Excitement Among the Fish
FLIMP Festival or BUST!
Last weekend I stepped out of my comfort zone and did something I've never done before. Actually, THREE things I've never done before...
I created a sidewalk chalk drawing... on asphalt.
I competed in an art competition (sidewalk chalk art).
I did all this in front of other people... like PUBLIC ART... while people were watching!
So this is what I started with...
The FLIMP Festival is an art festival at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Art and it's a 2 day event. Friday is the day for chalk art and Saturday is the day they are open to the public. There are crafts, dance and musical performances, food trucks, competitions, and of course - the chalk art. I don't know how many people usually enter this competition (it was my first time), and I was contestant #111.
So the theme this year was "Gulf Coast Jubilee" and it was based off two different exhibits they have going on right now inside the museum. As demonstrated by the other artists, "Gulf Coast Jubilee" could be interpreted to mean many different things having to do with the gulf coast of Alabama. Mobile, Mardi Gras, beachy stuff, sea life, mermaids... I chose to interpret it in the literal sense.
“...Hundreds of live sea crabs and fish... completely covered the beach at Point Clear and Zundels Sunday morning. A fisherman of experience in explaining the unusual occurrence stated that it was a “jubilee”... People who saw the wild scramble of fish and crabs on the sandy beach say they won’t soon forget the sight.”
To me, a "Gulf Coast Jubilee" is the natural phenomenon (I LOVE that word - phenomenon) which occurs on the beaches of Mobile Bay at least one time per year. All kinds of crab, shrimp, red fish, flounder and eels will go absolutely crazy and swim ashore. It's usually in the early-dawn hours and people come from all over the place to harvest this easy-to-catch seafood!
“EXCITEMENT AMONG THE FISH—Yesterday all the fish in the bay seemed to be making for the Eastern shore. Large numbers of crabs, flounders and other fish were found at the water’s edge, and taken in out of the wet. They were counted by the bushel. Annually this phenomenon occurs with the fish along the Eastern shore. They all appear to forsake the deep water, and swim and cluster in immense numbers to the shore.”
And here is the final piece - Excitement Among the Fish
And guess what.....
So I GUESS that means I accomplished 4 new things and not just 3... Not only have I never entered an art competition (until last weekend), but I've NEVER WON either!