Yippee-2013 California State Fair!
I love State Fairs and I think I’ve gone to the California State Fair all 13 years that I have been a resident. I love to see what the Ridiculous Food of the Year is, the animal and livestock areas and the County Exhibits. I always cruise every single vendor in the stupid-stuff-you-never-knew-you-needed-until-now section, and then I head straight for the Crafts and Fine Art buildings.
One cool new addition this year is that they permanently moved the 11 foot “California” letters from the Disney California Adventure Park in Anaheim to their new permanent home at the Cal Expo. All 87,000 pounds of letters are now permanently installed and will eventually be lighted. They’re pretty cool!
I’m always disappointed by the layout of the Creative Arts section but I guess they just don’t have much of a budget. Photography is challenging in that building with the glass display cases and items placed so far away you need binoculars to see the maker’s name. I took very few photos there.
Jan Soules had 3 or 4 quilts in the show. She knows color-I love all the energy of this quilt!
Dana Lorz custom-drafted this gorgeous dress, “China Pink”. I have never done this type of construction but it looks very complex to me. It looked beautiful on the manikin.
Gioia Fonda created this intriguing piece “Into the Shallow Abyss”. The write up on this was priceless:
“Sometimes I make things because it feels right to do it, like these things need to exist. I don’t really have a great story for this one. I like the way the stringy bits move when the fan is on. I like the shadows. I like to think about the lemon flavor of the lower half. Maybe it is about a memory of sipping Kool-Aid through a crazy straw. Does it really matter?”
I LOVE this! YES, it’s okay to make stuff just because it’s fun, pretty, interesting, or you just wanted to! It doesn’t always have to have depth and meaning, use “juxtaposed” in the description or be part of a series! Ahem, rant is over…
I remember this artist clearly from previous years. Her Mom, Jan, is bi-polar, has dementia and “innumerable health disorders”. The artist, Kim Kohler laments: “To see your own Mother look through you is terrifying. Does her heart still feel love? Is she as terrified as she looks?” This is an absolutely riveting and haunting photo.
ROB-O made “Princessa” as sugar art from 50 lbs of processed sugar and royal icing. The artist states: “Each work is a piece of his heart, a part of his soul, and love for a life worth living to its fullest”. Amen!
I’m not always drawn to abstract art but this piece is one I love and could not get away from. Emily Swinsick is the maker of this piece, “Cave Dweller” and she left no write up for the viewer.
I am intrigued by the texture, color, movement and multiple layers of interest. I’m left wondering what story it tells and also, how the heck did she do that?
I was delighted and surprised to see work by Joan Schultze in the Fair. “Possession” is focused on a bowl in Joan’s collection. I love her work.
Miranda Morse made “Underwater Reflections” and was entered in the Youth 13-16 age group. This is a beautiful quilt! There is no write up but it appears to utilize hand dyed fabrics-did she dye them herself?
Sarah Huyapah entered “A Peaceful World” in the 5-8 age group. I adore children’s art and this particular piece stood out for me. How fun is this? I’d love to have this at home!
I only know this is named “3-piece Wool Outfit” by Kyle Garinger and was entered into the 15-18 yr old age group. It took Best of Show and it was impeccably constructed, a real show stopper. I am amazed at the skill set of some of the Youth winners.
And I’ll spare you a photo of me on those jiggle machines that apparently strengthen your bones, jiggle off fat and give you a “full work out” in 10 minutes. I got on one to try it out. I was on it like 20 seconds before I thought, hmmm, my whole body is a jiggling like crazy, my butt is to the crowd….
Ah yes, on to the food! How could you ever survive without having tasted Deep Fried Cheese Curds???
One stop shopping here-Crispy Creme Burgers and 1/2 pound Hot Dogs. A guy walked by me with one of these hot dogs-it was grotesque-actually, he was too…
I actually get the “chocolate covered bacon” and would probably enjoy it-seriously, when you put fat, sugar and salt in one bite, I’m going to like it! But Beer Battered Bacon-really???
I am happy to report that for the First Time Ever, I walked out without having bought anything from the stupid-stuff-you-never-knew-you-needed-until-now section OR the food section-snort!
Your blog always delights me. The great photography and your gift for communicating ‘you’, makes it one I look forward to. Along with of course the fullness of your creativeness. Artist like you Jenny bring us insight to things I still long for and love.
