CreARTivity was a Success

Last Sunday I persuaded a couple of friends to accompany me to a park in Arncliffe, to promote the calligraphy group that we belong to, Calligraphy Southscribes. Having heard Sunday was going to be 29c and sunny all week, we were prepared for a hot day but no, it turned out to be overcast and very windy. The wind didn't aid the calligraphy as you would imagine but it didn't stop the participants from coming along to the day.
We were to arrive at 10am for set up for the art festival day (being part of the bigger Rockdale Council's art festival month) and the activities were to commence at 11am.
I was a bit apprehensive about taking the other girls with me, as last time I volunteered us for one of these events it was a disaster. This however turned out to be the exact opposite. From the car entry, to the set up and then ending with the pack up, the organiser, Michelle, had everything under control. Council people were there to help us carry our materials and goods, tents were clearly marked and the atmosphere was great.
Things got off to a slow start but by lunch time, queues were forming and the girls were inundated with requests for calligraphic bookmarks. We made the decision to give them to the children for free and sell them to the adults for a donation. This left the children with their money still in their pockets which allowed them to purchase other calligraphic items, which Gloria had made for the day. Alot of the parents made donations to us, feeling that our art should be rewarded, which was extremely pleasing. We had to take a short break for lunch and so that Glenis and Gloria got some feeling back in their hands but it was only short lived with the queues quickly forming again.
Many of the children and parents were of Arabic background and while their children watched their names being written, parents explained the ancient art of calligraphy and how beautiful it was. The looks on those kids faces said it all, as their names came to life in beautiful scripts.
While Glenis and Gloria wrote and decorated bookmarks, I worked the crowd, talking calligraphy in general and our group in particular.
At 3pm it was time to pack up, shake out cramped hands and shoulders and remark on how busy we had been. The three of us were tired but happy.
The next day, after a round of emails, we had worked out that the girls had written and decorated 75 bookmarks, and we had raised app. $68 for the group not a bad day.
So thank you to the people from Rockdale Council, especially Michelle for organising the day, and a big thank you to Glenis and Gloria for giving up their Sunday.