
Eleven vintage suitcases of freshly block printed cloth and one small case of hand printed cards accompanied me this weekend for a journey up and over the Emory Pass in the Black Range (Sierra Diablo) to the Southwest Print Fiesta in Silver City.

It is the third year I have exhibited at this annual celebration of all things hand printed. Though temperatures were unseasonably high, (or the new normal in the desert Southwest is average +10) making the outdoor print market on pavement rather hot, Silver City and this festival always treat me well.

The heat didn’t deter the art lovers. This community does Fiesta! very well.

Everyone and their dog came out to see and be seen.

I sold out of block printed cotton canvas library book bags (market tote bags) by mid afternoon.

It is a liberal artsy university town after all, with a lovely liberal artsy small town public library as well.

Unfortunately I didn’t keep one of the turmeric yellow bags for myself. I’ve just found out the supplier has discontinued that colour. Oh well!

By the afternoon my booth space was beautifully shaded by a big old cottonwood lazily shedding golden leaves. Hand block printed kitchen towels and tablecloths were going home with a whole lot of new people.

I traveled to Silver City on Friday evening prior to the Saturday market, and stayed overnight in the mid century, slightly shabby but family owned Drifter Motel whose sign has always attracted me. Sadly the neon is no longer working. I was hoping for a Tucumcari neon lit night experience but no cigar.
My room was dominated by a new and very large tv screen at the foot of a new and very large (and comfy) bed so big it left absolutely no space to roll out a yoga mat. I’m sure when the motel was built, beds and television screens were way smaller.
Unfortunately the Drifter restaurant is no longer operational but the hospitable Korean proprietors made sure that I helped myself from the basket of fresh bananas, apples, snack bars and bottles of water when I checked in. As an aside: does anyone (besides me) in the USA drink the tap water? Seems everywhere I go I am presented with bottled water.

Water is life. When did it become a commodity? But I digress.

After a little late afternoon walkabout to savor de colores and the patina of neglected side streets, I found the Golden Star, a hole in the wall Chinese restaurant just across the road from the Drifter where I got an enormous serving of spicy Ma Po tofu and noodles for supper. Anthony Bourdain would have approved.

If I didn’t live where I live, I sometimes think I might live in Silver City.

Except it doesn’t have mineral hotsprings or lakes.

That’s it then.
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