Watch the video of my work in progress!
The following is from the Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society's press release July 14, 2022.
2022 Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society Fair by Saundra LaBell.
Saundra is the owner of, and artist behind, Saundra LaBell Designs. She creates original, one-of-a-kind, and limited edition Martha's Vineyard themed art and home-goods. She works in multiple mediums, because turning raw materials into something beautiful is the driving force in her work. For Saundra, it's all about the process of creating. Saundra grew up on Martha's Vineyard in a family of women entrepreneurs and artists. Now she, her husband Nick, and their two young daughters Azealia (7), and Zinniah (4), live in West Tisbury. Saundra described how her experience of going to the fair every year influenced her fair poster submission.
“We always looked forward to the fair for the entire summer as kids. The anticipation grew and grew while the days dripped by until we were standing in that line; waiting for admittance to the fair. That was always the peak of excitement for me. Once we were in the fair grounds it was always a blur of rides, cotton candy, and livestock that blend together in my memory so that it's hard to distinguish the fun of one fair from the next year's fair. But, standing in line is a clearer memory for me. And now that I've got my own kids fidgeting as we creep closer and closer to the entrance, it's so much fun to hear them list which rides they want to do first and which animals they're most excited to see. Before they start asking for snacks, or arguing about which horse was biggest and which piglet fastest. Before they beg for fried dough and only eat two bites, and before they're completely worn out from a day full of excitement (all of which is totally worth it), we're waiting in line. Happy and hopeful and ready for the best day of the entire summer.
That's what I wanted to capture in this poster. All of the different families and individuals waiting with their own expectations and lists of what to do first. We might look different, or be waiting in different constellations of people, and have different priorities of what we should do first, but we're all excited for the very best day of the summer.”
Saundra added, “I'm truly honored to be able to share my fair experience and my art with the island community and all our visitors through this year's Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society Fair poster.”
To find out more about Saundra LaBell Designs' work, artistic process, and environmental impact, please visit SLD-MV.com or find Saundra LaBell Designs on Facebook and Instagram. You can see Saundra LaBell Designs' work in person this summer at the Oak Bluffs Open Market and First Friday in Vineyard Haven. And of course, Saundra looks forward to seeing everyone this summer at the fair!