We decided to show folks how a utilitarian item such as a tea towel can still be a work of art so we "hung out the wash" along one side of our booth. The fluttering towels attracted a lot of attention and many questions. The most common being, "do you actually use them to dry dishes?" The answer was yes but we also hang them on the handle of the oven door as camouflage if it is a particularly messy oven.
While people admire the displays, it is the demonstrations that create the opportunity to engage the public. It is lovely to see Audrie's finished Zebra but it comes alive when you can actually see her working on a piece. Demonstrations are important to show the amount of time and the skill involved in creating a unique piece.
The spinners drew quite a crowd. We had high tech and low tech demonstrations and were even able to persuade a few visitors to try "spinning" yarn with a stick. There were an extraordinary number of photographers at this event so the spinners have been immortalized many times over. I suspect the photos taken were better than these.
Later in the afternoon as the sun moved to the west and the blacktop got a little too warm our thoughts turned to shady places, ice cream and a comfortable chair.
If you missed us at the Art in Action event look for us at the Bow Horne Bay, Lighthouse Community, Fall Fair on September 1st. This is a real old fashion country fair with corn on the cob as well as the weavers and spinners.