Sylacauga – With artists picking their marble and getting right to work during the first day of Sylacauga’s agic of Marble Festival, there were more than a few conversations rekindling long term friendships built over the last 17 years.
“No doubt it’s the comradry,” said Craigger Brown of the most impactful part of particiapting in the annual event. “Every year, it’s kind of like a big family reunion, catching up, sharing ideas, with a lot of smiles.”
Another long-timer, Bill Cook from Tennesse’s Knoxville area, “The feeling of family. picking up conversations right where we left off last year. Spending quality time with each other, spending quality time with non-sculptor friends, like you!” And he quickly added, “Meeting new ones, too. It’s a comfortable environment for creating art.”
Cook has been at every festival, but one since 2009. He says he likes to spend time talking and watching other sculptors’ work to find focus on his work. There’s a lot of that – it’s quite usual to find artists discussing their plans for their festival piece, comparing notes, deveoping ideas, and just making new friendships.
One visitor remarked about a few un-manned work tables, “Is everybody not here yet,” he asked. I told him to look around. He smiled as he noticed two, sometimes three or four artistsdiuscussing the next cut of the marble at other sculptor’s tables.
The Magic of Marble Festival continues through Saturday, March 18th with complete information on all the related activities on-site in Sylacauga’s Central Park, under the green tent, manned by informative volunteers, as well as inside the B.B. Comer Memorial Library.
Come join the family comradery that’s an important part of such an “ineractive with the public” event. Oh, and don’t wear clothes that show marble dust!
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