Movie Time!

An Arabber sells produce from his colorful wagon outside the Charles Theater.

I’ve been freelancing at the  Baltimore Sun for the last few months. The layout system (neither InDesign nor Quark-based) isn’t the most intuitive but it gets the job done.  And it’s interesting to be back in a newsroom.

I’ve been meaning to go to the Maryland Film Festival for awhile. Between conversations with colleagues and designing festival-related pages, I decided this was the year.

There was only time for three movies, but all were enjoyable. Because they can be hard to find, we chose three documentaries: The Source, Under African Skies, and Wild in the Streets.

Peter Baxter, the director of Wild in the Streets, gave a short talk and answered questions which enhanced an already great experience. His film shows the picturesque and usually quiet UK town of Ashbourne. Every year since the middle ages, thousands of citizens have been playing Shrovetide Football, a game similar to rugby but with no refs. Because the entire village is the field, the goals are three miles apart. It’s common for players to find themselves wrangling for the ball in the river running through their home.

If not for the film festival I wouldn’t have known any of this existed. Next year I hope to make a weekend of it.

Springing Ahead

Our garage, AKA Peacock Art and Design Corporate Headquarters

Though I’ve been freelancing a lot lately, there’s still been time for personal art projects. Spring came early (and extra pretty) this year. It’s been a joy to work in the studio without having to turn on the heat. I’m too cheap to keep it heated every day in the winter which cuts down a bit on spontaneity.

Here are some highlights of the past few weeks:

Detail of mixed-media entry into the LAG show.

The Laurel Art Guild Juried Exhibit: I’ve been entering this show at the Montpelier Arts Center for over a decade. This time it literally paid off, with a first-place award of $250.

The FMH Crestwood Art Gallery: One of the two pieces I entered into their latest juried show was accepted. The theme is “Visions of Frederick” so I decided to transform the city’s famed “clustered spires” into a crown. I’ll continue to pursue this idea in different media.

Raku U: J and D held a party that was part potluck, part raku pottery. J gave out out clay before the event and we made items to fire. Though 3-D isn’t my specialty, it was a lot of fun. Plus, it always helps to try something in order to appreciate it when others do it well.