Reflections of A Journey- Broad Ripple Art Fair

Twenty four years ago my husband and I celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary while exhibiting at the Broad Ripple Art Fair. We loved the experience and this show ignited something inside us. It was our very first art fair. We sold $2.00 handmade cards. The finishing touches to our display were completed the night before by my husband and my father-in-law. Amazingly, everything fit into a Honda Civic! Our canopy was delayed in transit and didn't arrive in time for the show. By Monday morning my scorched nose was peeling as the UPS man delivered our much needed display tent. Little did we know that that weekend set into motion, what would become for two young artists, a way of life.

For some the month of May in Indy means racing. For the art festival fair goer and artist, it means Broad Ripple Art Fair! For me, it signifies the anticipation of a busy art fair season. The wonderful people who attend and support the artists who exhibit at Broad Ripple Art Fair make this event one not to miss for the artist or the collector. We've loved doing this show, rain or shine over the years.

Few collectors leave this show empty-handed. Something special awaits every taste and budget. The dedicated fair goer will arrive armed with shopping bags, sun block, cash and credit cards. All necessary accouterments to fully enjoy this event! Finding the perfect art treasure, the one that really speaks to you, is paramount. Winding down with friends to enjoy live music, artist demonstrations in the art center and neighbors you'll meet, only add to a great weekend.

Any artist exhibiting knows the degree of passion, frustration, dedication and long hours that are instilled into honing their craft. This becomes fully realized when they connect with the right person- the one who recognizes this effort. This stirring is both tangible and rewarding. The culmination of time seems unimportant once your work is fully appreciated. This exchange is just one of the many beautiful aspects of art.
When hard earned money is exchanged for hand made work, the circle of art is complete.
The art of buying something handcrafted carries with it
-the soul and the fingerprints,
-the emotion and the passion,
the breath of its maker.

My husband Jon builds wooden boxes and furniture that I emblazon with words and images stamped in paint. Somewhat resembling tattoo's on wood, we call them TattooDreams. Each piece is a one of a kind. It's our newest body of work and one that has come into it's own within the last few years. Some pieces are adorned with tied silk, beads, pistachio shells, seeds, bottle caps and assorted collected ephemera. Collectors find images and words they relate to on my work and in doing so quickly claim the piece that speaks to them! Custom pieces can be ordered as well.

There are few venues an individual can casually go where they'll encounter as much original art and speak directly to the artists as at an art fair. These are special events that communities need to support to keep the handmade spirit alive and artists thriving. One of the last things handmade in our country is our wealth of fine art and fine craft. It's a part of our culture that needs to be fed and fostered to stay vibrant.

Twenty four years later, we're happy to be juried into and exhibiting at the 40th Annual Broad Ripple Art Fair. Our display and work have gone through numerous revisions and no longer fit in the back of a Honda! We've participated in approximately 480 shows across the country, traveled more than 500,000 miles and met wonderful collectors who have shared their homes and collections with us. In carving this path, we've amassed an amazing group of talented friends who share our same passion and dedication.
The circle gets wider and continues to surround us with an extraordinary life that begins and ends each day with ideas, images and our passion for making and selling our work.
The people and places we've traveled and the countless hours we've driven are forever ingrained in our hearts. They are with us when we enter our studio every day.

Gas prices may rise, the economy may shrink, but mans intrinsic nature to create handmade objects of beauty will never cease. The passion of people who collect this beauty will never die. As humans we desire to covet things that fascinate, magnify and accentuate our lives. It is these very objects that surround us in our homes, feed our souls and nurture our ongoing quest for things that make us feel good and whole. In capturing what beauty an artist has created, the collector becomes part of this magical circle we call art.

We hope you'll come by our booth. TattooDreams can be found in Booth # 214 in the Artists Lot, on the right hand side.


Never forget- You still need art!

Patricia Hecker

Broad Ripple Art Fair-May 15th & 16th-
Indianapolis, Indiana