It’s that time of year for the 4th Street Festival of the Arts in lovely Bloomington, Indiana. I pop in year after year, and, year after year, I am just a little more disappointed. Disappointed that the glass, ceramics, textiles, watercolors — all of it — are so cookie-cutter slick. Disappointed not to see anyone really taking some creative risks. And disappointed in the judging, since artists purveying any originality, passion, or raw vision are invariably overlooked. At least there was something I knew I could do about the judging. I decided to create and present SusanLand National awards to my three favorite artists at this year’s festival.
Armed with handmade ribbons for Most Spectacular, Most Visionary, and Most Imaginative and a few gift copies of The Not-So-Lost Soul Companion, I waded through the crowds to look through each booth for something — anything! — that could be considered spectacular, visionary, or imaginative. And as much as I hate to say it, I never found them. 
–S.
September 4th, 2007 at 11:57 am
What a unique idea! I think the ribbons are great, and you may have just made someone’s day had you awarded one to him or her. The visionary and imaginative works are the ones usually skipped when the judge awards the ribbons. They go to the slick, very professional work.
Most people will just walk on by booths displaying the really creative, far out stuff, so the outside artist-types probably would have enjoyed talking to you, too. Having you award them one of your spectacular ribbons would have been an unexpected, pleasant surprise.
September 7th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
Hi susan! I love the idea too!And it’s good to see a familiar name chiaroscuro!
September 18th, 2007 at 11:09 am
The lovely and talented Brad Wilhelm recently weighed in on this year’s Fourth Street Festival on his blog. I thought you might enjoy his take on it:
An Open Apology to the Bloomington Arts and Crafts Community
Current mood: Remorseful
To the patrons, artists, and organizers of the annual Bloomington Fourth Street Festival of Arts and Crafts:
I’m Sorry.
It’s all my fault.
When my mediocre band, Mundane Men, were approached to play the The Festival this year, you assumed it was the same Mundane Men who played last year. That band had an acoustic guitar player and a “fiddle”. They played soft and nice and folks could walk among the many booths offering stained glass, pottery, or large prints of pretty sunflowers without distraction so they could more easily reach credit and or debit cards.
I wasn’t in the band then.
This year the Mundane Men featured not one, but TWO amplified “electric” guitars. There was an amplified “electric” “bass” guitar. For the love of all that is holy, there was even and “electric” piano!
I knew there was trouble when I saw people, young people ( Not the teenage young people. They aren’t sophisticated enough to buy art, let alone crafts.), young people with nice sandals, move away from the vendor booths and toward the music. I tried my best to play sloppy and uninterestingly, but they came anyway.
By the end, when we played the only two “uptempo” songs we chose to play, and people were smiling and swaying their heads to the unholy noise we were seemingly driven by unknown forces to play, I saw the hurt and pain the eyes of the artisans and craftspeople. I knew that for the last 25 minutes, those within 50 feet or so of the stage had been severely inconvenienced, and sales, sweet, precious, life-giving sales, and been slowed.
It was all my fault, and today, free of the satanic trance that engulfed me when I plugged in my amplified instrument, I am filled with shame.
SHAME!
Shame for allowing myself to receive enjoyment from playing THAT kind of music ( as was voiced by a rightfully-angry vendor to the sound engineer).
Shame for willfully asking the audience to move during the “performance”
( as was also explained, dancing and moving moves people away from the booths)
Shame for talking to the audience about the The Festival in a mocking tone
( I don’t remember doing this, but I was under satanic influence.)
Shame for keeping honest, hard working artisans and (and to a lesser extent) craftspeople from selling that birdfeeder made from old license plates and bicycle chains adorned with hand painted sunflowers ( sweet, sweet sunflowers) for $500.
My Bad.
Brad Wilhelm
Director
Rhino’s Youth Center