People, Places, and The Slippery Road Home

A Literal Blizzard

This past weekend I participated in an annual art fair near San Francisco – with traffic, lots of street lights, and massive crowds of people – a complete opposite of my home environment. Closing day, my husband and I took down the display, packed up my bronzes in two vehicles, and, the following day, headed home. The journey was not uneventful. We encountered rain throughout the trip, accentuated by downpours that caused freeway traffic to halt and then crawl. Ahhh, but once climbing up our mountain road – well, the rain turned to gentle snowflakes and, finally, as we gained altitude, to a full-on blizzard. We left our little Prius in a nearby town and made the rest of the journey in my 4 WD pickup – only after unpacking the useless car and repacking the truck. Two schnauzers in the back seat, husband as human passenger – we made it home and trudged through four feet of new snow to open the door to a house with no power. Down for the entire area due to an epic storm.

But this is just background to what I really want to share with you. Living in a rural area, we've grown unaccustomed to the benefits of being immersed in humankind. We generally regard crowds of people as overpowering and/or annoying. But this event proved to be the opposite. I spoke with many people at my booth as I sculpted a schnauzer (one of mine) in clay. I had my finished work on display, and folks stopped by to ask questions – such as – "So, do you paint that clay with bronze when you are done?" And no – that's not at all how it works, so I explained my process of many steps from clay to bronze. I also got to chat with people interested in having me create a piece of their favorite pet – usually a well-loved dog.

But the biggest lesson I learned was about diversity - ways of being human in a world that usually prizes conformity. My first encounter was with an elder woman bedecked in fantastical finery. She wore a coat of deep red velvet studded with gold embellishments. Atop her head, she'd fashioned a charcoal-hued hat bedecked in silver beads and pins. A handmade fabric bag of many colors hung on her right shoulder. Beneath the great coat, she wore a black velvet dress adorned with handsewn and beaded flowers. She is (no surprise) an artist. Lives on a farm with her husband (also elaborately costumed) and explained that "He finds things." She nods toward her silent husband, "And I take them apart and put them back together as something new. it's my art." She beamed with creativity. I told her, "If I could have a fairy godmother, I want her to look just like you."

People shuffled by – not everyone stopped by me because there was so much else to see. But a couple with a son, likely in his twenties, pause to watch me work on the schnauzer. At first, the young man stared at the floor and then slowly looked up. I noticed he has Down's Syndrome. He shuffled slowly from one foot to the next, holding a stuffed dog that's clearly been loved for a very long time. "Do you like dogs?" I asked him. I got a slow affirmative nod. Mom and dad smiled. They stood and watched until the son looked at me and said, "You are a very good artist." And my heart melted in gratitude for the best compliment of the entire weekend.

In the booth next to me was a very busy man from Kona, Hawaii. Scott Burr, founder and owner of  Carta Coffee Merchants – a unique enterprise that's essentially mail-order coffee beans from his own six-acre coffee plantation in Kona. It's pure as coffee gets –100% Kona beans (a totally different experience than we get from beans in bags on the mainland that mix Kona with other beans). Although he lives in 'paradise,' Scott travels a lot. He explains his coffee varieties must be experienced – tasted to fully appreciate the difference. Coffee lovers sign up, and he ships all over the world. And, yes, it caught me off guard because it was the best cup of coffee I've had in 60-some years of drinking coffee – very low acid, robust, smooth as melted chocolate.

For months he's traveling, offering samples, telling the same story to everyone who stops by, and never once losing his enthusiasm. He's a Kona ambassador who educates, enthuses, and recruits. When not selling, this titan-of-the-best-bean is working his farm, helping other local farmers be successful. And how lucky was I? He kept me supplied with samples throughout the show – effectively spoiling me for anything I can buy at the supermarket. Yes, I signed up. Check out his story Here.

Because I was actually making art at the show, several visitors took photos I'll never see – me and the mini-schnauzer. One visitor was a wannabe reporter who interviewed me for her college newspaper. It was endearing and made me think way back to my earliest assignments as a news reporter. I identified with her uncertainty about how to ask questions and, at the same time, make sure the recorder is working. I could see her nervously planning and wearing a look of "this is my first interview ever!"  

A very modern, mature woman entered my arena, wearing a luxurious mustard-colored jacket. Some people amble, shuffle, or stroll. She swept in with interest and purpose. She spoke enthusiastically about a beautiful life. "I've lived all over the world," she told me, listing places from eastern Europe to France, Spain, New York, and beyond. Most importantly, she offered a grand endorsement of marriage. "I've been married to my husband for over 37 years," she said with a nostalgic grin. "And I wouldn't change any one thing even if I could! Not one thing!" Further endearing was her description of the dogs she's owned, loved, and lost – a reaction to the in-progress sculpture of my own schnauzer in clay who is near the close of her lifespan.

Since so many of my sculptures involve animals – dogs, cats, and wildlife - critter lovers are attracted to my spot. One man was taken with a bronze lizard I'd first made for a woman living in Mexico – it adorns her mailbox. We chatted about the bronze process for a bit, and then he told me about his own passion – for reptiles. He also holds a few impressive degrees, including zoology and art. His paintings and sculptures focus on the beauty of snakes (which he described in some detail) and other crawling, slithering creatures. He finds them beautiful and eagerly searched his phone, scrolling through images of his favorite snakes. My protection (since I really never got over the irrational flight and fright effect of such creatures) was to cross my eyes while looking at the photos.

Near the end of the final day, I spotted a tall man with his family - wife, two children, and another in a stroller. He was notable because he wore his blond hair in a robust braid that fell beyond his waist. It was thick and not to be ignored. I wondered. Thought about the hippie days of the 60s. Eventually, the family headed to my spot. The kids walked in, and I told them, "Yes, you can touch the sculptures." On the edge of a table was a small piece I'd done of a sea otter perched on a small marble stand. The little girl (about eight years old) was eye to eye with the otter. She touched it and asked her dad, "Can I have it? Please. Please?" Dad asked how much it cost, and I slashed the price to $100 – thinking that with his young family, even that might be too much. Dad tried to let her down gently. I could see little tears in blue eyes. Dad tried to apologize and move her away gently. So, of course, I gave her the piece, and the smile was priceless. I told Dad how to care for the sculpture (practically indestructible), and my new 'best friend' wrapped the otter in her sweater and said, "I'm going to keep him for the rest of my life."

Despite not selling a lot (but hoping to win a commission or two), my last transaction was the highlight of a show filled with remarkable talent, memorable characters, and one perfect moment.

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Thanks for letting me take you on my adventure! I appreciate your time and your attention. I hope you are all safe and can anticipate a spring season that bound to arrive. For us, up here on our mountain – well, after two days of snow plows and power loss, we have sunshine – but we're facing another major snowstorm in the next 24 hours. This time, we're ready! Let me hear from you - darby@darbypatterson.com – I appreciate your thoughts and comments!

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