Art Fair Day Two, Part One. A Million Artists! Or Just One.

...And this brings us to Friday morning of Art Fair. It was raining in my half-sleep this morning. Now it is damp and sprinkling off and on (anyone will tell you, it ain't Art Fair without wet weather~), so here I am finishing last night's post, as I caffeinate. The interior dampness is due to milk spit-up, as the Baby lives up to her demographic's profile. She excels at the over-the-parental-shoulder cascade, which captures the length of one's clothing. This morning, she successfully spat up into my right sleeve, coating material up to the upper arm. Afterwards, she usually beams at us. "Oh THANK you," we say. She stays modest. And you non-baby readers are all,"Oh my GOD, why do new parents think anyone wants to KNOW this?? God." or you vacated awhile ago, before my Mammoth Baby post. Please accept my half-hearted apologies.

Onward to Thursday:

Since a helpful friend gave me the skinny on some fine stealth parking, today's venture downtown to ArtFairland was much less of a journey in and of itself, though my wandering began later in the day. A nice full morning and afternoon of La Dumpling before I skipped out, preventative umbrella swinging from my arm.

My first goal was the far reaches of South University, but I decided to cut through Liberty on the way there: Good Call, Me! Satisfaction should be credited to Booth D240. I had the lingering feeling of having missed something yesterday -- and this was surely it. Maggie Bokor, of Portland Maine, was a sculptor in her previous art life, and this can be seen and felt in her tactile, moveable pieces. Before trying on the first necklace, I warned her that I am not in the market for jewelry, since I have a new baby who has discovered how to *grasp* things. I'm considerate like that.



        "Do you breast feed?...She'll love playing with that!"
        "...she's strong, though--"
        "Mmmhmmm. I also have a friend whose baby traces her fingers around 
         and around the circles in her Echo necklace. Over in the side case."

So. She had established her strong salesmanship skills, while I had maintained my flimsy non-buying stance. The pedants in the Seagrass necklace were wonderfully touchable and organic in their movements. Whether with or without pearls (the grey ones!); dangling higher or lower; in bright silver finish, or darker, fully oxidized. Bokor creates the pendant designs first using pmc (precious metal clay), casts them in sterling, and then finishes with a patina.



And then, of course, once you try on one (or several variations of one), trying on a couple others seems to be the logical course of action. 

Horrible photos, but love for all three necklaces

A better image of the "dew drop cluster necklace" here and the large "radiance" necklace here.

Meanwhile, our conversation ranged far, into how life changing events can change you at all levels, down to the chemical; how people around you can invest themselves in your decisions and handling of life; the role of art making around transitions, etc. A nourishing kind of conversation. She comes across as grounded, warm, and insightful; making it easy to go deep. Without being precious, she sees her role as jeweler and artist extending beyond the objects created to teaching others, to aiding/witnessing transformation and self-realization {my paraphrasing}.

She eventually called her boyfriend (also a printmaker! and educator, app creator) back from a nearby cafe to join in the convo; and they checked out my recent test prints for Cakeasaurus (whee!). Separately, they are also big fans of Beck's Song Reader ; and my impression is, they'd play something for you/with you at the drop of a hat {my promise, not theirs}. So bring a hat.

Jewelry has been her full time business since 2007, with wholesale added on four years later; this is the first time she has sold at the Ann Arbor Art Fair. (Once again: Booth D240, in the happy blacktop between the Cupcake Station and Robot Store)

OH MY GOD IT'S ALMOST NOON, time to run there and then off to Dumpling's 4 month check up!