Yard Monsters & The Artsy Fartsie's

I love to people watch and there is nothing like The Ann Arbor Art Fair to get my fix.  If you appreciate art then you get double your time and money’s worth.  I call events like this a cheap thrill.  Where else can you go to see a man playing a violin in a wolf mask.  Seriously.  He was good too.  Not as good as the silver guy that didn’t move.  Well except when you put money in his tip bucket.  Now that was funny. 

To me, a true artist doesn’t sleep.  When an idea is brewing you just get restless and can’t get any shut-eye.  Whether it is a new piece you are working on, or an idea.  When I see a really clever piece, I will ask the artist “So, Artsy Fartsy, how much sleep did you lose coming up with this” Guess what, he knows what I am talking about and tells me the story. 

The real action was at the yard monster booth.  Those cuties were show stoppers.  And gut busters.  I laughed so hard, it took 12 minutes after I left their booth to get the grin off my face.  This artist creates, out of steel,  little round, smiley face like, with big saw like teeth grinning; sporting spindly arms and legs, and they are action figures in a sense.  Two of them had their arms in the air carrying off the notorious yard gnome.  Another had a pink flamingo snapping its neck in two.  I couldn’t help but burst out laughing – my twisted sense of humor was ignited.  This guy had the kind of imagination that gets people’s attention and the wallets out of their pockets.  He had every kind of little monster doing every kind of thing you can imagine, including a fancy little girl holding a tube of pink lipstick – right up my alley.  So I asked the gal running the booth, how much sleep she lost coming up with this amazing work and she replied “oh, I just take the money – my husband is the one who doesn’t sleep”.  See what I mean. 

Another guy, wearing purple, round Elton John glasses, took a spin on everyday wit, sayings, and clichés, attaching images to them.  I’ve never it seen done with such unique appeal.  For those of you who know me, know that I love quit witted commentary and found this booth very entertaining.  One that stuck with me is, two little characters – a little grinning frog and a cute little rooster looking each other in the eye.  The caption was ‘I taste like chicken’.  The quips and images were endless.

You know someone is famous when you stop at the information booth and explain, “I am looking for Xavier……….” .  I couldn’t even finish saying his name or “Nuez Photography” and she was pointing in the direction I needed to go towards his booth.  This guy is a pure artist in every way, shape and form.  Any person that can take dark, bleak, scary places and bring out their beauty has an artists’ eye.  His work amazes people.  He has dedicated his life to his art and has the best stories this side of the Mississippi. And it is paying off BIG time.  He is in galleries and homes (even movie star homes) all across the USA.  I met ‘X’ 10 years ago at the Ann Arbor Art Fair and have the distinct pleasure of calling him my friend. We’ve experienced great fun and laughs over the years and we’re not finished.  This man is what ‘following your dream’ is all about.  Check him out:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsJuT1lJhgw

And then there is Shoe Boy.

Nuts and Berries

The full moon has been coming out all week.  Technically the moon is only FULL one night, but I say it still looks like a full ball of light in the darkened sky.  And that explains everything.  People get weird during the full moon.  My old friend George the Cop said so, people I know that work in hospitals say so, and my friends say so.  I believe them all.  I don’t know about you but I get a little flaky during a full moon.  Not until the days pass that I get the aha moment and realize, “no wonder…………it was a full-moon”

The week-long full moon has done a number on me. I've been taking 2 steps forward and 5 steps back.  I even looked in the mirror the other day and thought I had company – then I realized it was just me, only a different version of me, almost familiar but questionable.  Four and a half years ago I quit smoking which threw me into immediate menopause.  If I wasn’t in menopause, this week would definitely be ‘that time of the month for me’.

Nothing that a ‘little pill’ couldn’t help, said a loving family member.   I don’t do pills, rarely take a vitamin but under the circumstances I was willing to try anything for relief, especially if it would ease my loved ones worries.  It worked.  I was put in a mild trance and that’s all I have to say about that.  It confirmed exactly why I don’t like, nor take pills.  But it took the edge off if you want to call it 'the edge'.

Actually what capped the day perfectly was meeting up with Frito.  She is funny.  Seriously.  This gal is from a huge family, and they have more funny stories than carter has liver pills.  I've witnessed a few myself. They are pure southern folk and I have always referred to her family as The Waltons.  She and I enjoy solving the problems of the world and going to the movies.  That’s our thing.  Well, that and Tim Hortons. Somewhat spontaneous, we decide to go see the movie “Larry Crowne”.  How could you not love any movie that involves Forrest Gump and Julia Roberts.

We get our popcorn and head to our spot in the theatre.  We like the top row, end seats.  It must be a karma thing because those seats stay open just for us.  If we continue to do what we did tonight, we may get lifetime free passes, strictly for the entertainment value.

As we are getting all comfy and positioned, we enjoy the previews and comment on which movies we should go see this summer.  A super duper long preview comes on; it was so cute and captivating. Hey wait a minute, this isn’t a preview.  Our eyes must have popped out of our heads when we realized what happened.  We both really like Winnie the Pooh, but we had our hearts set on Larry.  Is our focus that lacking?  We got up and race walked to the next room.  Our seats were vacant, waiting our arrival. 

We somehow managed to keep it together, enjoyed the movie and exited into the ladies room where we proceeded to lose it. We were laughing so hard, each in our potty stall.  I hear Frito laugh then I would start again.  We laughed all the way out of the place.  We were gut busting laughing and tears rolling down our cheeks. I can only imagine what the people all around us thought.  Frito and I have been friends for 24 years, each year gets better.  If this keeps up we may have to turn it into a Road Show. 

Laughing really is the best medicine.