Monday, April 21, 2008

Asilomar Vendor Night

Art and Soul is not just about meeting people and learning new techniques. It is also about SHOPPING. And i know how much you altered book mixed media collage assemblage ATC people love shopping. OR as i like to justify it - adding to your collection of treasured objects. At Art and Soul there is a night dedicated to this very pursuit. I thought it was going to be primarily the artist instructors selling their original artwork, but it was much more than that. Here is the view from the balcony of the Merrill Hall.
Here are all my purchases:


First booth visited was my dear friend Aileen's Outside the Margins table. Decorated in the wild bright colours that are her signature were many must have items. With my current obsession with birds, i just had to have the little pack of resin birds and the bird themed tissue paper. But mostly she is featuring her Color Mists - water colour sprays that she sells in brights, neutrals and metallics. they are very versatile and fun to use. I chose the special edition "beach set" to add to my collection.
The next booth i dropped a few bucks at was selling all manner of vintage pics, letters, documents and other treasures. If you wanted to spend $150 bucks on a bona fide victorian photo album this was the place to do it. It was like i had died and gone to heaven. I actually said that out loud! However frugality kicked in just in time and i managed to just purchase a lovely vintage photo, a stack of love letters, and an official document with those notary stamps i don't really understand but they look cool. Sorry I didn't catch her name! If she sells on line and reads this - please let me know.
NOTE: Chris at Boulder Creek Antiques will be opening an etsy shop this week - stay tuned!


Next was _Kit Davey____ (need to verify who!) where i purchased the awesome book person or whatever you want to call it - very cool idea. You can see in the image above how she took a vintage book and wired on found objects (she actually told me most of it was FOUND as in on the road!)
The sun was setting outside the vendor night venue - so i had to stop shopping long enough to grab a few shots of the yellow sun fading into the ocean.

Next up was marianne letierri where i bought the great book about - guess what? BUYING STUFF. No actually it is about artists and their collections and obsessions - just like i have have! One of the the students at this event, marianne has a spread in the book about her art. If you like flea markets and eye candy to you means a stack of vintage suitcases - then you'll love this book.


I also bought some clown doll heads from one guy and some precut mica from another - but didn't catch their names and the products weren't labelled. But you'd know them if you saw them. I bought some fun gold paper wire or whatever they call it from ____ (i have to remember her name goshdarnit).

And finally i couldn't NOT buy a pendant charm from Sally Jean, the solder queen. Her booth was probably the busiest all night - so maybe by the time i got there all the good stuff was gone. If you have seen Faulty Towers, then maybe you'll get the significance of this phrase, "it's always the bottom with you". Well that's what i thought about when i saw it - so i bought it!


Lastly the vendor night was also about the silent auction. There were pieces to bid on from several of the artist instructors. But most notably was one of the fat books for bid - the windswept themed little book with 30 artists pages all spiral bound together. Would you believe it sold for $80! The money went to a good cause, the Salvation Army. I never felt so proud....!

4 comments:

One Crabapple said...

Diane Diane Diane !
I know who you are !

I was the person that asked you if I knew you , if you had a blog in Stephanie's class that day...I just googled up Art & Soul Asilomar to see if anyone that had been on the retreat had posted about their trip and HERE YOU WERE / ARE!
(and yes I was here before ! Maybe a few weeks ago ? I remembered your title as soon as I saw it but not when you said it !)

I went to vendor night, but you know I didnt see those goodies you got !!! I did see the vintage photo albums and you are so right - to die for !

I am hoping you find interesting things in your stack of love letters and share them or they lead you to wonderful new creating from the inspiration.

Your sunset picture is gorgeous.

oh and that little book ! I love the little spoon legs and spool head. Just darling. What a find ! (jealous here)

I bought a SJ charm too but I think you got the best one ! that is so cute. "always the bottom..."

Your post is written so well I feel like I was there !

AGAIN !

Love, S.

Carolyn B said...

Looks like you had a lot of fun!! Such cool loot! I've v. jealous, but I'll enjoy the event vicariously through your blog.
;o)
Carolyn B

Kris said...

Hello dear Diane!!
Aileen told me to come over and see all your cool stuff from A&S. I am so glad I did. Awesome blog you have!
Love all your posts and art :)

Chris said...

Hello Diane! I wish I had put 2+2 together on vendor night! I remember you saying you'd died and gone to heaven!!

Chris here, Boulder Creek Antiques! Vendor night was a BLAST! I think those two hours were the fastest ever!!

Well... I googled "encaustics" a few months ago and found your wonderful classes! So, in a way, we'd already met. Love your work!!

If you get down to the Boulder Creek area, let's have lunch! Are you going to Portland?

Sending you lots of hugs,
Chris
PS I'm opening my Etsy shop this week to sell more of those fabulous old things!