So I decided to volunteer at this year’s 46th Annual Patriot-News Artsfest 2013. What a great time! My photographs were also published in the Patriot-News/ PennLive.com and on Storify. Here’s the link.

Jumpstreet, a non-profit orginization provided the volunteers and ran the 3-day event. Monday I got there first thing in the morning. I had assumed that I would be camped out at a info tent, but I ended up going to stands and helping give the vendors and artists a break so they could get some grub or use the restroom. In the mean time, I met some awesome artists and creators. I also ran into a few old friends 😉

Saturday night a food vendor offered free food to all volunteers, artists, and other event vendors. At the same time, a group called Mad Men Band played for the folks who stuck around from 7:30-9:30 p.m. What a great night for it – the weather was perfect! I also ran into a couple who I’d met at an event I attended while as a reporter. Great to see Sharon and Steve Smith, of Lititz. Steve is a nature photographer and I met Sharon at the Apple Blossom Festival the month before! So great to sit and chat with them while eating my free food 😉 Sharon and Steve really listened to all my struggles and offered positive encouragement about continuing on my journey.

One of the biggest reasons I feel that Artsfest is such an awesome event is because, as I’m an artist as well, I am trying to learn from the others, how to make a living at what I love. It’s not easy, and that’s demonstrated everyday by every artist I know. But, it can be done. This weekend was a testament to that as EVERY artist I talked to seemed to be selling work, so positive thinking… maybe one day I’ll figure out what the secret is to that!

I again met up with my favorite non-photographer – artists, Nancy Fobert. Nancy travels all over the country displaying her tin ceiling tiles (Nancy Fobert Designs) that have inspired me.

She’s become my favorite part of Artsfest, we chat and catchup as this is the third year I’ve met up with her at Artsfest. I photograph her artwork and capture myself in some mirrors. This year I got a photograph of the both of us 🙂 So great to catch up with her, and it feels really good to see people again and again, knowing that they are looking forward to seeing me just as much as I seeing them!

Another artists friend, Joel Anderson, was again at Artsfest. He told me he’s had a great weekend too! So glad my friends are selling work! (I need to do more of that … hint , hint…) Joel is a photographer based in Lykens, not too far  from Harrisburg. I had a great chat with Joel 🙂

Since I volunteered, I didn’t make quite as many photographs as I would have liked, but here’s the link to the photos, and below, a few of my favorites!