<![CDATA[CONTRIVED CURIOSITIES - Blog]]>Sat, 10 Jan 2026 03:43:45 -0500Weebly<![CDATA[Art Sparks, Winter is here!]]>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 19:11:56 GMThttps://www.contrivedcuriosities.com/blog/art-sparks-winter-is-hereHoly tacos, I'm on a roll  

STATS TIME!
In 2025, our van rolled a whopping 25,042 miles 🚐
We camped in 11 states for shows, wandered through a few more just for fun, and participated in 22 arts festivals nationwide. It was a big year—dusty roads, long days, late nights, and a whole lot of gratitude.

​
NEW ACHIEVEMENT (IYKYK) 🎉
After wrapping up the Neptune Festival in Virginia in early October, we made a quick stop in Tennessee… and made a huge move. We upgraded to a 1,200-square-foot studio!

REWARD?!
More space means more room to dream, build, experiment, and step fully into our next phase of work—with renewed energy and focus. We’re already feeling the difference.


It’s Show Time!
November kicked off in the Florida Panhandle at the Great Gulf Coast Art Festival, where Josh’s coolest new doggo sculpture debuted—and was adopted—at the very same show 🐕❤️

Next up was Gainesville, where we returned to the Downtown Festival for the first time in over five years. It felt like a home show—seeing OG patrons, reconnecting with artist friends, and meeting new faces. We also introduced a brand-new design: little alligators! Big hit 🐊

To wrap up November, we squeezed in a night trip to the Sanford Zoo Lantern Festival with friends. Absolutely magical.


Anniversary Miles & Desert Skies
After ThanksChristmas with family, we scooted back to Tennessee to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary at the new studio 💛 From there, we logged 1,700 miles to finish out the year in Arizona.

Our first stop: White Sands National Park, where our three pups became official Bark Rangers 🐾

We also had an incredible conversation with an enthusiastic volunteer and park ranger who shared insights about the ancient human footprints at White Sands—evidence that people were present in North America at least 21,000 years ago. 


Arizona Adventures
Our first Arizona show was the Tempe Arts Festival, where we welcomed new collectors and adopted out our first roadrunner sculpture 🐦

Between shows, we camped nearby, hiked the King Canyon Trail in Saguaro National Park, and explored the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum with a friend and fellow artist. At night, from our rooftop perch, we listened to coyotes hunting the wild land around the campground. Desert life hits different 🌵✨

Our final show of the year landed us in Tucson on 4th Ave—a wild, bustling street fair with hundreds of artists, crafters, vendors, open storefronts, and yes… whiskey.
It was chaotic, loud, and totally insane. In the best way.


FAILED at Going Home 😅
We packed up and headed east--or so we thought. About a day into the drive, Rupert, our Fox Face Pomeranian, decided we needed a detour.
So naturally… we drove south to the border. Literally.

Big Bend National Park, Texas.
A designated Dark Skies Park, and wow—did it deliver. Rooftop stargazing, quiet trails, hot springs hikes (some with dogs, some without), and one last deep breath before heading home.


Jiggity Jig
Back in Florida, we snuck in a final round of frisbee golf with our pal and fellow artist Nick, then rolled straight into studio mode.


What’s Next?
Happy New Year! Here’s where you can find us in the coming months:
JAN 17–18
Sebastian Riverfront Fine Art Show - NEW SHOW!!
Riverview Park | Sebastian, FL

JAN 23–25
IMAGES: A Festival of the Arts
Riverside & Canal | New Smyrna Beach, FL

JAN 31 – Feb 1
Mount Dora Arts Festival
Downtown Historic District | Mount Dora, FL

FEB 7–8
ArtFest Stuart
Memorial Park | Stuart, FL

FEB 21–22
Key West Art & Craft Festival
Truman Waterfront Park | Key West, FL

MAR 20–22
Fairhope Arts & Craft Festival
Downtown Streets | Fairhope, AL

MAR 28–29
Bayou City Art Festival
Sam Houston Park | Houston, TX

APR 10–12
Woodlands Waterway Arts Festival
Town Center & Town Green Park | The Woodlands, TX

APR 18–19
Chain of Parks Art Festival
Park Ave | Tallahassee, FL

(I keep the website calendar updated as notifications roll in—April still has a few TBDs and possible swaps if we come off waitlists 🤞)

Thanks for following along, cheering us on, and giving our work homes all across the country. We couldn’t do this without you.
​
With gratitude and dusty boots,
Tiffany & Josh
Art Sparks ✨
Picture
AI Created this photo of us. Josh climbs mountains like a billy goat and I am as stubborn and unmoving as a bull. lol
]]><![CDATA[From Rust to Road Trips: Art Sparks Fall Edition]]>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 21:41:53 GMThttps://www.contrivedcuriosities.com/blog/from-rust-to-road-trips-art-sparks-fall-edition Art Sparks – Fall EditionFrom the road (and the forge), with love from Tiffany & Josh

