Pour Yourself a Glass…

Welcome to Mattoon Street—where for one weekend each September, this beautiful historic street becomes an outdoor gallery.

This year marked our fourth time participating in the Mattoon Street Arts Festival, and once again, the weather cooperated beautifully. The tents went up, artwork came out, musicians began playing, and before long the street was filled with people.

For me, the best part is always the people. I love seeing familiar faces return to the booth, catching up with customers I've met at previous shows, and meeting someone new who has just discovered Tangled Vine Jewelry for the first time.

After all those hours spent alone at my workbench, a weekend surrounded by so much creative energy is a pretty wonderful change of pace.

From the Vineyard to Mattoon Street

There may not have been rows of grapevines surrounding me this week, but a little bit of the vineyard came along anyway.

Setting up Tangled Vine Jewelry for a festival always feels a bit like creating a temporary little world. The necklace displays go up, gemstones come out, everything gets arranged and rearranged—and eventually my empty tent begins to look like Tangled Vine.

Then I get to stand back and see months of ideas and individual pieces gathered together in one place.

And the best part? Opening the booth and inviting people in.

Wine country may be the inspiration behind much of what I create, but weekends like Mattoon Street are where those creations get to go out into the world.

A Different Kind of Tasting Note

No winery recommendation this week. Instead, I'm borrowing the spirit of Cellar Notes for something else worth savoring.

One of the things that makes Mattoon Street so enjoyable is the music woven throughout the festival. Rather than overpowering the artwork and conversation, musicians perform along the street, becoming part of the experience as you wander from booth to booth.

Good art, beautiful surroundings, music in the air and nowhere you particularly need to hurry.

Come to think of it, that's not terribly different from a good afternoon at a vineyard.

Victorian Brick & Early Autumn Gold

Sometimes nature creates the palette. Other times, nature and architecture create it together.

Mattoon Street gives us warm red brick, deep brown, leafy green, creamy white tents and flashes of early-autumn gold. Add a brilliant blue September sky, colorful artwork and flowers spilling from the neighborhood gardens, and suddenly the entire street becomes a palette.

These are the colors I love at this time of year—the last brightness of summer beginning to mingle with the richer, warmer shades of fall.

It's a reminder that inspiration doesn't only wait for me in the vineyard.

Sometimes it's right there on a city street.