The First Annual Hoity-Toity Renaissance-Community Art Exhibition
pictures by Chris Osbourne and Renae Taylor
This was an experience I will never forget. Renae Taylor and I hoped even just a couple dozen people would show up, enjoy the hoity-toity refreshments and ambiance, and feel good about themselves and proud of the talents of our community... maybe even enjoy the opportunity to get out of camp clothes and forget about the bugs for an evening. What ended up happening that night exceded all our expectations, and I struggle to find a way to express and recount the magic of that night.
It seemed to me that almost everyone in the community was there, bringing dish after gourmet dish of home-made hors d’oeurves, and artwork came pouring in even as the exhbition was getting started! In fact, there was so much artwork, Renae and I had to hang half of it outside of the gallery, along the fence! As we requested, people came either dressed to the nines or as their favorite starving artist, and what a sight to see
them in tuxes and fancy dresses holding glasses of Merlot looking at stunning oil paintings— how shocked they were to notice it was by a child perhaps as young as five! …And what would we have done, without the help of all the children who were so excited to carry trays of spiced salmon rolls and caviar to everyone!
Just as people thought the party might be winding down, “Turtleman” Mich Cohen held the crowd spellbound as he recited his melodic beat poetry, to which I accompanied on the violin. Most people only knew him from his turtle-racing shows at the Renaissance Festivals, having no idea he was also a masterful poet. What an experience for me, not only to play with someone I admire so much, but to be reading words as I play instead of music. Each word had a color, a feeling, a tone, a sound, just like all the paintings on the walls in front of us. Afterwards, Lori (banjo) and Al Craig (fiddle) enchanted us with their riveting old-time music, and as the moon grew higher and brighter in the sky, it seemed as if the party was just getting started!
Soon there was mandolin, guitar, and beautiful drumming and singing, which flowed into the wee hours of morning.
Ok, well electricity and wall space was limited, so the lighting wasn’t perfect, and we couldn’t give everyone’s piece the space and glory it deserved, but everyone played along, dressed in their best and viewing every piece as if it were hanging in the Louvre in Paris. That just rocks.
Thank you to everyone who participated and attended, for making this an event to remember! (If you were there and want pictures, e-mail me at Michelle@cantigamusic.com Renae and Chris took AMAZING photos throughout the night!)
Feeling Hoity-Toity - 32 (Jun 7, 2006)
Galactic Gal!
Weenie Man!
The Pickler!