Thanks for your marvelous sharing, please continue bringing us your many talents.
Carol Dufur
Wow Carol, thank you for such kind and encouraging words. I try to keep it real and I am thankful that you enjoy it!
Thanks for sharing this Jenny! I’ve been thinking about going….I’ve never been in all the years I’ve been in CA, but am intrigued by the variety of attractions you’ve shared….the art, not the fried cheese curds :)
Just don’t go hungry! The permanent buildings with youth art, fine art, crafts, etc is very interesting to me. The Fine Art building has a very nice collection of art in a variety of mediums and I think the quality is very high. I enjoy it every year. Personally I like how events like the Fair bring all kinds of people together in one place.
I haven’t been to a state fair since my son was in kindergarden in North Carolina. I had forgotten about the crafts aspect, which I now recall as a strange mashup of the exquisite and the bizarre. Thanks for helping me remember some fun days.
Your description is perfect actually-“exquisite and bizarre”!! That it in a nutshell and that’s what I like about it. And the fact that there are all kinds of people there for different reasons, all in the same place-that is fun!
Way to go!! I do love the “fair thing” and your photos are awesome. The “Kool-ade through the crazy straw” one (write-up) was a definite ‘hit’ with me!! Enjoyed the post!!! Hugs…..
Glad you enjoyed it Doreen! Fairs are just soooo “summer”!
Hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. Thank you for the wonderful pictures of the arts & crafts. The food pics were the hilarious part. The picture of Kim’s mom, Jan, was the heartbreaking part. We have a family member on a somewhat similar path and it is hard to think of her not being able to recognize those who love her dearly. Love you blog.
Thank you Marcia. It’s funny I didn’t realize I would recognize “Jan” from last year, but the photos her daughter takes are so compelling that you remember her. I’m sorry to hear that you are going through this with a family member.
Okay, love you and YOUR blog!
Giggle!
Thank you for sharing Jenny! What a great time you had! What a release…to make something just for the fun of it!
Thank you Laura! Yeah, what a concept, make it for the pure joy of it!!
I love the fair! I have never been to the state fair here in NC, but growing up in Winston-Salem, I attended the Dixie Classic Fair, which is the last large regional fair before the state fair. It was a true delight after living away 20+ years to move back and be able to go to the fair! Ours doesn’t happen until the end of September (being a harvest fair) but it is still a highlight of the year and a major social event. Where else can you see racing pigs, giant horses and eat Elephant Ears? Thanks for sharing your fair, I love the differences and the similarities!
Kelly, YES-gotta love a fair! I grew up going to the Ill State Fair and it too was agricultural in its roots. I enjoy events where people from all walks of life come together. Jury duty is like that too, in an odd way. And regional fairs are fun too-forgot about Elephant Ears!
Hey Jenny,
Your previous post with the bubbled collar on the shirt – have you washed it? Did it hold up okay? Do you have only one row of stitching for each bubble?
Can you tell I’d like to try this? :)
Thank you sooooo much for sharing your ideas and talents with us. Your blog’s one of my very favorites!
Maggie in arizona
So Maggie I had to run down and wash it so I could be totally sure and yes, it came out looking like it did before I washed it! I’ve washed all of my previous table toppers, etc so I knew it would but I had to be sure. I do two rows around each motif. Thank you for your kind words! Send photos if you do this on your own-I’d love to see what you did!
Wow — what a cool state fair you Californians have! That tailored wool outfit was made by a teenage boy? How incredible! I’d love to know more about him.
AND… you bought a new sewing machine and didn’t tell us? Which one did you buy? Where’s the review? ;-) Oh, and you can come sit in my red chair any time you visit North Carolina.
Oh yeah, it’s a cool fair! That wool outfit was really well done and he used good fabric too. I bought a demo Bernina 730 which is going through the servicing process right now so I don’t have it yet. I probably won’t play with it until after Long Beach. I still want that red chair! Maybe for my birthday (Dec)!
Hi there,
Thank you so much for mentioning the picture of my mother. One of my sisters was actually upset with me for entering the picture this year. She said that mom would basically be horrified to be seen like that. But I see past that…to her life that has been very difficult, physically and emotionally. How could I not let others see and feel the emotion that this image brings up?
Anyway, glad you like them!
I am so touched by your words and your photo. Thank you for sharing your feelings and for sharing her life in such a compassionate way.