Ojai Studio Artist Weekend ~ Art and Antiquing With Old Friends!

Enjoy the little things.

for one day you may look back

and realize they were the big things.

~Robert Brault 

As with every year, the second weekend of October brings the Ojai Studio Artist tours. I don't make it every year, but when I do it's  always fun and inspiring! This year, for the 32nd annual tour, there were 6 new artists to visit.

What made this year an extra fun and a special event, is that our old friends came into town. They lived on our street  when I was growing up. The family had two sons, Stephen and Matthew who were a little younger than me, and when I was 10 or 11 their sister Amanda was born. It was Amanda and her mom Carol (who was like a second mom growing up) that came down for the weekend. I hadn't seen either of them since 1999! (Except for Facebook, of course.)

Figure Drawings by Vera Long

Vera Long

Vera Long was new to the tour this year, and we were so happy to have stopped at her studio! You can't make it to all of the artists (there are about 50!) so you have to pick and choose, which is not easy, when you also want to see some of your old favorites.

Like I said, we were so happy to have stopped at Vera's studio. Not only was her work wonderful and inspiring but she was also just a lovely person! 

Plus, I love figure work ... and color!

This piece, below, was one of my favorites.

Color is joy.

One does not think joy.

One is carried by it.

~Ernst Haas 

Amanda, with the artist, buying one of her prints!

Here is the print ... kind of retro/vintage with a modern take. Cool, right?

Just outside the studio ...

We made about 7 or 8 studios on Saturday, and a couple on Sunday. One we were able to make, was the studio of Ted Gall. Here is one of his sculptures, below. Many of them have masks that open and close ...

Sunday after pumpkin pancakes (!) we hit up Treasures of Ojai ...

We felt like they had so much more than usual but maybe it was a festive mood ...

 

Different sellers rent space, so the prices have quite a range depending on who's doing the selling.

The handmade ventriloquist dummies were classic! Apparently, a grandfather made them to do puppet shows for his grand kids. So sweet, huh?

If I win the lottery, I'm coming back for the old Victrola, below! It had a collection of records that were being sold along with it, as well. When you open the upper doors, it ads volume! My friend Mark has one he inherited from his grandparents, from the turn of the century, which I've always admired.  He has an amazing collection of vintage and antique items. In fact he was kind enough to sell me his Captain Fantastic pinball machine which now lives in Ojai with my parents!

I actually have a small collection of 78 records (that crack if you hit them) but they are hard to find these days!

To the right, under the chicken (above photo) was also a cool music box with a collection of music scrolls! Also a great purchase for when I win the lotto! ;)

Second weekend of October, in Southern California, a perfect time for a BBQ!

Fun memories from our weekend!

Here is Amanda when I used to babysit her! :)

For Vera Long's website, click here

For Ted Gall, here

For the Ojai Studio Artists site, here

And Treasures of Ojai, click here

Sometimes the most ordinary things

could be made extraordinary,

simply by doing them with the right people.

~Elizabeth Green

Blessings and light!