14/52

This past Saturday was a time-honored Richmond holiday. The Strawberry Hill horse races. Everybody puts on their biggest hat and fanciest dress and heads out to the raceway to have the biggest party of the year. It's pretty much just a mile of tailgaters getting absolutely hammered. Now, I went to art school at VCU, so I have never been a part of the cornhole-playing, kegstanding, cooking-out-at-a-sporting-event community that so many of my friends have been at other universities. So this event is like entering a whole other world. Like an athropological study, if you will. I'm proud to say that I fit right in and every year I have the time of my life.

This year, I went with a group of friends that I know through my friend Josh's kickball team. They are a crazy bunch of individuals and I love them. Pictured here are Me, Josh, Sarah, Jessica, and Garnett right after we arrived at the races. This was after only several mimosas but before the beer started flowing, the shirts came off, that box of Franzia was destroyed, and before I got the most insane sunburn (despite using SPF 50).

Sadly, I had to crop Jessica and Garnett out of the artwork for compositional reasons. But Josh is the reason I know all of them and Sarah was my "safety buddy" for the day. Garnett and Jess, please know that I love you. It's nothing personal, and I swear I didn't delete your number from my phone.

Metallic thread is still the most infuriating thing to use but I love how it looks and just can't stop myself. I also added some glass beads this week which I have never used before. That long skinny beading needle is really fun to use. They're supposed to represent the bubbles in the giant splash of beer behind us.

"Day at the Races"

Graphite and Marker on Muslin with

Cotton and Lurex Embroidery and Glass beads

8"x10"