Trade Day: I wish it was different. That's just the way it is.

Across the road from Tune Farm is the weekend market called Lacon Trade Day. I photographed it empty earlier this week on a crisp cold blue day. Today post Sunday brunch I walked over in the  greyness and found my dream cast iron pan amidst piles and stalls for $20. It even has a lid. If you ever find yourself on Old Highway 30 on Saturday or Sunday have a look around, parking is $1.

The note posted here on the right of the smiley face girl mysteriously nailed upside down reads:
Due to reasons beyond our control peanuts are going to go up in price soon.
Our peanut price per 50lb. has went from $46 to $90 over the past year.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
I wish it was different. That's just the way it is. 

697 Miles: solo road trip

It is 697 miles from Milwaukee, WI to Falkville, AL which I just drove in my recently acquired 1986 Toyota pickup. I made the drive very leisurely due to adverse weather conditions along the way. My route was Wisconsin --> Illinois --> Indiana --> Kentucky --> Tennessee --> Alabama. Basically I drove very short distances and did a lot of stopping along the way, that's the best part about traveling solo is you can do whatever you want when you want. 

Finally I made it to Tune Farm where I will be for the rest of December. I'm here as their first artist-in-resident. The loose plan over the next few weeks will include shooting a ton of photos, making some new art with the supplies I carted down from Milwaukee, exploring Alabama more and potentially playing some music since I brought along my saw.

If I can get the same road luck when I drive back home in January I'll be hyped. I also made a list of things to check out on the way back. Seeing Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is now on the top of my to do list after watching a very long PBS documentary about it's history in my hotel one night while there was a ice storm raging outside.

 

This is Little Mama + Shotgun the Tune Farm pups greeting me upon arrival.

Bread & Puppet: In Danger Is Help

Bread & Puppet has made 50 years of influential work and finally having the opportunity to see the museum where the history is archived was incredibly moving. It was a very very cold day in Vermont. Eilis, her 10 month old son Ned and I all took the hour drive from their farm to go explore the two level barn where years puppets and radical performance props are densely archived. Layers of history and stories are installed throughout the massive barn that is a self-help set up and open to the public. You unlock the doors, turn on the lights and remember to shut everything off when you leave.

Thank you Bread and Puppet for influencing me and so many other artists I love and respect around the world. Thank you for saving your history for generations to come and making it available to the public. If you are ever in Vermont, go here. And explore on the way (I highly recommend stopping at the Museum of Everyday Life!)