Open Studio Hartford: the Aftermath.

Two weeks later, and finally the last of the detritus--I mean, art--has been put away.

But for a while, starting a few weeks before Open Studio Hartford, which occurred this year on November 13 and 14, everything was everywhere.

The dining room became a temporary staging area.

Mount Laundry continued to grow.

My work table was a mess.

The kitchen table had a small area reserved for eating; otherwise it was another work space.

I made a lot of felted beads.  They turned out to be the big seller.  I'm so new at making beads that I came up with a response to an emergency customer scenario:  If the beads broke and fell all over the floor as the customer tried them on, I would offer a discount.  Such a deal!

Blessing in disguise:  the making of felted beads offered some satisfaction in the days after the election.  Numb with shock but mostly fear, I found relief in being able to stab the beads with a sharp barbed needle.

On the day appointed for setup of my corner of Open Studio Hartford, at the Connecticut Historical Society, 1 Elizabeth St., on the leafy western edge of the city (https://chs.org/).

I was unable to set it up because, at the same time, I was teaching felting at the New Britain Museum of American Art in New Britain, CT.  http://www.nbmaa.org/

Can you believe the Museum made me Artist in Residence for the month of November for their Studio @ 4 youth classes?  http://www.nbmaa.org/event/lambswool-landscapes-with-diane-cadrain.

So there I was teaching...

...while Joe was setting up my booth at the Historical Society.  What a guy!  He was as good at putting together my panels as he was at setting up a Square device for payment.  I love him for all he does for me.

My table turned out to be strategically located directly across from a rather impressive array of refreshments.

On one end of the table, I invited visitors to try the feel of felting.

Can you see my sign?  It says to try felting because you get to stick something with a sharp barbed needle.

In fact, so many people were interested in the process of felting that 17 of them signed a list stating that they would be interested if I were ever to teach The Felted Landscape again at West Hartford Art League.  I've since spoken with folks at the Art League, and that class will be offered as a one-day workshop on Sunday, February 5, from 10 am to 4 pm.  Check it out!  https://static1.squarespace.com/static/50cf6ceae4b0a7200de61a14/t/5835d61129687ff9ece46932/1479923219650/Winter+Workshops_2017.pdf

Here's my latest felted piece, which will give you an idea of the size of the pieces that students in that class will make:

Back at Open Studio:  At 5 pm on Sunday, November 14, it was time to take it all down.

I sold some art, I sold some beads, I attracted interest in teaching another class at the West Hartford Art League, and I made some contacts that may turn out to be valuable.

Not too shabby, I suppose.