END OF AN ERA
This will be my very last outdoor art show. After a decade of showing my work, traveling with my tent, and meeting so many of you face to face, I’ve made the very difficult decision to step away from the festival circuit.
Ten years ago, I couldn’t have imagined this life. In fact, in 2015, I was still deep in the process of healing from a brain injury that had completely upended my world. That fall, I attended The Purple Painted Lady Festival in Palmyra, NY, tagging along with a friend who was showing her jewelry and accessories. At the time, I was still very sick. My brain, overwhelmed by the bright sun, the music, the crowds — kept sending me back to the car to recover in the quiet. I remember eventually wandering off and sitting under one of the big trees on the property. I looked out at the booths and thought:
“Maybe someday I could have a booth here.”
It was a whisper. A fragile dream. And it planted a seed.
The following year, that dream became a reality. The Purple Painted Lady Festival became one of the first shows I ever participated in — and over the years, it grew to be one of the most important. Tricia and Steve Kunze believed in me from the start. In 2022, they honored me as their Featured Artist, and year after year, they gifted me with the most incredible spot on the property. Their support helped me grow not only as an artist but as a person reclaiming her life after trauma.
Art saved my life.
During my recovery, it became my therapy — a way to create new neural pathways and reconnect with myself. It gave me purpose when everything else felt broken. Each painting was a step forward. Every canvas helped me rebuild.
And then there was you — my community. You showed up. You came in the heat. You stood in long lines to buy my work. You hugged me when I was tired. You cheered me on when I doubted myself. You helped me believe in this path.
Last year, I underwent back surgery, and the physical demands of setting up for outdoor shows — especially managing the tent — have become impossible to do alone. As hard as it is to let go, it’s time.
So this weekend, September 20 & 21, at The Purple Painted Lady Festival, I’ll be setting up for my last outdoor show.
To celebrate the end of this era, I’ve hidden 10 purple ornaments around the festival grounds. If you find one, bring it to me at ORANGE SECTION, BOOTH #24, and I’ll give you a little sumpthin’ sumpthin’ as a thank you for being part of this wild, beautiful ride.
Though I’m stepping away from the show circuit, I’m not going anywhere. I’ll continue to teach art — both in-person and online — and you can always find my work at www.rasjacobson.store.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting me, encouraging me, and growing with me. This chapter may be closing, but my story is far from over.
xoxoRASJ