Jul 6, 2013
Years ago before there was any Gallery Row, and when only 2 galleries
existed in the city, hundreds of artists from Lancaster county and city would
converge upon the streets downtown for the large, annual art show.
Taking place only one Sat. per year, it wound up and down most of the
streets in center city.
In my naivete as a newly-graduated high school senior, I had the nerve to
enter this show/contest. Hilariously, I entered it with only two paintings on
two folding chairs because I didn’t own any easels. There I stood along
King St., side-by-side many talented artists and some well-known ones who
had professional booths with many paintings. I’m surprised they even let me in.
Imagine my shock (as well as everyone else’s) when the coveted, blue,
first place ribbon was awarded to one of those two, humble paintings of mine.
Since then, the royal blue has faded into a bright, pinkish lavender, but that
ribbon still hangs over my painting area in my home studio as a reminder that
all it takes is a dream, a drive, and apparently not enough wits to realize you
will never make it.
(Above watercolor painting, “Old Staffordshire” was painted in 1984 when Liz was 18 years old and took the blue ribbon.)