It’s been two weeks now since I headed down from Michigan to Kentucky for
the last and final PMC Conference; I was filled with mixed emotions - joy and
sadness. Spending 3 days with insanely
talented artists from around the world is just an incredible treat; however, knowing
that this would be the last conference presented by the Guild made this bittersweet.
The PMC Guild was founded in 1997 and every two year has hosted an
international conference that brings the metal clay community together for
three program packed days of incredible education, inspiration, and sharing. Much to our dismay the
Guild announced this year that it had made the decision to fold, feeling they had
meet their goals. We don’t all agree with this decision and much could be said,
however, I am thankful for the dedication and hard work they have done over the
years.
So after 5 long hours of driving, and a few missed turns, I arrived at
the Drawbridge Hotel. I couldn’t wait
to get settled into my room as the photos I’d seen looked so inviting, was I in for a surprise! The rooms were old and antiquated, OK I can deal with that I’m not a princess you know. I
thought I’d get some ice but when I grabbed the ice bucket I found some sticky
red stuff inside & changed my mind.
Off to the potty I went, NO WAY HOSEA!
I’m a pretty hard core girl but it grossed me out and I was off to find
room service. They apologized and cleaned
the bathroom ASAP. So, I figured that
was it. NOT! The air conditioner squealed
all night; however it did drown out the large reunion group that partied hardy
down by the pool. Little did I know the adventure had just
begun! Night number two I crawled in bed
& was looking forward to a good night sleep but was joined by a band of
partying fleas that gnawed on my ankles.
UGH!! I ripped the sheets off my
bed and tossed them in the corner. I
could go on and on, the food, the coffee, all disappointing. This hotel at one time was a grand ole’ place
but not anymore; it sure left a lot to be desired. Ok, now that I got that off my chest I can get
on to the good stuff, the Metal Clay Conference.
I had a hard time deciding which workshops to attend. The list of
workshops was OK, but not what I had expected considering this was the “last
hooray” for the PMC Guild. I took a
workshop led by Tim Creight and Ellen Wieske, “Designing without a Net”, and I
must say that I truly enjoyed this tag team duo and their approach to
design. Not only were they fun to listen
to, I gained knowledge of my own habits in the design studio and now am looking
into changes that will make me more productive.
Then there were the Demo’s! I loved
the tag team demos! The “Jersey boys”
Chris Darway and Terry Kovalcik were a hoot to watch. Seeing the two masters of design demonstrating
their techniques (Terry using Polymer clays and Chris combination of metal clay
and titanium wire) was brilliant and inspiring.
Their demo was great but when I entered the world of Barbara Becker
Simone and Vickie Hallmark for their demonstration - they blew my socks off. OH MY, what a great demo!!! I learned so much from these girls who shared
freely their techniques and explorations in glass and metal. Loved, loved, this demo!!!!
Of course no conference is complete without the Vendors room full of
jewelry supplies and tools. I must say I did my share of shopping but was very
reserved and calculating in what I acquired.
One thing I found disappointing was a slide show presentation that
highlighted jewelry designs by the PMC Guild Chapters from around the
world. Why was this tucked back in the
corner of the vendor room? For years the
Guild promoted the formation of group chapters where PMC
artists from around the country and around the world gathered in small groups
to share ideas and enlarge their experience of PMC. The photos presented in the slide show were
brilliant and should have been included in the last morning session that
highlighted just a few chosen artists.
The highlight of the conference is the people! During the 3 days everywhere you looked,
there were groups of people talking, laughing and sharing ideas. For me this is the best part!
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| Kathy Prejean, Me and Paul McDowell |
The conference had to come to an end and did we ever party down at
the gala bash hosted by RIO. Do they
know how to put on a party!!!! A great selection of hot finger foods made for
a fun dinner along with the ice cream and chocolate fountain bars. A DJ played music and the open bar flowed. The food didn’t run out and it was actually
good! There was the photo booth, someone drawing our caricatures, a
palm reader and our own metal clay artist, Donna Penoyer, who wandered around on
her towering stilts dressed as a cowgirl providing entertainment and lots of
laughs throughout the night! For a few
brief moments the night turned melancholy as a touching tribute to Tim
McCreight was presented. His life has been such a huge impact on so many
jewelry artists and metal clay artists throughout the years and he will never be
forgotten!
I had a great time overall and look forward to a new beginning for a worldwide metal clay community! Let the adventure begin!
I had a great time overall and look forward to a new beginning for a worldwide metal clay community! Let the adventure begin!
