Every time you go to an art fair, you have your fingers crossed that you’re going to have good “booth neighbors” when you get there. Always hoping for the best. Friendly, fun, upbeat and making good work. It’s going to be a long weekend if you DON’T have good neighbors. No worries this weekend… I have two good ones!

To my left is Maggie McCarthy and her beautiful watercolors. She’s from St. Louis and made the trip up for the show, as well as hanging out with family and beautiful granddaughter. Her work is very impressionistic & calming. Tranquil settings that make you want to be there. Click here to see more of Maggie McCarthy’s watercolor paintings.

To my right is JD Dennison and his intriguingly altered photography. We first me JD two years ago when he was my neighbor at the Evanston Lakeshore Art Fair when my good friend & metalsmith Sarah Chapman decided to bail on Evanston and go up to Minneapolis instead. JD was quick to snatch up the spot. And this year he was back after a one-year hiatus in Evanston. In fact, he actually requested to be my neighbor again!!!

His photography is pretty slick & contemporary. He uses an intriguing technique that he can describe FAR better than I. But in a nutshell, he takes the photos at night with a flash. Then “inverts” the images so the black darkness turns white, and the “flashed” details of the subject matter turn dark. Kinda crazy. Very cool. Click here to see more of JD Dennison’s photography.

So talented are my neighbors that they BOTH received a Blue Ribbon for “Best In Category.” Maggie won for “Best of Watercolors,” and JD won for “Best of Photography.” Congrats to you both… My Talented Art Fair Neighbors!!!