Tucson Shows - Final Trip

On Thursday, while having my morning coffee, I decided that I really did need to make one last trip back to Tucson.   I shouldn't pass up the opportunity to do photo research at the African Village.  Where else did I have that much material in one place at one time?

We started at the 22nd Street Show (new last year) as parking was ample and free.  It was just an overpass away from where we were headed.

I was so impressed with the layout, openness and variety of things at the show.  Wow, can you imagine a whole dinosaur skeleton assembled on the show floor?  I couldn't get far enough away from it to take a photo.

If you had $250,000 you could have had this skull, or for a cool $1,300,000 the whole skeleton.  It's beyond huge. 

This is what really caught my eye - stunningly simple, but beautiful.  I could imagine building a whole house around this large panel.  I'd never seen a full sized palm frond fossil before.

I did find Wild Things at this show.  They had moved from the old Rodeway show and had a much better set up. Jamie mans (or is it womans?) the booth at this show and Guy Lynn does the Gem Mall. They had a great selection of vintage Czech beads, buttons and oddments.  If you get a chance, they are the most delightful people with things you don't see elsewhere.  They've always pandered to my bead needs.

Then it was on to African colors and designs at the African Village Show: 

Simple graphics  

Primary colors

 Muted colors

My favorite, mud cloth fabrics.

I took a ton of photos that I'll need to go through when I have some uninterrupted time to myself.

I'll leave you with a shot of another motel lobby - all Mid Century Modern . . . .  before you walked into a room of Native American art and artifacts.  It was like walking from one time capsule to another.

The shows are now all shut down and the vendors are packing up today.

I've heard mixed reviews, both good and so-so.  Still not as much spending as in past years, but not as bad as some feared.  I did see a lot of empty spaces where favorite vendors had been in the past.