Deidre Carpenter said she was feeling a little bored Saturday night when she remembered a fun costume in her possession.
So when the Tuscola artist returned to her booth at the Art Expo area of Decatur Celebration, she decided to bring her Tyrannosaurus rex costume with her and attempt to paint a canvas in the style of the notorious, short-armed dinosaur.
As she looked upon the blue streaks on the canvas afterward, Carpenter joked she may have underestimated the difficulty of painting inside a dinosaur costume.
“I lost visual, and I had short arms like a T-Rex, so…,” she said.
A whimsical approach to art like that was appreciated by Ed Lozano Jr., owner of Apachegraphics Studios and the person in charge of the art expo section. He said the idea of doing something fun to attract crowd attention is something worth doing at the Decatur Celebration, especially on a Sunday afternoon.
“We’re just having fun out there, it keeps things light,” he said.
The expo featured Carpenter and five other artists with their own unique styles, which included glass, roller press, painting, airbrush and jewelry.
Sugar Bears
Little furry friends : Sugar bears are small marsupials that are native to the rain forests of Australia and Indonesia. Sold by Pocket Pets.
Comic book fan art
Comic book fan art: Artist Zac Atkinson’s ‘original takes on pop culture.’
Candles that will rock you
Candles that will rock you: Oil-burning wick candles set in granite. Sold by Creative Stone Candles.
Stay cool, look cool
Stay cool, look cool: Mix and match hats and bands, scarves and other headwear, from Rawls-Riley Creations.
Wood you look at that
Wood you look at that: A variety of woodworking pieces made with reclaimed wood from Indonesia, such as branches, stumps and roots. Items with paint are reclaimed from Indonesian boats. Made by Teak 22.
Uh, oh, it’s magic
Uh, oh, it’s magic: A variety of cute headwear to suit the most creative among us. Unicorns, anyone?
Keep it cozy
Keep it cozy: Hand-crafted fabric bowl cozy to protect your hands from warm dishes fresh from the microwave. Use with cold food, too. Washable, reversible in many themes. Made by Craftgarden.
What’s in a name
What’s in a name? No matter how unique, have your name stamped on a ring or twisted into colorful cursive wire necklaces, rings and bracelets by Name Rings.
State pride
State pride: Lifestyle and sports artwork hand-painted in on wood in the shape of your favorite Midwestern state. Sold by New Art Rivals.
High-tech art
High-tech art: Bring your ideas, and their 3-D printer can make it happen. 3D Maker Factory takes orders for delivery and has a variety preprinted items on site.
Contact Ryan Voyles at (217) 421-7985. Follow him on Twitter: @RVVoyles
