ImagiFest 2011!

As I wrap up some of my longer posts, I figured I'd pop in to tell you all about something I did this past weekend while Mom was out of town helping Gramma Mindy feel better after her operation (Feel better, Gramma Mindy!!)

Dad and I went to this place called "Imagination Stage" that's near us....our friend Kate works there, and you may remember that I went to see my first stage play there several months ago (It was called George and Martha, and it was super fun) In November, I'm going to start taking some classes there, so Dad and I went to this ImagiFest type thing they were throwing, (Basically it was an open house with sample classes and shows, and fun games for us kids) and we had a lot of fun!

In the back alley of the theater there was a big wall called Chalk Alley!

They put out buckets of sidewalk chalk, and just let us all go to town!

There were lots of good drawings there, but Dad and I added our unique voices to the mix, drawing butterflies and adding our names to the wall and ground.

Here I explain my motivation behind the artwork that I was sharing with everyone. I thought that it conveyed my deep sense of enjoying myself beyond reason at this event. I got to run around a lot, and play on the sculptures back in the alley as well being able to express myself with the chalk drawings.

Also....that the chalk was delicious.

When we were done chalking it up, we went inside to check out a preview of a new piece called "Mouse on the Move" It was a work in progress show that they were working on that followed the adventures of two mice out and about in the world. They were trying to get to the moon so that they might indulge in lots of cheese eating, and they used different methods to get there including driving a car and taking a boat. (Don't worry...Dad took the below picture before the show started, so we didn't disturb the actors)

There was lots of audience participation which I enjoyed very much. Some of the kid got to hold flowers and some of us got to hold little bowls (one of whom was me) At one point, the mice needed fuel for their car, and they told us that it ran on flower power...they called all the kids up to put their flowers in the gas tank...later, as they sailed their boat, they came upon a starfish whose babies had gotten frozen in the cold ocean weather...the mice then gave all of us that had bowls little starfish-shaped ice cubes....we were told to blow on it (but not lick them) and rub our hands together over them to warm them up....very quickly the starfish babies melted, and we got to walk up to the starfish onstage and give her her starfish babies back...it was awesome! The show was fun, and the two girls playing the mice did a great job!

After the show and lunch (also made up of samples that various organic food outlets were offering) we noticed that they were doing some face (and hand and arm) painting. After waiting as patiently as a two and a half year could possibly be expected to wait....it was my turn!

Dad asked me to look over the sheet of samples and pick one...initially I wanted a blue seahorse, but once I took a good look at the sheet...I knew what I wanted...I picked a monkey to honor my love of Curious George...Dad asked her if she could draw the monkey on my hand instead of my face so I could see it better, and she wisely suggested my arm, since it would take longer to get washed off it wasn't on my hand...

She worked quickly, but did a very good job...it was very cool watching a monkey emerge from some blobs of paint on my arm, but she did it! She was very nice, and said that I did a good job sitting still. (She was right...I did)

I mean, c'mon....how cool is THAT!?

After another quick visit to the chalk wall, we left and got to get on the bus (which is also a lot of fun, I must say...the first bus ride TO the ImagiFest was a little nervewracking, but I quickly grew to enjoy it for the trip home...it was really convenient.

ImagiFest 2011? A total success!!!!!!