This past Saturday marked a very exciting and important date in the history of J’Adorn Designs and my career as a jewelry designer: my first art festival! In a completely unexpected twist of fate, I got a last-minute spot at the Gunpowder River Artfest hosted at Boordy Vineyards in Hydes, Maryland. It was awesome!
How beautiful is this property? I found it completely breathtaking as I rolled onto the vineyard’s property early Saturday morning to set up. The scene was tranquil, with vast expanses of fields buffeted by hills in the distance.
From noon to 7pm, visitors strolled through the festival, sipping on wine and feasting their eyes on the expertly crafted pieces of art that vendors had brought to the event. Here are a few snaps of my setup:
The day was a total scorcher – we were all sweating by 9am – but to be perfectly honest, I didn’t mind the heat at all. I was just so happy to be there, to be among fellow artists and to show my work. I made a lot of friends that day and I loved talking about my work, checking out what others were creating, and feeling the sense of community there.
Above is a picture of me with a woman named Vallie, who happened to be my first customer. The silversmith in the booth beside me insisted on taking this photo of my “first sale” at my first art show, since this would be a moment to remember. I’m so glad she did!
I had such a great time at the event, and I’m sure I’ll remember it for years to come. Every artist I talked to that day told me that they could vividly remember their first art show, even the ones that had been working for 50+ years! I can’t wait for my next event, and hope to participate in at least a few more before the summer is over.
Thank you to everyone who came out and supported local arts at the Gunpowder River Artfest, and to Boordy Vineyards for being gracious hosts. I’ll be treasuring my souvenir t-shirt for a long time, and will likely be cheesing just as big as I am in that photo above whenever I wear it!
