Arrowmont

Hey folks! Here's a link to this summer's metals offerings at Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in the mountains of TN. Expect to spend around $1300 for tuition, room and board for a week. Class prices do vary. And you will want to have materials and some tools to work with also, so work that into your budget. They do have a pretty good supply store there and a fun bookstore too! Arrowmont also offers work/study and scholarship opportunities. I have attended Arrowmont workshops twice, learned to solder at Arrowmont! I volunteered for an enameling conference held there in 2005 and I assisted Marlene True in a workshop there in 2006. Arrowmont began as a mountain school founded by the Pi Beta Phi fraternity. My grandmother was one of the first twelve teachers brought in in 1934 to teach mountain children there. The school later became a crafts school in the 60's. Both sets of my grandparents lived in Gatlinburg, so I remember being taken to Arrowmont for visits as a child all through the 70's as it blossomed into a haven for creativity. I can say with confidence that Arrowmont really is responsible for my being the artist I am today.

Rio's Gone Solar

Hey Folks, If you haven't already heard Rio Grande in NM has gone solar! How cool is that?! I have for a long long time wondered why people don't cover everything with solar panels. Especially parking lots! Who wouldn't want their car under shelter from the sun anyway?

Our Illustrious Sara!

I should have done this long ago! Congratulations to Sara Westermark on her necklace project in "30 Minute Necklaces" compiled by Martha Le Van. Run out and get a copy!

Mandala Pendant Class

Melissa Manley will be teaching a day workshop on how to make this pendant,
June 5th at Art Exposure in Hampstead, NC.

"Learn to use a jeweler's saw to create lacy, pierced designs in metal. We'll drill and cut our mandalas from copper. We will then enamel our mandalas with vitreous glass enamel powders. If you have sawing experience all the better! But if not I've had great success helping beginning folks learn to love this essential jeweler's tool. Join us as we get lost in the rhythm of sawing!"
The class is $85

Supply list:
*jeweler's saw and #3/0 blades
*a jeweler's bench pin-I prefer this one:
http://www.contenti.com/products/bench-pins/110-287.html

Optional items:
*small lithium battery powered hand drill if you have one and want to use your own.
Melissa will be bringing a drill.
*small drill bits if you want to use your own drill, but Melissa will bring some.
*thin work gloves if you like.

Melissa will bring lots of tools, copper for the pendant and enamels and her kiln.

So come join in the fun!

Anne's Stones

We had a great time with Anne Kennedy on the 18th. So much so in fact we'd like to have her back again in August! She had gorgeous Kombaba, Deshutes Jasper, Lodalite Labradorite, Fossilized sea urchin, carved walrus ivory, Fossilized coral, Fossilized Tree Fern, Picasso Marble... so many cool things I can't remember them all!
I bought some Ocean Jasper and Sonoran Sunrise (chrysocolla and cuprite together), labradorite. Stay tuned!

Cabohchon Stone Trunk Show!

NC stone dealer Anne Kennedy will be showing us her wares on January 18th at my place on Pine St. She specializes in cabochons stones, bookend cuts and fossil cabs. Her prices are always reasonable. You can walk out with something cool for ten bucks, but I would highly recommend setting aside more because you'll be drooling! I have bought gorgeous mirror image sets of fossil bamboo and fossil coral polished to a beautiful shine for under $30. So if you're local mark your calendar! Time TBA

Kim's New Etsy!

Our member Kim Beller has been taking private lessons with me and has just opened her new Etsy shop! bigstronggirldesigns