Picnic

Think of all the ways we come together to dine. We have wedding receptions and wedding dinners.  We meet at the diner for breakfast. We have birthday parties with cake and candles. We celebrate Thanksgiving with family and friends stuffing ourselves with turkey and Tofurkey and side dishes. We meet at the corner bar to have a drink after work. We welcome the New Year with hors d’oeuvres and raise a cocktail glass at midnight.

Only one dining experience may be universally remembered and loved by all. That is when we intentionally leave the home or the office, pack some sandwiches or cold chicken, plates and napkins, and head outdoors to a park, riverside, beach or cemetery for a picnic.

It’s been said before (but it’s worth repeating) that “a picnic is so much fun that the word itself has become a metaphor for lighthearted pleasure.” This portable meal eaten outdoors becomes an adventure away from the dining table. Everyone loves playacting and novelty, so a picnic at a city park or a pasture, beside a brook or roaring waterfall, alone on a crescent of sand, or in a crowd at a football stadium parking lot becomes a special memorable experience.

One has to be as organized for a picnic as for a formal meal. Unless you are picnicking in your backyard, you can’t run in the house for the salt shaker or the charcoal for the grill. One Condé Nast publication from the mid-1950s waxed on philosophically when they separated the world into hosts and guests.  And picnic guests are no different. Some picnic guests sit back waiting to be served while others scurry about assisting with getting drinks and firewood.  There are two kinds of artists and designers, too. One creates new work based on the “assignment” while the other makes a selection from their current work that was appropriate for the chosen topic. Both can be equally satisfying for the picnic-goer. See for yourself.

Ceramicist and educator Bryan Czibesz has chosen 30 artists/designers who working solo or in collaboration with another maker, have created artwork in ceramic, glass, metal, paper, fibre, plastic, and found objects to share functional work, sculpture, photography, collage, and watercolor. 

Take this lesson to heart. If you are overwhelmed by your workload, then grab the picnic basket and your favorite person and head for the shore. Plan an elaborate picnic with chilled wine (don’t forget the corkscrew!) and a baguette with fresh strawberries, and escape to a secluded woods for an hour or two of respite from the hustle and bustle of daily life.  Bon Appetit!