CONSCIOUS STREAMS OF CREATIVITY

Art & Soul Festival - "Paris In My Soul"

The weekend of Oct. 4-9th, the annual Art & Soul Festival kicked off in Portland, Oregon. My sister and I were going to drive up there, but at the last minute she cancelled. I was determined to go, so I boarded the Greyhound and made the trek from L.A. to Portland. Yes, we're talking some 23 hours on that bus, but the schedule I chose was one where I knew I would be sleeping a good portion of the time...and I sort of did.

I left work on Thurs. afternoon and arrived in Portland the next day at 4:45pm. I cannot begin to tell you all of the craziness that went on the bus (people were thrown off, accosted by the police), and some were being general nuisances. But other than that...I survived it.

Greyhound drivers do not play with unruly passengers, and they are "dead" serious about smokers who don't obey the rules of smoking in designated areas outside the bus. We arrived just a little late at the terminal downtown Portland. And since I didn't know where I was going I called the hotel before we arrived to find out what the best mode of travel was for getting to the host hotel. I also had to pick up my registration and then head to another hotel where my only class was being taught.

Here is a really cool picture of how the clouds hover above the town as we were heading toward Medford, OR. I think we were at an elevation of 4,301 Ft. at this point.

I could not believe what I was seeing so I had to get some pics. I wonder if you can actually "touch" the clouds?

This trip was definitely a "fly by the seat of your pants" trip....I didn't have a hotel room, I took a bus, I stayed only 2 days, and I went alone. It really was a fun adventure after all was said and done. I can't say I recommend not getting a hotel in advance, but all the other stuff I endured was just par for the course.

Oregon Visitor Bureau signs along the way.

I was sure I was going to miss a good part of the class because the bus arrived late, so instead of taking the MAX metro train (which I was unfamiliar with) I took a cab.

I arrived at the Embassy Suites hotel (huffing and puffing), trying to get my registration materials (gift bag etc.) so that I could head over to my class at the Holiday Inn up the street. Well there was a large group of women sitting in the lobby, and I asked if they were all waiting to go over to the hotel...sure enough they were. We were to be shuttled over there. And the best part about it...my class instructor, Traci Bautista, was one of the women waiting.

So I go to class and I'm carrying all these bags and I can't get to freshen up or anything because the class was slated to begin at 6:00pm. Later on I was like - "little did I know that I would arrive in plenty of time." When you've paid for a class, you want to get your money's worth, so I was stressing out.....but everything worked out.

Here's a picture of Traci Bautista and me in her class on Creative Bliss. I am looking quite "rough" I know, but what can I say...time was of the essence. Perhaps I should have kept my beret on, but when I left the ladies room, I thought my head looked alright...NOT!! LOL

Here's some of Traci's work.

I had no idea who Traci Bautista was, but from the description of her class, I knew I wanted to take it. Besides, hers was was the least expensive and for the time I would be there, I didn't need to spend hundreds of dollars more. I was very happy that I chose her class, and believe it was destiny. She's a very inspirational person and artist. I have seen her work but did not remember that it was hers.

When I left her class I was completely motivated to go out and fulfill my dream of being an artist She taught us some awesome techniques. Traci is also one of the featured artists speaking on the DVD that was given to each attendee in our gift bag. Again, her words are very inspiring on how to go out and become the person you want to be.

PARIS FLEA MARKET

The great thing about attending this festival was being able to meet and buy art from some of my favorite artists who's websites/blogs I visit regularly.

I had no idea that some of these artists would be there, as I really registered and looked through the schedule kind of blindly. The only thing I knew was that I wanted to attend; I'd find out about everything else when I got there.

Here's the Paris Flea Market and all the shoppers.

This place was packed. If you've ever been in a room full of women trying to meet and buy stuff from their favorite artists, then you know how chaotic it can be. Some tables were so thick with people I couldn't even see what or who's table it was.

Every artist that I met was so friendly and was just enjoyable to talk to. To see their work first hand was a thrill I will not soon forget. Even though I loved the market, the initial description led me to believe that there would be more Paris-themed items other than just artwork from the artists. It was cool though. The only drawback was that I couldn't take my time and shop.

This booth belonged to a Black woman. I looked at her card and said, "oh you live in Connecticut". To that she exclaimed - "Yes I live in CT, but I spend most of my time in Paris shopping for this stuff so I can sell to ya'll at events like this." She was sounding a little "hoity-toity" to me, so I answered her...."Oh! La-di-da! Well good for you!" I just smiled and walked off. One item that I wanted to get was this vintage postcard with embroidered French lettering..$12 bucks! I was like...not today.

I had gone downtown to shop because I had all of Sat. afternoon to do whatever. Wouldn't you know that when I was ready to head back to the hotel, the MAX Red Line was very late (over an hour) and I didn't get back until 7:00pm. Then I had to run over to my hotel, get my bags and then get to the airport to take the MAX back downtown to catch my 10:00pm bus back to L.A.

