After Sierra Art Trails. . . . .

My last post was about Sierra Art Trails. The weather was perfect this year but it was a rather quiet weekend in terms of traffic and sales. Julie Mitchell, Vivian Aumond-Capone, and I wish we knew what made it a quieter year than usual. We enjoyed each others' company and the wonderful visitors we had but we are still wondering why it was not as well-attended as usual. Please comment if you have thoughts on the subject. Was it adding the third day? Too many choices of days? Of artists? Too many locations? Too many other events going on? Too tired? Didn't know about it? Too beautiful and you wanted to be at home working in your yard? You've seen all the locations/artists before and decided to take a year off? You've never been and you didn't go this year either? Any thoughts you can share will be appreciated.

Sierra Art Trails/September 30, October 1-2

Tomorrow is Day 1 of the 3 day Sierra Art Trails Open Studio event. Over 90 artists will be showing their work in studio situations in the mountain communities north of Fresno. For the 3rd year, I will be at Julie Mitchell's home studio in Coarsegold with Julie and Vivian Helena Aumond-Capone. Julie makes Spirit Figures and Vivian will have quilts, hand-dyed t-shirts and scarves, gourds and gourd necklaces, and more. I will have cards, prints, and original watercolor and mixed media paintings. At our location, there is a wonderful mix of art and artists and we certainly hope that you will visit during the long weekend. This is the first year that the locations (some of them, at least) will be available on Friday in addition to the weekend. Weather should be excellent.

From Highway 41 in Coarsegold, turn across the highway and go uphill at Pony Express Lane which is right across from the Shell Station. Take a quick right, uphill again, on the gravelled Forest Glen road and follow the signs a short distance to our location.

Today I drove to Oakhurst to deliver postcards and flyers to Timberline Gallery and then see Julie Mitchell and Vivian Helena Aumond Capone in a show at the Positive Living Bookstore in Oakhurst. It was a beautiful show and it seemed to be very well-attended. I fell in love with  a yellow angel muse by Julie and a tiny yellow comfort doll by Vivian. So both came home with me and I will treasure them. Julie and Vivian have very "complimentary" pieces that show very well together--Julie's spirit dolls and Vivian's art quilts, journal covers and comfort dolls.

The wildflowers on the way up and down the hill to Oakhurst are absolutely phenomenal right now. Yellows, golds, blues, purples, and the ever-present white popcorn flowers. Take a drive, if you can, and see them!