I'm back! I drove safely, got caught up on some sleep and ate something.

And all is well. So I will get right to the point.

The “PMC Pendant Project” class was my first class ever. It went really well. There were kits and handout booklets and I brought rubber stamps. My students worked hard and everyone used up all their clay and made pendants that turned out to be so beautiful that I marveled at the fact that I never did that when I first learned how to use PMC. Most people got about 7 or 8 nice sized pieces or pendants out of the 25 gram package of silver clay. Here are pictures from some of them. I got these photos at “Show and Tell” The lighting wasn’t so great but I don’t really think that matters so much because you really can tell how wonderful they are.

Penelope Harris

Lisa Bias

I think this one is Lisa's favorite.

Minnie Helvey

She only dipped them in the liver of sulfur patina solution for a few seconds and then removed them quickly and they look like rose gold and also like they are old. Very pretty!

And check this out. First Minnie made the pendants, and then she took Nina's class on Saturday and when it was all assembled, voila!

Can we call it a collaboration? I think we can! Yay Minnie! (I want it!)

If anyone in my class has any pictures of their pendants, please email them to me and I will post them here.

Then there was the “Jointed Bird Pendant” class, my second class ever! The most difficult part of this class was finishing on time, which didn’t happen. We were drilling some little holes and riveting our wings and legs on and that took some time. But here are some of the final assembled birds that I took pictures of at “Show and Tell”. They are fantastic!

Deb Denton

Roxanne Reynolds

Julie Collinge

Lisa Bias

Whose is this? If you know please tell me. It was in the middle of the table with no card.

And is this your piece?

Vendor Night was exciting, thrilling and hectic. 2 1/2 hours of moving bodies and noise. Here are my helpers! Dori and Brenda. They kept me company and gave me moral support. Aren’t they cute?

My table, as much as I could fit in a picture and still make out what was on it.

I think I brought enough... It was more than enough really and I will try to get started on putting some of it in my shop asap.

I drove up to Port Townsend with my friends Dori and Vicki. We had a blast and I will qualify that with “no arguments, whining or the tone”. You know “the tone”. Someone is bothered but wants to keep it a secret, or rather won’t keep it a secret and they have that “tone” in their voice. My friends all like each other. I bet they are emailing or calling each other right now. Hey, I didn’t do “the tone” either, and it was a pretty long drive. We spent the night in Redding, California and Olympia, Washington on the way up.

Here is a picture of a great place to eat in Eugene, Oregon, the High Street Cafe.

My husband and I lived there for a year when we were about 33 and ate there often. I found it! It was just as good as I remember.

And here is a really trippy photo of a huge mural on the side of a building across the street.

It’s two stories high!

Cut to Fort Worden (you know why? because I didn't take any more pictures of the drive) early in the morning. Gorgeous! I love this place.

near the beach

On Saturday I got to take Theo Ellsworth’s class. Here are parts of what I drew.

I really enjoyed that day and hung around with Mary who was my buddy that day and lived upstairs in the house I was staying. I wish I had a picture of her AND her PMC pendants from Thursday because she was so pretty and funny, and her pendants were beautiful. If I get a picture from her, I’ll post it.

On the way back Dori, Vicki and I stayed at a comfortable bed & breakfast place in Ashland, Oregon called the “Albion Inn”. The beds were so comfortable that after I woke up I just lay there while Dori took a shower trying to figure out how I could go back there and sleep there again. For breakfast we had the best biscuits I’ve ever had, strawberry raspberry smoothies, jam and lemon curd, spinach potato corn quiche and coffee that I still remember because it tasted so good I can still remember what it tasted like. That almost never happens.

happy travellers

Then I thought of how I could get back there. Take everyone to the Shakespeare Festival, since my kids are into it. We could get adjoining rooms. They could have the Lucy & Ricky beds and my husband and I could sleep in the queen bed in the adjoining room! I got a brochure and here is the link for you all in case you are ever in Ashland, Oregon. www.albion-inn.com

And if anyone wants a set of the rubber stamps I was selling or anything else from my vendor table or wanted to pay with a credit card but I wasn’t able to take credit cards, email me, I still have some left. Stamps $21 by snail mail.

