitted Purses, and Handwoven Quilted Hats.


55th Annual South Shore Art Center Arts Festival
June 18, 2-7pm
June 19, 10am-7pm
June 20, noon-5pm
Cohasset Town Common
Cohasset, MA
http://www.ssac.org/

Model: Jessica Hansen

Photographer: Mike Ritter

All work is copyrighted and may not be used without permission.

The Weaving Process

Some of my work is called "painted warp". I've talked about his before on my blog and if you go back in the archives you can find pictures of the actual dying process. Today I want to show you what happens after the painted warp is put on the loom and the weaving process begins. After the warp is beamed, threaded, and tied onto the front apron bar the weaving process begins. One of the challenges with painted warp is finding a color to weave that will blend with the variety of color that has been dyed into the yarn. Sometimes the choice is an easy analogous one and other times the yarn must act as a neutral to work with many colors as in my "Faith Element" Series Scarves. The pictures here are of a warp I am weaving for my new "Loop Scarves". This warp is in an analogous color scheme.

The blue, purple and green dyes were painted on the yarn and blended together to produce very subtle color variations. The pattern is a 6 shaft broken twill variation.

Come see the finished product at the South Shore Art Center Arts Festival June 18-20 on the Cohasset Common in Cohasset, MA. Check my website for details, http://www.judyconnorjones.com/.