blogstravaganza (probably too much for one post)

I have been seriously slack. I have not posted anything on the blog in a long time (three weeks?). The last month has been a whirlwind of craziness. In an attempt to take advantage of every opportunity, Liz and I have been on one crazy adventure after another. It started with the Penland core show last month and then Wisconsin and most recently Asheville. Mind you, in between things I have making work and teaching AND still trying to repair/update the Appstate metals studio. So much to do. 

 I was invited to teach a workshop in vinyl cutting and electrolytic etching at UW Whitewater. This is the first time ever that Liz came with me to teach. Besides some minor technical issues we had a blast. The Whitewater studio seemed to be running like a top. It was great to see all of the students so engaged and energetic. We had so much fun running around we almost forgot we were actually working.  It was really nice to see some tools being implemented so efficiently such as the spray etcher and the electro-forming area. Thanks Teresa F Faris for inviting me! 

After Whitewater we went to Madison to visit Tanya and Matt Crane! Tanya was an undergrad at New Paltz and has been my studio assistant many times in the past. I was incredible to see them. Tanya is currently pursuing her MFA in the metals program at UW Madison.  I had never been to Madison but have heard great things about their metal program. The studio lived up to they hype. So much history. So many tools. What a great thing to see. It just wanted me to pick up a hammer and make something. The metals studio was just pulsing with potential.

Tanya gave us an inside tour of the Metals studio and the grad area. She showed us all the nooks and crannies including Lisa Gralnick's enameling, box and ring samples. I got a an opportunity to do a studio visit with Jeff Clancy. Jeff told me he doesn't really do the social media thing. I asked him is he would mind if I posted some photos of his studio and he said okay and posed for a photo. I told him to "look serious". Lots of great work punctuated the corners of his studio. Jeff just started his gig at Madison last year and most of his work was still in boxes but you could see things happening here and there.  It was refreshing to see giant sheets of metal floating around. With silver being so low it is sooooooo tempting to buy a big sheet and grab a hammer. It made me miss my days of raising one vessel a day for a week.  

 After Madison, Matt and Tanya gave us the driving tour. There was a football game so we kind of had to get out of dodge before we were locked in with traffic. We of course went to a bunch thrift stores and surplus stores. We went to the mustard museum.  We also went to Dr Evermor's behind Delaney's Surplus. It really made me feel lazy. So many incredible assemblages made from found metal objects. Our whole trip made me miss the midwest. And before you ask, yes I did have cheese curds. No brats though. Saving that for another trip.

One last thing.  I hate flying.  Mostly because whenever there is turbulence Liz laughs her ass off and it makes everyone super nervous.  The flight wasn't too bad because they had biscoff cookies and our layover in Laguardia was full of ipads.