I’ve been really lucky to witness the creation of art, up close and very personal, ever since I met my husband Maurice, aka Artfool, 10 years ago; I’ve almost got my 10,000 hours in just watching him, lol. I’ve watched other artists here and there, but I’ve never been as immersed as I was at the Gem and Jam festival this January in Tucson, AZ.

Tribe 13 curated a gallery of not only finished works for festival-goers to enjoy, but they also brought on a team of close to 60 live artists to create original works of art over the weekend. It was really incredible to see all these creative minds at work, and I made rounds, every single day and night, checking out each art piece as it progressed. To see a finished piece is one thing; to see it build and transform is like witnessing the creation of the universe.

Another incredible thing to experience was just how many people walked through the gallery and the rows of live artists. This art space was massive… I’m guessing it was around 1500 square feet, and it saw so much of the festival traffic, with each artist creating mesmerized excitement and a deeper look in to what connects us all. I’m really thinking this festival ought to be called Art and Jam.

I talked with a number of these artists, but mostly I enjoyed hanging back, observing, and photographing them in creation without disruption. Artists Luke Schroeder and Gavin Gerundo, aka Gavinger, were our closest neighbors and super fun to be around, and so you can see that I felt comfortable moving closer and getting lots of photos for them… yeah, you dudes are awesome. Thank you for making this weekend extra special for us.

HEY ARTISTS – If I’m missing your name and you’d like it to be added, please do the following:

1. E-mail me julie@julielaflamme.com or DM me on Instagram @julielaflammephotography
2. Describe your piece, tell me your name, give me 1 link to: website, instagram, etsy, or whatever you prefer.

Enjoy –