Round the Fountain Art Show 2011 Lafayette, Indiana

The 38th Annual Round the Fountain Art Show at the Tippecanoe County Court house in Lafayette Indiana

was able to start and finish as the eminent storm clouds held off just long enough to let everyone feast their eyes on some amazing talent.

Don't forget you can click on pictures to enlarge for a better view.

Every year I have my favorite and this years Fab Find is photographer & artist Chris Maher - Fine Art Nude Photography from Lambertville, MI

This is the display that drew me in

And this would be the one that Chris would describe as my "A-ha" moment

He was also the most joyful, enthusiastic & informative artist I met that day.  He really wanted you to know about his work - how & why he creates.  He says it best “ I Create photographs that reveal a woman’s beauty and celebrate her intimate connection to the eternal.”

This is not playboy fluff.  These are some of the the most tasteful and creative nudes I have ever seen.

Hubby spotted the one that resembled a flame and insisted that I photograph it.  Chris asked him if he noticed the bodies.  Hubby looked at him and said "Duh".  Chris said it is amazing how few people do.  I can understand that because the "Flame" is so perfectly formed.

 

Just amazing

To view more of Chris Maher's work visit DreamsOfTheGoddess.com

I wish the lighting had been better so that I could show off this artist who wants to share the love of his craft. He is Berry Davis co-owner of Neptune Hot Glass from Celina, OH.

Berry Davis & Collette Fortin use heavy precious metal to create solid glass sculptures, to portray ocean themes.  Berry and Collette spend the entire winter making these beautiful glass statues and then spend the summer traveling around to art shows selling them.

Ecology is alive and well in the artist community. With the purchase of any of his sculptures that have "Save Our Seas" etched on it, he will donate 5% to aquatic preservation.

Neptune Hot Glass doesn't currently have a website, but you can contact them by email at colletteinneptune@bright.net  Each piece is it's own unique creation.

When I spotted Lindsey Elizabeth Tull - a painter from Shelbyville, IN. - I was thinking how awesome this would look in my living room!

 

"Paintings filled with Light & Imagination"

I'd say she's having a Whale of good time.  Ok, so it's not a good pun, but it's the best I could do after a day like this.

Visit LindseyTullStudios.com 

Bronze Indian Sculptures by James A. Ford 

from Richmond, IL

Jumping in & out of tents my flash didn't go off.

My pictures don't do his pieces justice, so please stop by his website JamesAFord.com to see how exquisite these sculpture really are

You can also Like his FaceBook Page

Love the colors in this Randall Scott Harden painting

from Noblesville, IN.

And it says "Vintage"!  Another piece that works really well for me.  Randall's website was not up and working at the time this was written, hopefully he'll have that corrected soon.

Interesting Ceramic Wall Art by Steve & Miky Cunningham - Cunningham Pottery - W. Des Moines, IA

Love all the different textures and colors

Kyle Spears Photography out of Nashville, IN.

is an Awesome Photographer

 His booth is always bustling with activity

 The crowds really try and absorb every detail

he captures with his camera.

 He practically had to kick us out of his booth

Definitely worth making a trip to his website KyleSpears.com to see all the wonderful photographs

He also has a FaceBook Fan Page

Apologies to Deborah Keese and Alan Freund from Ann Arbor, MI for drooling all over their counter, but these burl wood boxes are the bomb!

The woodworking craftsmen ship is outstanding.

All natural - No stains are used.  Pieces are cut from solid blocks of wood so there are no joints.

Visit BurlWoodBox.com to see more of their

jewelry & trinket boxes

Contemporary Abstract Textured Paintings by John Blower from Fennville, MI

To see more of John's paintings visit BlowersStudios.com

Wagar Glass by Mark Wagar from Riga, MI

Yummy

 Mark does not have a website but you can reach him via email at wagarglass@hotmail.com

Thoroughly enjoyed Mixed media artist Darron Chadwick from Carmel, IN

Darron uses actual old comic book pages, vintage postcards & stamps (not reproductions).

Learn more about Darron's art at ChadwicksStudios.com

Really like Sculptor Thomas Yano from Vermilion, OH.  Unfortunately he does not have a website or email address to obtain scheduled upcoming shows where he is participating.  Phone number is 440-967-4623

He works mostly in bronze, brass and copper.

JT Dunphy - Woodturner from Mount Vernon, OH.

"He uses rescued hardwoods from storms & landscaping casualties thus the business name Turned Treasure"

My friend inspecting Turned Treasure's fine craftsman ship

No website but you can email him at JDunphy1@columbus.RR.com

Ceramic Artist - Paul M. Jeselskis from Michigan City, IN.

Designs functional & decorative porcelain pottery

You can view more of his pieces at Pauljeselskis.com

Some musicians popped in this year

to add a little flavor to the festivities.

Turned out to be a very pleasant day.  However, in the midst of all the cavorting, I got home, only to realize we had not bought one single thing to brag about!  What were we thinking?  Of course, I do have their addresses!  Now to decide which one - hummm?  My living room is Blue, Yellow, Orange - I have the "Hair" album on display.  Can you guess which picture I decided on?  I'll give you a hint -

It will work really well with my strobe light.

Hope you get a chance to go out and visit

with your local artist this summer.

Ciao!

KJ the JunkYard Gypsy

Painting of Our Bridal Shop by Sandy Daniel Lafayette Artist

Came home this Sunday and opened an email from Eric & Andria with this photo attached, saying "We would have loved to buy this for you, but it was a bit too much for us to swing".

