Bel Mills of @scrap_paper_circus is my Thankful Thursday this month. She was one of many lockdown-era sanity savers who came to us via Zoom with great projects and skill builders. This paper wallet made the 3 year old girl who got it very happy (and contributed to my inability to throw anything away without great scrutiny)
It’s hard to believe a year ago I didn’t own a car, hadn’t owned one for five years, and now we have over 20,000 miles on our little Accord. July was another cross-country month, starting with a quick lunch with the family in suburban Detroit, then across the Port Huron bridge for a ride through Ontario and Quebec. Our ultimate destination was Bar Harbor, Maine, but we took a winding route. Just outside London, Ontario, our first night’s stop, we took a break at a little butterfly sanctuary – mostly little kids and us – just perfect.
I already wrote a bit about Montreal, and leaving there took us in to Vermont (I know, there was a more direct route to Maine, but long story, we were going to Boston first). Anyway, Vermont scenery was spectacular even without the leaves changing color. Downtown Burlington was full of people and music and charm – I can only imagine how much move lively (crowded?) it would be if school were in session.
After a catch-up visit with our grown-up niece in Boston, we overnighted in Portsmouth, NH – another charming downtown with people and music – Irish this time, my favorite.
After a combination of scenic routes and interstate travel, and a great grilled cheese and chowder lunch harborside in Portland, we landed in Bar Harbor. Supposed to be there for two days in the last availble room at the Bar Harbor Inn, but plans changed and we would up staying four. Great seafood, but my favorite meal was Italian – La Vita Bella. Of course we went to Acadia. I know I’m not a big hiker. I don’t really completely understand when a walk turns in to a hike. But I’m pretty sure that climbing over boulders for a half hour, even if they aren’t vertical, crosses the line, so I felt pretty accomplished.
Amazing how in every town you can find that place with the great row of outdoor restaurant options – Italian again in Albany.
Next stop was a bucket list one for the boyfriend/husband – the National Comedy Center in Jamestown New York. Driving across the state was beautiful, and the stop was perfectly timed. It’s a bit off the beaten path, but well worth it – both the subject matter and they way they have designed the museum are impressive and engaging. And, with my economic development hat on, you have to be impressed at how they have worked with the legacy of being Lucille Ball’s hometown to hustle up some economic activity.
I love road trips, but I love Chicago summers too; I think it’s time to be a homebody in August.
More on our road trip later, but July included a stop in Montreal and yes, there are museums and churches, etc. but my favorite things aren’t necessarily the most typical. Well, maybe this first one – the Botanical Gardens were spectacular. Without any planning on our part, we had fantastic weather and it seemed like absolutely everything was in bloom all at the same time. What a treasure so close to the center city.
On our way out of town, though, I had my favorite experience. I had heard of St. Armands paper, and I thought I was somewhere nearby. Their website is kind of basic, and tells you right off they are primarily a factory, but invites you to stop by. My boyfriend/husband is always game for a trip to an industrial park in a potentially sketchy neighborhood, though this one has a great looking walking/running/biking path right across the street. The dooway is a little hidden, but the neighbors kindly sent us in the right direction. It is a fantastic, below ground space with presses and vats and luscious paper everywhere. The husband and wife team that run the place have their hands full, and confided that it’s tought to find help (isn’t that the story everywhere) so it’s hard to keep up with demand and they have to turn down some expansion. (If you’re reading this, and know someone passionate and dedicated, send them along, because we can’t afford to lose artisan knowledge like this). I could have been easily overwhelmed so I just made selections quickly, including mostly handmade sheets and pads, but also some machine made sheets from repurposed firemen’s uniforms – love that!
The stars aligned and I was finally able to stop by Ephemera in Paducah, Kentucky to take a workshop this month. It fit perfectly (kind of) into a road trip we decided to make for me to do a speaking engagement in Austin, Texas. And gave me a chance to bulk up my collage fodder stash in time for a visit back to Atlanta for a collage workshop in June and a new series I have in mind.
Kristin, who is the owner of Ephemera, is someone I have known for years since I crossed paths with her professionally in her earlier incarnation as an economic developer. She pivoted almost ten years ago to this successful life as a teacher and owner of one of the best known studios for visiting mixed media and other art teachers in the country.
Turns out, I got there just in time. Kristin has just announced that at the end of the year she will be taking a “gap year” and Ephemera as it is today will cease operations (at least with her at the helm), so I’m glad I got there when I did.
If you don’t know, Paducah is legendary among quilters – the center of the U.S. quilting universe – and years ago reated a program to provide artists with incentives to revitalize a section of the downtown area. It’s a riverfront city with beautiful parkland, and at this time of the year it’s a luscious green everywhere.
Yes, I’ve joined another group. The Winslow Art Center in Bainbridge Island Washington, like many other schools, offered online classes for the first time this year, and I joined a three month prototype with Lucie Duclos called Paper Pals Collage Club. I’d known of Lucie after seeing her featured in Uppercase Magazine (highly recommended) and then on Instagram. I’ve mentioned the Handmade Book Club before (Ali Manning’s creation), and now Lucie is trying out something similar for collage crazy people – weekly exercises/prompts, monthly live on-line sessions to learn new techniques and share, and a private community. This one isn’t on Facebook, which is my preference.
Lucie has been giving prompts every week, and so far they have focused on composition issues – kind of familiar to be from composition classes I took when I lived in Atlanta with Chery Baird at Spruill Arts Center – I’ll no doubt talk about Chery more, because her classes had a tremendous impact on me.
Anyway, The group was originally set to run for three weeks, but I think the plan is to continue, we’ll see. I do know that Winslow has announced that they will continue online offerings, and I hope that many other teachers and schools decide to do the same.