I’ve put this off for a while and not because I have nothing to write about but because I was getting over this funk I was feeling for the past couple of weeks. I had attempted to write this early but my studies, not just in this class but in most of my visual arts course, took a very dark and sad turn. Nihilism, elitism and more nihilism can really make one feel quite hopeless, and I did; especially in terms of my perusal of a career in arts. Not to say that this is my dire excuse for not writing¾my last-minute cramming and general lethargy can also be added to the list. But, I thought I should mention it because it works as a juxtaposition when thinking back to my experience at the fair; at the very least it snapped me out of all this hypothetical worry.

On day two of the VABF I was stationed to organize and hand out totes for the first couple of hours, it was really relaxed and I had the opportunity to talk to other volunteers. I thought this was one of the most beneficial aspects of the whole experience because I got to talk to a lot of people not only about how they stumbled upon the VABF but also how and why they got interested in arts. It’s really amazing to see such a range of people working in so many different fields, some art related and some¾so far from it, come together because they feel that art is influential and important.  For the last two hours, I was stationed at the mezzanine to watch over the laptop/projector that displayed the program for the artist talks and to help guest find their way and answer general questions. Anne joined me during this time, and we were able to listen in on some of the talks. Although we weren’t able to sit through one fully, it was eye opening to find out what topics these artists have drawn from to create their works/books. Mostly because it ranges from wide socio-political issues to personal interest and to me, seeing this variety was reassuring because it reminded me that even art that doesn’t grasp such profound concepts can still connect with people deeply. That all ideas manifested in art are (in some ways) still worth presenting.

Contrary to what it might seem (standing around equated to boredom) I did enjoy working the mezzanine. Yes, it was quiet most of the time (which I really didn’t mind), but the best conversations transpired during that time. The most memorable takeaway was a conversation I had with an elderly lady who came from Ireland and stopped by Vancouver on her way across the world. The premise of her story ¾travelling solo across the globe at her age, is already so inspiring! She told me a lot about how the places in Vancouver and some of the people she met really reminded her of home (especially because there are areas of Vancouver that derive from Irish heritage [which I learned during this conversation]). However, what really got to me was this notion that people want to connect with other people and how it’s quite special that we are able to do so through heritage, souvenirs, art etc. It is notions such as this that remind me not to stress out over not being able to ‘solve’ huge ordeals/concepts. It reminds me that regardless how small or irrelevant I might think the content I present is, it’s important to realize how privileged I am to have the power to promote the content I want and have it be considered and receipted.