Every year our local Chamber of Commerce publishes a little local directory. The local businesses and organizations take out ads and listings, get their contact info in print, and have the opportunity to brag a little. This little directory is handed out free and most people have a copy in their homes. The upstart is that a local artist gets the cover. What a bragging opportunity!
To determine who gets the cover, we run a local art show. Some years it's big, other years its small. This year it was tiny. But the local residents dutifully came out and review the entries and cast their votes.
Two children submitted entries this year, and although I am noted to hate most kids, these two were dang cute. I instantly liked them.....surely a momentary insanity. But regardless, they were welcomed.
The number of adult entries was low, but the quality was high. Some beautiful handcrafted jewelry, several fine woodworking pieces, a stunning carved slate, a beautiful carved gourd, two very nice photographs, an eye catching painting, and an interesting junk art.
Voting lasted all week, giving people a chance to stop in. I tried finding out how the voting was going along, but it was a better kept secret than the behind the scenes shenanigans of our national politicians.
At weeks end, the Chamber of Commerce hosted a presentation, complete with food and drinks. Yeah, there was no red carpet. Heck, the show was held in the credit union storage building, so there wasn't even a carpet of any color, let alone red. But a number of people attended and were treated to the various artists commenting on their work.
This years top winner was the gourd, a intricate piece featuring honu (turtles). Now how can you not like that? It was locally grown, hand carved, dyed via the Ni'ihau technique using Ka'u coffee. A worthy winner.
I'm already looking forward to the next show. :)
What a great way for getting neighbor kind folks out! Yeah, the politically correct blue ribbons for all kids is execrable, but hopefully this concept will revert to recognizing real merit [rant over]. The war club is awesome - hang one of those off your tool belt to get more aisle space when cruising your Sack n' Save, yeah! I bet you has a photo entered, or, you should have - you do have a keen eye for nature's art.
ReplyDeleteOh! I just read your pines post - any chance those are the white pines? Those taste so ono!
Barry, every exhibit with merit gets a purple ribbon. Both kids submitted entries that qualified. The girl won first place and thus a blue ribbon. Her brother took second and a red ribbon. All the entires this year earned an "exhibitor of merit" purple ribbon. Those ribbons successfully keep the jokesters and riff raff away.
ReplyDeleteWhite pines, yes!!! They're the only kine! Ono! I just had another box of tops given to me, so tomorrow ill be spending the morning planting them. One can never have too many white pineapples. :)