I was tired, the picture was tiny - I could tell it was a picture of a bridal store window - and I thought how sweet of them to think of me, so I downloaded it to a file to view later.

 I opened the file today to take another look, and much to my amazement it's an actual painting of Our Bridal Store!  707 on the awning, tree growing out of the pavement, my actual prom dresses in the window!

We had always received such nice complements about our window displays and how regular passerby's looked forward to the next display, but for Sandy Daniel to take the time to actually paint our window was really touching!  So Thank You Sandy, it really made us smile!  And thank you kids for thinking of us and sending us the picture!

Our daughter in law Andria is an artist as well, and had her 2nd showing at Art on the Wabash, Art Fair
Sunday September 19th.  I put together a collage of some of My favorite pieces.  Sorry we couldn't be there this year.

 If you like Sandy Daniels work you contact her through Artist's Own Gallery in Lafayette, Indiana

If you'd like more information about Andria's work just DM me and I'll hook you up!

Round the Fountain Art Fair

Our Memorial Day festivities began with a ceremony translation into Spanish at the Holiday Inn Select for a wedding I’m performing in June.  Then we walked down by the courthouse lawn for the 37th Round the Fountain Art Fair in Lafayette, Indiana.  This fair helps to support local high school visual arts programs as well as to assist in ongoing restoration of the 1884 neo-classic Tippecanoe County Courthouse.

First we thought perhaps we had our days mixed up and it was a Grateful Dead reunion weekend – but no such luck.   I mean you just don't see Flower Power Vans parked downtown everyday, ya know?

Now if they had actually planned this as prop for the actual fair, and parked it on the bridge with a huge sign – “Welcome to the 37th annual Round the Fountain Art Fair” that would have been way cool.  Guess I should have gotten their plate number and turned it into Tippecanoe Arts Federation.

One of our 1st stops was at Anderson’s Metal Sculptures.
You just couldn’t help yourself from wanting to have your picture taken with this gigantic frog.  Just a mere $5,900.00 and he’ll come home and sit in your lawn.  He’s almost large enough to provide a bit of shade.  

 Steve, Chad, and Troy Anderson from Cedar Springs, Michigan, create these phenomenal three dimensional brass and copper sculptures.

 http://andersonsmetalsculpture.com/

Right next to them was Cliff Matyszczyk from Wales, WI., owner of  The Wrought Stuff
Metal sculptures.  He doesn’t have a website but this is his email address (wroughtstuff@hotmail.com)

Wonderful stone, iron, brass mixed designs displayed on Shepard hooks to be used in your lawn & garden.  The following is a wall display and a wine rack for the wall.  Or visa versa, depending on how the pictures fall into the blog.

Everyone who stopped by Folk artist,  Maria Pfropper’s booth had the exact same comment – “Oh I love that she painted the frame as part of the picture.”

For colorful, whimsical, mystical paintings email MariaPfropper@yahoo.com
Maria is from Dryden Michigan.

LeRoy Bayerl of Marshfield, WI., a true craftsman with his creation of hollow wooden vessels.  Each vessel is hand-turned on a lathe while still green then transformed into these beauties, aptly named TimberBlossom

Another Tall Tale

Turned hollow vessel of Desert Ironwood and Birdseye Maple.

 

Dont Expose me!
Hollow vessel of Walnut wood, carved, textured and bleached cutaway.

Oozin the Blues
Turned vessel of Box Elder burl with Walnut legs and lid and enameled parts.

Why Dance Alone?
Lathe-turned vessel of Chinese Fir root burl, carved legs, tail and lid of Rosewood.

Can you tell by the number of pictures that he was my favorite artist of the day?  You can view more of his beautiful wooden vessels at http://timberblossom.com/

Next is a three-dimensional fiberboard, acrylic paint, glass, wood and reed low relief wall display by  Heckler Designs.  http://www.heckerdesign.com  Patricia and her husband Jon also make and design Tattoo Dream Boxes.

Another husband and wife team out of Fort Wayne, Indiana, own Davis-Vachon Gallery.  You can purchase their beautiful ceramics on Etsy.  They alone – no assistants, handcraft all their work.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/davisvachon

I’m in love with this piece but I want it in yellow!

Fort Wayne seems to have the monopoly today on husband and wife partnerships.  Greg and BJ Jordan handcraft whimsical, spiritual and primitive jewelry pieces for their business Jordan Fine Art Jewelry 

Visit them online at:   http://jordanfineartjewelry.com/

Kenton Ridenour from Peru Indiana, is a digital artist using the Corel Painter Program to create his paintings.  Also an Etsy seller - Veggiemon Artworks you can purchase his work at: http://www.etsy.com/shop/veggiemon

 Stormwest

 Dressed in Fire

Metal and fused glass wall sculptures by Rothfuss Designs in Sylvania, Ohio. 

Stan really liked the wall art but I fell in love with the vase.

http://rothfussdesigns.blogspot.com/

Decided these would look great hanging on my kitchen wall.  From Brian A. Moore Ceramics in Indianapolis.  No website, but this is his email address: moorejnb@sbcglobal.net

Immediately drawn to Chris Klassen’s Acrylic mixed media paintings because of all the vibrant orange and reds she uses.  Chris’s studio is in Akron, Ohio 

 http://cklassendesigns.com/

Of course no day at the scorching hot art fair would be complete without grandpa giving you a dip in the water fountain

Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend.  We're heading to the lake to cool off.

Ciao!