I packed my truck full of papercrete sculptures last night, each one carefully cradled in bubble wrap, and gently set in a plastic tub for travelling. This morning my husband helped me load my new utility cart into the back, and strapped it down. Today, I made last minute touches on a few displays, and my large topiary, which needed another protective layer. As soon as that was dry, I set that on the front seat, and climbed in. I stopped off to pick up my daughter, Jamie, as she was my artist’s assistant for the evening. She held the topiary in place as we made our way to The Carlton Hotel in Atascadero.  

Thanks to my awesome new utility cart, we managed to get everything into the hotel in just two trips. Given the sheer number of pieces I managed to pack into the truck, that’s pretty impressive! It made the transport to and from a breeze, and I don’t know how I managed at art shows without it. I like it so much, I may have to name it. Jamie and I spent a couple of hours unpacking everything, then arranging, and re-arranging the two tables we were given. Finally, we declared it perfect for the Art & Wine Tour.

The wonderful Tracy from San Antonio Winery was there, pouring their excellent wine, which everyone seemed to relish as they sipped and looked over my art display. I got to meet some wonderful people, and explain my papercrete medium and methods to them. I enjoyed seeing the varied reactions to my artwork. Overall, it was a wonderful night, and a very positive experience. Thank you to Stacey, events coordinator for the Carlton Hotel, for inviting me to participate.

It’s been a number of years since the last time I displayed my artwork at a show, and I’ll be sure to actively seek out more opportunities, since I had such a fantastic time tonight, with my daughter, and the other participants. Thank you to everyone who stopped by and said hello.