On Sunday October 19th I received my first informational email from the Art Outside Festival in Rockdale, Texas. Well, ABOUT TIME I thought. I had applied to be an artist at the fest after someone suggested it back in August. I had never heard anything back so I gave up, completely forgotten about it. So upon reading the email I was feeling excited, relieved, and a bit perturbed. The festival was the upcoming weekend, October 24-26th, and I didn't have a ride or a clue about getting back.
My housemates had a woman staying with them, Allie, who was driving out to New Mexico but needed a rider to share the trip with. The rest of the week I formulated my plan, what to take, how to pack lightly, and options of how to get home. I had a window of about 5 days. Leaving after work on Friday, and being back in time on Wednesday to pick up my Chicago home-girl Stephanie from the airport at midnight. Cake.
The drive went quickly enough, she talked a lot so I didn't have to. We estimated 18 hours driving time. I drove a bit the 2nd day, but unable to pick up the flow of stick shift driving, my time was short. She dropped me off Saturday night at the fest, and I nestled my campsite between two cottonwood trees- a hammock, my suitcase, my backpack, Selenite Staff, and Water Wand.
There was much to see, especially at night, so I wasted little time starting my rounds around the festival grounds. Many of my favorite installations were the metalwork sculptures. They had fire sculptures and a mechanical face, and a bird you could climb inside and peddle to make its wings slowly move. The nature alter was what I was really drawn to, and picked that as my spot for the next day.
I slept a wink, woke up to watch the sunrise, then slept til late morning. I put on my 80s aerobics outfit and went to mingle in the artist's lounge.
The trip back was a 25 hour ride on the greyhound bus. I got a ride with a friend whom I discovered, and he took me on a short tour of Austin TX and dropped me off at the bus station. With staves in tow, I boarded and took the red eye ride all the way through TX, TN, and back to North Carolina.
My housemates had a woman staying with them, Allie, who was driving out to New Mexico but needed a rider to share the trip with. The rest of the week I formulated my plan, what to take, how to pack lightly, and options of how to get home. I had a window of about 5 days. Leaving after work on Friday, and being back in time on Wednesday to pick up my Chicago home-girl Stephanie from the airport at midnight. Cake.
The drive went quickly enough, she talked a lot so I didn't have to. We estimated 18 hours driving time. I drove a bit the 2nd day, but unable to pick up the flow of stick shift driving, my time was short. She dropped me off Saturday night at the fest, and I nestled my campsite between two cottonwood trees- a hammock, my suitcase, my backpack, Selenite Staff, and Water Wand.
There was much to see, especially at night, so I wasted little time starting my rounds around the festival grounds. Many of my favorite installations were the metalwork sculptures. They had fire sculptures and a mechanical face, and a bird you could climb inside and peddle to make its wings slowly move. The nature alter was what I was really drawn to, and picked that as my spot for the next day.
I slept a wink, woke up to watch the sunrise, then slept til late morning. I put on my 80s aerobics outfit and went to mingle in the artist's lounge.
The trip back was a 25 hour ride on the greyhound bus. I got a ride with a friend whom I discovered, and he took me on a short tour of Austin TX and dropped me off at the bus station. With staves in tow, I boarded and took the red eye ride all the way through TX, TN, and back to North Carolina.