I’m so happy I got to do this, teaching at Artfest. It has been a very exciting experience. I really enjoyed my students and they were so nice to me. They payed attention and succeeded at their projects. That was what I dreamed about. And, on the way home I got some new ideas I’m going to propose to Teesha and see what she says.

P.S. NOW I can get my new computer!!!!!! Thanks everyone!

Oh, but wait, before I forget, check out this video (20 minutes long). It is amazing and very moving. It is definitely a fresh perspective.

Comments

[Cindy Dean]

It sounds like you had a wonderful time! Loved seeing all your students work. Glad to see you made it home safe and sound.

[Rhonda Scott]

I loved your students art work. I wish I would have seen your work at the vendor night. The table must have been crowded because I didnt see you. Bums me out man. Maybe we can catch up next year!
Yours truly,
Rhonda Scott

[kelly snelling]

Bravo! Bravo, Catherine! Your students make amazing pieces! And your drawings from the class with Theo cheered my heart. I especially am fond of the one that has your filigree heart and chain. It is wonderful to see the different mediums combined like this. I'm so happy for you, Catherine, to have taught your first classes. :0)

[gina armfield]

I love love love your work and the work that was produced at art fest is fabulous. By any chance are you teaching in Southern Cal anytime soon? I am dying to take one of your classes :)

[Lisa Bias]

Catherine's the best teacher ever!!!! Oh and I have to tell you, Mary and I both had "the tone" on our way back to Seattle! It had something to do with missing breakfast and getting to the airport on time. We both survived and still love each other!!! And you!!!!

[denise]

I am so glad you had such a good time. it looked like it was super fun. I think you should teach more often now, maybe I could even take a class!!
Ps. i may want some stamps.

[Marie]

Sounds like you had a fabboo time Chickie Bee! I'm so glad your classes went off well and love the drawings you did in Theo's class!
xoxo
M

[dori]

Oh how lovely to relive it all through your post. It was so awesome. Thanks so much for being my guru. XOXO, Dori

[Judy Wise]

It all seems like a sweet dream. Your students did beautiful work; makes me want to try out that PMC myself! (hey, I like a little metal work now and then!) And I wish I could have been a little mouse in the car to hear your visiting during the journey. You had some fun sidekicks with you. xoxoxoxox 'til next time.

[Frivolitea]

Loved seeing the photos of the work produced in your classes. Wow. It all looks fabulous!

[Jen Crossley]

It looks like you had a great class only wish I was there to join the fun.
Thanks so much for showing these awesome photos
Jen

[Mary Beth]

Your students made such gorgeous work! Congrats, you must be so proud. And I can't believe I never made it over to your vendor table. Hope you sold tons. And hope to see you next year when perhaps we can actually carve out some "in person" time. xox

[minnie]

catherine, it was such a pleasure to be in your class. you are my third pmc teacher and by far the best. your excitement, encouragement, and your entire layout was wonderful. your thoughtfulness bringing 3 ovens, and showing us every possible way to do things. your instruction booklet were all very carefully thought out to help make that 6 hour class most productive. but most of all your enthusiasm teaching us made your class very successful for all of us. i was so happy to incorporate the pieces i made in your class into the class by nina. you have begun the journey to teaching your wonderful art. thank you again.

[minnie]

it was exciting seeing my finished collaboration on your blog, thank you////and i loved your theo drawings....he was such a cute boy, my daughter would be in love with that boy, was he as charming as he looked?

[Deryn Mentock]

Welcome back! Looks like your students had a great time!

[Julie Molina]

Oh. Em. Gee! Your class looks so fantastic! Are you teaching it next year? I so so so want to take one of your classes!

I wish we would have gotten more time to talk at Artfest. Seems like every time I saw you there was some sort of frenzy happening!

I love your drawings from Theo's class, too. It appears he's quite the hearthrob, too! Cute boy alert!

[Maija Lepore]

Your students made wonderful pieces! You must be an excellent teacher! I want to take your classes next year at ArtFest!!

[jes]

WOW~WOW~WOW! What an amazing post!! I REALLy wish I could have been there!! Maybe one of these years I'll make it out!