Wednesday, September 25, 2019

FIRST FRIDAY ART WALK IN ROCKY FORD, COLORADO

The Rocky Ford, Colorado Municipal Museum, in an effort to build on their files of stories about the town and the people, are sponsoring a series of exhibits at the Idea Place, 408 North Main in Rocky Ford.
The next part in the series is to be held on Friday, October 4, 2019 from 5:30 - 7:00 pm during the monthly 1st Friday Art Walk.  Writers, story tellers, and artists have been invited to share their stories about growing up in Rocky Ford, their families' businesses, and the influences of living in a small rural community.

For the October display, Bob was asked to share the stories of growing up and working in the neighborhood grocery store owned by his parents.  I was asked to display some quilts and explain how I was influenced from childhood to become a full-time quiltmaker.

Being of almost sound minds and aged bodies, it has taken us practically a month to prepare for the displays -- much longer than probably necessary!

Bob has gathered pictures taken at the store with other paper ephemera, plus the vegetable scale, gumball machine, and glass cookie jar we managed to secure from the store years ago.  
He has some great stories about delivering groceries, dealing with customers, and working from age 6 sorting potatoes and candling eggs.
Bob working in the meat department the summer before we got married in 1958.

Bob's parents on the right.


I always forget how much work it takes to hang a quilt display even a small one like this with only fifteen quilts.  There is always a need to make informational signs about the individual quilts.  And, for this specific display, explanations about how I was influenced by the art and math programs of the Rocky Ford schools back in the 1950s.
I also occasionally make 2 1/2" x 3 1/2" paper quilts using quilt designing and decoupaging techniques.  I've never displayed them before, so had to figure out how to do that.
The 15 quilts are all out of storage and spread out to relax any fold wrinkles.

I think we are about ready ---- just hope we don't forget anything and that everything fits into our car.

If you are in the Rocky Ford area, the First Friday Art Walk shows at the Idea Place each month are worth attending.