Where in the World. . . .?

Well, my wild and crazy summer of travel is finally coming to a close. Back in June, I packed up my Greenville studio and apartment, and headed for Gatlinburg, Tennessee. I spent 6 weeks as a studio assistant at the Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts, then headed home to PA at the end of July. I visited with my family for a few days before heading out to be the studio assistant in Fine Metals at Peter's Valley Craft Center in Layton NJ. I spent a week dog sitting in suburbs of NJ, which is where I was when Irene came through. I have to say, it was so hard watching all the footage and pictures of the damage in NC. The hurricane knocked out the power at PV for almost a week, and so the Labor Day Weekend workshops were sadly canceled. I went back home a few days earlier than I intended, so I got to spend an entire week with my family before taking off again.

So where am I know? Right back where I started from. Due to one of those funny little quirks of life, I wound up back in Greenville, NC, where I'll be cat sitting for Linda Darty while she and her husband are teaching in Italy with the ECU Italy Intensive program. It's a little strange being back, but all in all, I'm looking forward to it. I've got a ton of things I'd like to accomplish in the next three months, including a trip to the beach at the first available opportunity.

I'll be blogging more about my summer and my plans for this fall over the coming weeks.

Welcome back.

Beach

Process Shot of the Week

Homesick II: Maritime Forest

No Rest for the Weary

Homesick I: Beaches

copper, sterling silver, sand dollar piece, shell, aquamarines, map, mica, ink

So, I finished my first post-thesis piece today. It's small, not very complicated and not rock related. There's no electroforming or enameling involved, and yes, I glued some things together.

Spring Break

I was on Spring Break all this week. It was probably the most unspectacular Spring Break of my academic career. Not only did I not do anything fun, I also got virtually no work done. I honestly don't know what I did, except clean my apartment, run errands, sleep A LOT, and spent several fruitless hours searching for a dress for my opening.

I finally gave myself permission to not do anything thesis related for a couple days, and took off to Goose Creek State Park yesterday afternoon. It was a much needed trip out of town, but forcibly reminded me how much I'm going to miss North Carolina. I don't know where I'm headed after graduation, but I'm looking all over, and staying here seems unlikely. I just hope I like the next place as much as I like it here.

Day Dreams

So I'm in western Pennsylvania for the holidays, but day dreaming of North Carolina's beaches. This image by Tim Lisko isn't helping.

Found via dear ada

NC Love

Another reason why I love this state:

The Creative Industry in North Carolina accounts for nearly 300,000 jobs, more than 5.5% of the state's workforce!

AND that workforce of 300,000 contributes $41 BILLION to the state's economy!!!

according to Pitt County Arts at Emerge Gallery.

Also, magnolia flowers as big as your face!

North Carolina Love

If you've hung out with me for any length of time in the past year, you've probably heard me say "I effing LOVE North Carolina!" I'm sure that sounds a little bit fanatical, and it is. But, it's also true. And since I made my drop spine box to the measurements on my handouts, and not to fit anything specific, I decided to make it my North Carolina box. I lined the inside with a vintage NC road map, and plan to put my postcards and other North Carolina memorabilia in it. (Yeah, I just said memorabilia.)

I found this vintage postcard at one of the local antique/junk shops today while I was doing a little retail therapy. It's a classic North Carolina view, and reads:

"Here's to the land of the Long Leaf Pine,
The Summer Land, where the sun doth shine,
Where the weak grow strong and the strong grow great,
Here's to 'Down Home', the Old North State!"

Perfect.