 The Season of SparksWe’ve logged 18,474 miles this year in our 23ft camper — what a ride! From long days on the road to whirlwind weekends setting up and breaking down our booth in under 55 hours, it’s been a season full of motion, metal, and memories.
In August, we kicked things off with a lazy river float in Florida (rum buckets in hand ) before heading north for two amazing shows — Lazy Daze in Cary, NC (where we picked up some ants ), and Arts, Beats & Eats in Michigan.
Afterward, we recharged at our secret Tennessee campsite,  Rusty Ridge for a few quiet days before dropping those ants off in Louisville, KY at the Big Four Art Show.
Then came a big one — Josh’s 50th birthday in Mexico!  After a few days of sun, cenotes, and celebration, we hustled back to Florida, hit the studio hard, and then made our way to the Neptune Festival in Virginia Beach.
We stayed at one of our favorite campgrounds, Holiday Trav-L Park, where a few of Josh’s sculptures live full-time. Always feels like visiting old friends.

 Fresh from the ForgeThe studio’s been buzzing — sparks literally flying!
Josh just finished a kick-ass seahorse that turned out incredible, and Tiffany’s been on a roll making some seriously cool robots. Between the cutting, sorting, welding, and plasma sparks, there’s never a dull moment (or a clean shirt).

 On the RoadWe spend a lot of time rolling between shows, so audiobooks keep us company.
Right now, we’re deep into the Dungeon Crawler Carl series — and it’s fantastic.
Got a favorite series or author? Send us your recs — we’ve got plenty of miles left this year to listen!

 What’s NextNext stop: Arizona!
We’ll be hitting a few shows out west this December (check the Show Calendar for dates).
When we’re not at the booth, we’ll be out exploring the trails around Tucson and Tempe — any hiking tips or favorite local spots? Send them our way!

 Adopted!We love seeing where our sculptures end up in the wild! Check out this amazing pic of one of our spiders in its forever home! 
Send us your photos, keep tagging us on social - we LOVE it and we’ll feature a few in our next edition.
Your art adoptions make our day every single time.

 Gratitude & RustThanks for following our adventures, cheering us on, and supporting handmade art. Whether you’ve stopped by a show, shared a photo, or just followed along — you keep the sparks alive.
With love (and a little road dust),
Tiffany & Josh
 [Website] | [Instagram] | [Email]

 P.S. Want to see where we’ll be next? Check the full show schedule on our website!
]]><![CDATA[Art Sparks – Summer Edition]]>Sun, 27 Jul 2025 04:00:00 GMThttps://www.contrivedcuriosities.com/blog/art-sparks-summer-edition Art Sparks – Summer EditionThe quarterly (hopefully, maybe, probably not but I'll try) scrap-metal sculpture update from Tiffany & Josh

Hey Kids!
We’re rolling through another season of sparks, steel, and sculpture—rolling literally, since we’re on the road for 180 days a year in our 23ft camper!
Our calendar is packed with over 20 juried art shows annually. These aren’t your average craft fairs—each one selects between 150–300 artists from up to 1,000 applicants. We’re always humbled to be chosen, and even more grateful when we see your smiling faces in the crowd.
Each show weekend? We load in, set up, sell, break down, and hit the road again—all usually within 55 hours. It’s a wild ride, but we love it.

 Fresh from the WorkbenchWhen we’re not at shows, we’re in the shop at home—cutting, welding, and bringing new scrap metal creatures to life. Some of our latest pieces might just be your future favorites.
Got an idea or custom request? We’re all ears.

 Our Travel BuddiesOff the bench, you’ll find us exploring trails and swimming holes with our three pups. Their muddy paws have been in more state parks and frisbee golf courses than we can count.

 Adopted!We’re hoping to highlight our fav section to showcase you!
Send us photos of your adopted sculptures in their forever homes—we’ll feature some in every issue and on our website! Attached to this letter is the whole collection of Bob P. from Pittsburg. He has been collecting our pieces for a few years now. Thanks Bob! 
Got a great shot? Hit reply or tag us on Instagram @YourHandle.

 Where to Find UsWe just updated the Show Calendar on our website, but our very next show is MADISON WISCONSIN!!!.
Come say hi—we’d love to catch up, hear your stories, or help you find your next metal muse.

Thanks for supporting handmade, upcycled art and for being part of our journey. You keep us inspired, and a little less rusty.
With sparks and gratitude,
Tiffany & Josh
 [Our Website] | [Instagram] | [FB]  [YouTube]]]>