When I tell you I was one "hustling & bustling" sistah...I mean to tell you..I was getting things done and God was guiding me through it all. How else would I have managed to get to and from these places without ever having been there? People were helpful, but when you're walking, and you don't know how long transporation will actually take from point A to point B, you're stuck - unless God makes miracles happen, and he did. I had no idea where the MAX train stops were, but going downtown, I realized that one stop was just behind the host hotel. So when I checked out of my hotel, I left my bags with the bellman in the valet area, that way I could go shopping, and go to the flea market without that extra luggage, and it worked out just fine.

I got back just before 7:00pm and walked to the hotel and then left after an hour, 15 mins. of shopping. That is not enough time to see over 60 vendors!!! But I was happy just for the experience. I was so nervous when I got back downtown because then I had to find a bus to take me over to the Greyhound. It was going on 9:40pm and my bus left at 10:00pm. I don't know why I was panicking 'cause the busses don't start boarding right until that designated time, but you just never know. Sure enough, I found the right bus, but 5 different busses passed me by before mine came. You know how it is - you're in panic mode waiting for "your" bus and it never seems to come when you want it to.

Here's some random picks of stuff I liked in the Pearl District in Oregon on my Saturday shopping trip.

Love my "Ram" icons....Aries baby!

I was headed up to the Pioneer Place mall downtown and saw a cool sign - "Magpie". It was a vintage clothing store. This was a cigar box purse. I was taking pictures on the downlow, so I didn't get a pic of the top. It had a very nice black leather piece attached to accomodate the handle. But I loved the design. Very nice.

This torso was in a home furnishings store. It was made out of some kind of "kernel" or "nut". I love it!

The Pearl District has so many unusual stores, and I just loved the area of old wharehouse storefronts. This other place I loved was called "Cargo". They had some amazing items, and I wish I could have gotten something there. It's like a "Cost Plus"store, but they had rare items from each country. I saw these little Mao Tse Tung notebooks and manuals, chinese license plates, two huge beaded chairs from Nigeria, and lots of other cool stuff.

MEETING THE MASTERS

I am a big fan of Leslie Riley and told her how I was reading her book "Quilted Memories" and had wanted to copy the page and get her to autograph it (I ran out of time and didn't do it). So she signed one of her business cards. Such a sweetheart! I bought a couple of little items from her, but I intend on buying some of her work from her site.

I love these artist's work, but man the art is expensive. Some of the pieces run $30 to $1,200 and I just didn't have the money to buy that kind of stuff. So I do what I always do. I buy the little trinkets and keepsakes to show I was there. I'm just a working girl, and I know my budget.

Here are some pics of the Artists and their work in the flea market.

Michael De Meng

Michael De Meng's work

Susan Kazner-Lenart

Here's "Miss Wild Woman"....she's so much fun! Could I ever go out in public wearing a vintage girdle and tutu? I had to get a picture.

Her work is incredible.

Since I was in a rush I didn't get to take everyone's pictures, but I also met Tracy Roos, Claudine Helmuth, Misty Mawn and Daniel Essig. Very nice people with great talent. It was truly a pleasure to see the faces behind these works. (I had so many other pictures I wanted to add but I just can't download them for some reason. I guess I'll try it again in a few months. This is really frustrating to me, but you have to deal with it.)

PARIS IN MY SOUL...."Parisienne Beret Contest"

There was also a contest to design a beret with the "Paris in my Soul" theme (which I hadn't seen in the literature), and here are some of the entries. Very, very ingenious stuff to say the least.

I didn't even vote, because I could not decide which one I really, really loved best. Plus the last day when I could have, I ran out of time.

Seeing this work inspired me to go home and just let go...! I realize that I play it too safe when I create my work. I have got to go with what I like, and not think about whether it "fits" into the genre of other work I've seen.

I am learning that I have to let it flow each and every time. That's why I admire what Leslie Riley put in her book. She laid out the guidelines and techniques for letting yourself create in that way. I told her that I appreciated her writing that book...it too has changed me.

I was responding to another of my artist friends online, Ms. Becky Christian, and when I saw her address in Beaverton, OR, I told her that I was at the festival and wondered if she attended. Well she was there, and we believe we may have crossed paths and never knew it. I didn't realize (or remember) that she was in Oregon, or I certainly would have made plans to meet her. I told her there's always next year! It's truly a small world.

Here are some items that I want to create.

I am still "on high" after this festival. I am going to make sure I plan early for next year's. I would also love to attend the Fiber Fest in Washington, but the cost is pretty high and the accomodations appear to be less than to my liking....it's at an old army base, not much in the way of heat, lighting and toilet facilities. I guess if you want to "rough" it, it's cool. There are also, if you can afford it, B&B accomodations. Oh well, that'll just have to be another goal to reach.