Going's On

It's been a busy and productive week, but not a very interesting one in terms of blogging. We're setting up a new exhibit at the museum, so I got an extra day off, spent being domestic and later watching the Oscars. I spent some time out at Pitt Community College, covering beginning metals and lab hours, which made me miss teaching metals while simultaneously making me doubt all my fabrication and teaching skills. My art appreciation class is getting ready to take their mid term this week. I've made lots of progress on the necklace show, but still have a ways to go. All of this, of course, has been interrupted by regular bouts of lavishing the demanded attention on the cats.

I'm making things here and there, sticking to my "Make something everyday" with limited success (some books I like, some pins here and there). But I'm trying not to beat myself up about it. I feel worse about not making anything of value for nearly a year now. I've done a lot of playing, something I felt was needed and well earned, but now I'm starting to feel like I'm losing the race in a big way. I am trying to set the goal for myself to make a significant piece of work by the end of the semester, but I'm not sure if I'm going to make it. We'll see. Wish me luck.

Whirlwind

Whew! It has been NON STOP since I got back to Greenville!

On my way down, I stopped and saw dear friend and all around awesome person Jennifer Wells. She's got the cutest little studio, in the beautiful mountains of Virginia. We took a walk down to the river, where I got some choice rocks, and I even got to pet a cow. I got a lot of prep work done for my class and some sketching, but just being in Jen's studio had me itching to get back at the bench.

I started teaching an Art Appreciation class last week at a community college about an hour away. I like it well enough so far, my students seem cool, but learning a whole new system and administration is stressing me out a bit. (Anyone have any tips on Moodle?) Also, the lectures take FOREVER to prep and I'm still figuring out the pacing.

This past weekend was the 3rd Annunal ECU Metals Symposium and all that entails. It was crazy busy and a lot of fun. I got to see many friends from out of town, but after four nights in a row of being social, I think I'm ready for some serious down time. (read: hermetic)

Today, I started a part time job at the Children's Museum and Science Center in Rocky Mt, NC. I'm a little overwhelmed, but excited. I think it's going to be a lot of fun. I'll be doing everything from working at the front desk selling tickets to helping with demos and birthday parties to caring for the live collections.

All of this, plus Hot Under the Collar (I spent two full hours last night dealing with show emails and entries) has left little to no studio time. I'd fully intended to enter the Honey Exhibition, and even started my piece on Monday. But at some point yesterday, I realized that there's no way I can make this piece happen by the deadline Friday. I'm feeling really guilty about not making, especially since people keep asking about it.

And to top it off, I've been crashing with various generous friends. I'm grateful I know such awesome people who are willing to take me in, but I'll feel a lot better once I'm back in my own space (aka, Linda's place, which isn't really mine either). I thrive on routine, and I'm just waiting for things to settle down. I'm hoping once I'm back at Linda's with a space to work and all my stuff, I'll get back into the rhythm of making. I did some sketching while I was home and visiting Jen, so that counts right?

So anyways, 2012 is off to a whirlwind start. Hopefully it will settle down soon and I can get back to making stuff.

Thanks for reading.

What's Goin' On

I suppose a few of you may be wondering what I've been up to professionally lately. I've been applying for both jobs and shows and trying to keep track of deadlines and when which pieces are out. I actually bought a calender, and feel it is only a matter of time before I have to jump to a keeping a day planner, something I've never done. I never even wrote down my homework assignments in school, because I could usually remember everything.

I subbed a metals class on Monday at the local community college, and today I get to give an enameling demo for another metals class. I need to make a sketch book because I'm getting ready to start research for a new body of work. Probably no actual pieces for a while, but I'm in a sketching/gathering mood. I need to make some pieces for some shows including this one.

I was a little surprised at myself yesterday when I realized that I currently have work in four exhibitions. Maybe it's not that much, but I feel like it's the most work I've ever had out at once. If you're in any of these areas stop by and see it for yourself:

Alchemy, Arrowmont Galleries, Gatlinburg, TN

Radical Alchemy, Courthouse Galleries, Portsmouth, VA

Annual Juried Exhibition, Greenville Museum of Art, Greenville, NC

Masters on Main, Round 3, Downtown Catskill, NY

So that's what I've been up to, besides keeping track of everyone else's keys and taking care of everyone else's pets.

Progress Report

I feel like I've been fairly productive lately. That being said, I'm not really sure what I've produced. I did a lot of geology this week and a little thesis reading. I made some quick production pieces for the upcoming holiday sale and I've done A LOT of baking the past couple weeks. Today it was for the Metals Guild Charm/Bake Sale. I made a bunch of prints over the weekend, and a couple today, and I sewed a purse. I just have to finish the handles.

We introduced our final project in the Enameling class this week, and I'm super excited about the assignment Ken and I came up with. We're doing champleve, and the assignment is to create a piece based on a favorite song or piece of music. How cool is that?! I'm so excited about this project, that I decided to make a piece for it too. (Thesis? What thesis?) My song is "The Rabbit, the Bat and the Reindeer" by Dr. Dog, so I've been working on champleve rabbits this week. Hey, I had to demo on something, right? I only wish my students were more pumped about this project, 'cause most of them aren't.

I've also been chipping away at Salt in the Soul. I'm getting closer to getting the results I want. I have to plug the holes with wax, and I think I'm going to enamel these forms, instead of using the liver of sulfer. It just doesn't hold up to the salt water the way I want it too. Plus, I might try submerging them, to get them good and crusty.

Calling All Metalsmiths. . .

So I'm teaching beginning metals this semester, for the first time. I have to cover the basics (texturing metal, rivets, soldering), but other than that, the projects are entirely up to me. I've been thinking about what project I want to do, what projects I don't want to do, projects I enjoyed, and what projects will get good results. All of this got me wondering about project other metalsmiths have done.

So I want to know: What was your favorite project, either at a beginning metals level or above? What did you enjoy about it and what did you learn from it?

Leave a comment by Friday, and I'll pick one at random and send that person a little surprise!