a little about artfest
I must admit that no, I haven't unpacked yet. And, ahem, I am still in my pajamas this Thursday afternoon.
My heart is still full of the joy that was Artfest. The connection and the creating…this is what I will remember. I learned so much this year…especially about myself. I tapped into confidence, which in turn tapped into a sense of self-joy. Is that a phrase? Self-joy? Well, it seems to represent how I was and am feeling.
I was indeed twirling during Artfest just as I had been twirling the previous weekend.
And, just like the last two Artfests, I was too present in the moment to take photos. I guess I just wanted to experience more than document. I think we have to do that sometimes. Step away from the camera (or maybe the need to capture something to blog about it) and be with the people who surround us as we experience something, whether it was something out of the ordinary like Artfest or something a bit more everyday like sitting at a table eating lunch.
But, it is also a joy to document…oh yes it is. And, I have loved reading the posts on others' blogs about their Artfest experience and seeing their photos. People made the most incredible art this year. (Yes, this happens every year, but for some reason show and tell night just seemed full of more vibrancy and more people feeling brave enough to share their creations.)
After my first Artfest, I came back to this space and wrote about all of it in several parts. My head was just spinning with all the wonder that was my experience. Although I would like to tell you about my classes (I will take photos of what I created...I promise I will Jen) and why I love Port Townsend and so many other things, today, I am feeling more drawn to say this:
This year, Artfest was about me meeting me.
I had Annie Lockhart's class the first day and I decided to use a vintage hand mirror in my assemblage piece. Although that piece was hanging in my dorm room for the rest of Artfest, I felt as though I carried that hand mirror around with me and was constantly looking in it seeing my true self.
Through connecting with so many people…through the many conversations and the shared truths with Kelly Rae…through the moment when I heard Michelle's voice for the first time Wednesday and felt my heart widen…through watching the joy on Kelly's mom Carol's face after her first class…through the laughter until tears rolled down my face…through the deep friendship I feel when I spend time with Kim…through the "oh yes I totally get that" moments shared with Candice and Julie…through eyes meeting with understanding as I talked to my new blogging friend Kelly…through the shared meals with Diane…through the hugs with Blue Poppy and the immediate connection I felt with her friend Mindy…through the moments after class with Ali and Dona and Jill and Stephanie…through learning and chatting with Reisha (am I spelling your name right girl? email me and tell me please)…through the sunshine and the windy rain…through the "how are you?" moments with Misty…through the tears...through sitting on the floor in the dorm hallway sharing about classes and life and a common love for Theo's artwork...through the wise words of Susan…through the joy (and wisdom gained) that is time spent with Katie and Judy…through the commiserating over no heat or hot water…through the learning from Annie, Bee, and Nina…through the connecting with familiar faces like Ginny and Joyce and Sharon and Kristen…through so many other moments…through it all…I also connected with me.
I spend so much of my time alone that it took this year at Artfest, and the time spent with others, for me to get out of my own head and see myself.
Through the excitement and ups and downs and creating and connecting, I feel strong and grounded in the person I am becoming.
art + life, this is me
Reader Comments (20)
Sounds SO great. I'm so glad you had such a great time my friend. I can't wait to hear/see more.
After talking to you, I would say that this assessment is just perfect...perfect. You met you. :-) And the confidence and joy that is spilling forth from you is magical and I do believe that it will help carry you through the many wonderful adventures that you have before you.
I'll be looking for those pictures. *wink*
love and hugs.xo
It sounds perfect! Welcome to yourself, your beautiful, wonderful self! Pure magic, pure joy and pure love.
The pictures are wonderful. I love stones, they make me feel so grounded. Can't wait to see more.
XOXOXO
"me meeting me"...i love this! your writing here resonates with me...i am practicing inhabiting my whole body, living in and out of my heart...i have spent so many years living in my head. this is what this spring is about for me.
in joy,
gem
in very real honesty, it was wonderful for me to witness this confidence unfolding for you :)
and for you to meet my momma, too :)
xo
squam....yum. can't wait.
What a wonderful experience. The internal and external journey weaving together to create the beautiful tapestry that is you. Looking forward to hearing more :) xx, JP/deb
i see you, and you are so very very beautiful. i absolutely love the photo of you in your sweet blue vintage apron that annie took in her class...
the only thing about artfest is that it is next to impossible to spend quality time with any one person. i get to do it with misty because we've sworn to be house mates forever more - otherwise we'd miss seeing one another like ships passing in the veritable night. i caught random glances of you in my class - wrestling with wire, i believe, ;) - and random glances of you on vendor night. other than that - where were we?! i love you, liz - you are magnificent. xo
the only FRUSTRATING thing about artfest, i meant to say - xx
oh how i agree with nina and i get to follow her with a comment, sweet! ;-)
i adore you, too and wish that there was more time so we could spend it together....i feel like we have not really had the chance to sit and talk...how much i would LOVE, love , love that, but i still feel very connected to you. you are a beauty and it shines out where ever you are.
i am so not ready for artfest to be over and wish so much that it could happen all over again, just as it was...every last drop...sigh. much love to you dear one. xo
it was wonderful sitting next to you in annie's class, watching as you gathered together the pieces of your mirror story-so lovely.
we both created pieces that spoke deeply of what we have been holding too close, it was amazing to let the emotion go and let it become something beautiful.
i am so happy to have met you, julie
Sounds like an absolutely amazing experience for you. Much as you gained from meeting all of those wonderful people, each of them surely was blessed to meet you too.
Wonderful! I'm so happy for you! I *love* the last sentence. Very powerful indeed.
Hooray!
p.s. I agree with the need to sometimes but down the camera. I make myself stop and just soak in the moment instead. There are plenty of photos to go around. At times I just need to so down and.....*be*present*.
I am so glad that it was so great!!! I wanna see pics of your creations, too. And I *so* know what you mean about not taking photos and/or blogging it; sometimes you just gotta BE there, that's all you need.
this post put a smile on my face!...and just so ya know, i haven't unpacked yet either...and it's been a WEEK!...
Absolutely wonderful joy oozes from this post.
I am smiling and feeling warm hearted reading this.
XOXOXO
it was so great to briefly meet you at artfest, liz!! you are such a sweetheart. xo
As always, you've nailed it! It's so true about the photo thing, I had the same problem (well, not problem really) in that I have hardly any photos from Artfest. I'm a bit sad that I don't have photos of a few people that I really value having in my life. I have to agree with Nina that it is hard to get time with people for a proper conversation. I am so glad I got to meet you, and very glad that YOU got to meet you! I was so touched by what you wrote about us meeting, thank you, sweet soul.
Oh and I haven't unpacked yet, although we only got home yesterday.
I first read about artfest over at kelly rae's about a year ago and I wanted to go. Still do. It sounds like an amazing experience, a place to be real and sponge up wisdom and creativity from all the wonderful artists.
How great you met *you*. I think it's easy to forget ourselves in that way. Although we all love to see photos it can take away from the moment at times. It sounds like it all happened exactly the way it was suppose to happen for you.