Saturday Mornings

Saturdays are not for sleeping in these days...

I have been working with a great group of kids from the area on metalworking projects. I am teaching a class called "Manipulating Metal", and each week, we tackle new skills. Candy Tate, who has been working with metal for years and taking classes at Arrowmont, meets with us each week as well. So far we have met three times, and have covered carving and casting with cuttlebone, sinking and bouging, texture, soldering, forming, finishing and patination. Today we completed footed dishes:

I am so proud of them all! Each step of the way they have been attentive to process and detail, all the while gossiping or talking football... will it be the Saints or the Colts tomorrow??

Here is Damon, deep in conversation, and notice the beautiful cuttlebone creation around his neck! And yes... thats his copper dish!

This is William, his piece is in the foreground. I had the pleasure to meet him during Art Reach in November.

These guys are great, and it is a lot of fun to teach such an animated group. They work together so well, and I can't be happier to see them each come in every Saturday!

As for me, studio work is coming along steadily. With our resident show just around the corner- opening in four weeks- it better be! Here is a taste of something in the works... it is inspired by a past piece, but will be completely different in appearance. Stay tuned!

Art Reach

My latest bunch(most of them!) of kids for Arrowmont's Art Reach program! These guys are high school seniors, we had a blast cuttlebone casting with pewter.

Arrowmont has been running a program for years that allows students of all ages in area schools to come in for a day and participate in an art class. This year, there is a photography class, two different ceramics classes, a wood turning class, and a fibers class making batiked bandanas. It is great for the kids because they are getting to experience things outside the norm: art in school is limited in this area to say the least, most students spend about 30 minutes per week with their art teachers. I really enjoy my time with these kids, and I want more! They are a treat to have on campus, and so much fun to work with!

These last two pieces are from my fifth graders! They are both T's, but for very different reasons. The first is a "power T", significant in the football culture here, and the second, a very feminine initial! I wish I had more to share, but the time flies and before you know it were out of it! Today's group had a great cast and some very refined work.... can't wait to see what next week will bring!

Low Tech Casting

Over the weekend I took part in a class based on low tech ways to cast metal here at Arrowmont. Elizabeth Hake was our instructor. She is a former Arrowmont resident artist and lives in Asheville, where she teaches and makes lots and lots of jewelry. You can find her work in a few different books about recycled jewelry, and the 500 Series from Lark. We explored cuttlebone casting, in conjunction with mat board and ceiling tile, broom casting, and more. We used pewter, bronze, and silver...It was a blast! Here is a taste of what the weekend was like:

Lots of molds!

Elizabeth Bray, casting silver

Elizabeth Hake, Kent, and me