* * * * * TWO * * * * *

Here’s the next chapter of my great Purdue PMC Conference experience.

THURS (7/17/08)
I forgot to mention – how could I forget this? - - - - but Cindylynne and Cherry Delaney got together and got me a very special birthday cake that I had fun passing out on Thursday night too. Chocolate cake with vanilla icing and “Happy Birthday, Babette” in pink icing. Pam East told me that she couldn’t eat the cake, but if I had a rose – she’d love it. I knew she was just kidding, but I cut a rose off of the top of the cake and put it on a plate – I never really knew if she ate it or not. No matter, we were all just having a whole lot of fun. Pictures will be in the Metal Clay Gallery soon. I’ll put a link to them later on today.

FRIDAY (7/18/08)
Sadly, the two foot tall mermaid had to stay home. She was great to help me celebrate, but the birthday was over. However, fun at the convention just kept going and going and going.
7:00 - 8:30am Breakfast at Earhart Hall ß I didn’t go, but opted for breakfast at our Holiday Inn. I was famished!

9:00 – 10:00 Chris Darway and Barbara Becker Simon Session – they talked about design, the good, bad and the ugly…. It was hilarious!

11:00 – 12:00 Seminars – we had our choice of:
Tonya Davidson, “Art of Marketing”
Bill & Lacey Struve, “Intro to Bronze Clay”
Petra Slinkard, “History of Accessories”

They repeated a lot of these Seminars in order to give everyone a choice as well as the ability to see/hear them all. I chose Bill Struve’s “Intro to Bronze Clay”. What can I say? His wife, Lacy, warned us he’d be talking a lot about Chemistry as that is his profession (along with a multitude of other doctorate type things)… and she was right. Anyhoo, it was fascinating to learn so much about this new ‘mystery clay’. I have a 30 oz sample from Rio Grande (thank you Rio!!) and will be playing soon. I know I’m going to absolutely – positively – adore this new medium. HOWEVER, I’m not a “that crack is okay” kind of artist so I’ll be best to withhold my judgment. If you like smooth like I do, then I’d better learn how to smooth this clay. :D My North Texas area friends are all chomping at the bit to find out about this new BronzClay so I’d better get with it and make something quick!

To work with the bronze clay, you form your item (quickly - as this clay dries out much faster than the fine silver clay) sinter the clay in your jewelry kiln - takes as long as ceramic to fire - up to nine hours. It must be covered on the bottom - sides - and top with carbon. There are two types of carbon to use: acid-washed, coal based carbon which gives great colors and patinas - the other is a coconut shell based carbon that after firing leaves gives you the rich natural bronze clay that is so gorgeous. I've included a picture of a firing container (can you say restaurant supply?) with some carbon.



Ajike Doherty from England made these colored bronze pieces on her first try in a pre-conference class.





12:00 – 1:30 Lunch, Earhart Hall

They had shuttle buses that would pick you up and take you across campus to the Student’s Cafeteria. I wasn’t fond of this shuttle ride and didn’t care for the food (everybody else I talked to loved it … I think I was just tired or something) ……. So I usually went without food. I only ate there once. Waste of money I know… but I’m giving you my actual experience at the convention. I’m odd man out on this I’m sure. I’m ok with that.

2:00 – 3:00 Seminars – we had our choice of:
Robert Dancik, “Those Who Can Do More, Teach”
Ed & Martha Biggers, “Techniques For Glass”
Hattie Sanderson, “Developing The Artist Within”

I chose the glass Seminar so that I could see if I might find out something more about inclusions. They actually didn’t cover this too much, but I did see examples of Freeze ‘n Fuse glass pieces and also how to use the CMC (carboxy methyl cellulose) with glass. I watched as Ed used the power vibe from http://www.bearfootart.com/ really cool to make lines on the glass with powder. Martha explained the Dichro Slide for us as well as Faux Opal and much, much more. It was great! They make a wonderful team. Plus they had a great handout for us unlike the other Seminars I went to previously. I loved that part. Surprise! Surprise! A handout. BIG THANKS.

3:00 – 4:00 – a quick rush to “The Union” building to look at Vendor things and bought stuff.

4:00 – 5:00 Seminars – we had our choice of:
Vera Lightstone, “Expressive Faces & Hands”
Bill & Lacy Struve, “Into Intro Bronze Clay”
Petra Slinkard, “History of Accessories”

I loved the Seminar by Vera Lightstone. She is quite a talented artist and has sculpting down pat. She threw a huge russet piece of clay down hard on the worksurface, wadded up some newspaper, slipped it under the clay and began gouging out eyes and poking out the embouchure for the lips. It was fascinating to watch. I’ve done lots of sculpting with polymer clay and so I enjoyed this immensely. Later she rolled coils (or snakes as we say it) and sculpted a hand. There was lots of laughter as she played with different ideas of how you could shape the hand and what it would say to you. I’ll let your imagination take hold here! She’s a hoot and kept us in stitches almost the entire time. I just love her so much!

5:30 – 7:00 Picnic Dinner outside of Stewart Center
The white tents were set up and food was being put on plates fast as anything. I ate a pulled pork sandwich as well as … uh, I forgot. Reason? I spent most of my time talking to Jeanette Landenwitch, Terry Kovalcik, Kelly Russell, Barbara Becker Simon and Celie Fago getting autographs in books I brought along. I could kick myself for not getting Jennifer Kahn’s when she was right there. Well, double duh.

It was time to go help put charms on bracelets back at “The Union” so several of us left – didn’t see the spoon torch relay. That’s ok, I think our help was really needed more elsewhere.

8:00 pm or so, we gave up and went back to the room tired and happy once again. Good friends are a real treasure in life, and I’m glad I made so many. Gosh it’s good therapy for ails ya!