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.