2009 Duveneck Memorial Art Show

Hello Everyone!

Sorry for the long absence. I was very busily preparing for the 40th Annual Duveneck Memorial Art Show which took place last week Sunday on Mother's Day. We had a beautiful day with sunshine and cool breezes coming off the Ohio River in Covington Kentucky. I had never been to the show- this was also the first time I participated in it. George Rivers Clark Park is a tiny piece of grass and trees on Riverside drive in historical Covington Kentucky. There are some gorgeous old houses there that I wish I had had the time to look at, but as it was we arrived a little late. Parking was at a premium so we unloaded the cars after I got my papers and found out where my 10x10 spot was. Chris (my sweet and patient husband) then had to park both cars a block away while Valerie ( my sweet and not quite so patient daughter) started setting up the tent and tables. I had chosen to enter The Martian Queen's Necklace in the Amos Shinkle Contest and placed it in the center fountain (it's dry!) along with other entries for that contest and the Duveneck contest.

There were a lot of painters at this show- which is fitting because Mr. Duveneck was a painter himself! I had two very talented painters on either side of my tent.

At precisely 10:33am, the judges came out and began making their rounds judging the artists fro the different contests. I found out about an hour an a half later, that I had won first place in the Fine Craft Category! That was so exciting! And nerve wracking too because the judges came around to our tent and presented me with my blue ribbon and photos were taken and questions were asked and I'm just a shy girl who loves to bead! I thought that was the end of that and I could get on with selling my work, but not too long after that a gentleman with a camera and microphone came around and interviewed me on tape! I couldn't stop shaking! Oh well...

At noon the show officially began and the crowds came through to admire and purchase our wonderful works of art. I made my financial goal and I won a prize and I was very happy with that after a long and exhausting week scrambling to get ready for this show!

The great majority of my preparation two days before the show was my booth set-up. I had finally decided what it was that I wanted the booth to look like and there was a flurry of buying of displays and tablecloth, tables and fabric. Then to put it all together and make it look professional and presentable. Two nights before the show, I set everything (except the tent of course!) up in my living room to arrange things so the displays look balanced and pleasing to the eye. I also purchased a tent screen to put around the tent sides because at the Hyde Park Square Art Show last year, people were using my tent as a cut through and it was rather annoying. It also helped to keep the bugs at bay!

All in all, I enjoyed this show and look forward to participating in it again next year! Now, back to my TO DO LIST....


P.S. Thank you to everyone who has left all the wonderful and encouraging comments here on my blog! They are VERY MUCH appreciated!!