I've just had my first 'all me' exhibition. Our community here in Denmark Western Australia is very artistic, we have more artists (and massage therapists!) than any other place in WA I'm quite sure of it. (It seems that artists and healers often get sucked into the same vortex, normally gravitating to little pieces of paradise such as Denmark.) In line with this, we hold the Southern Art Trail Exhibition every year where local artists open their homes/studios to the public for two weeks over the Sept school holidays. It's a fabulous "window into the artists' life" as well as a great 'eye candy'.
Here's my link
http://members.westnet.com.au/web/melandcurt/polyclay/2005arttrail/
I've been part of other exhibitions before but this time I wanted to see what happened if I had just clay related things exhibited on their own. It went exceedingly well! Besides making some great pocket money, my main aim was to promote polymer and silver clay as something everyone can take to without having go thru years of jewellery and metal smithing and without having to spend a fortune on equipment. I really think this is not something that can be skipped over. It's really built my confidence over these last years and I have a few people who I've taught who are having the same positivity come into their lives as a direct result of this clay. I've been polymer claying for only four years and silver claying for only 6 months and am wowed at the results I'm able to achieve with very little outlay and very little formal training whatsoever. All it takes is love really. I totally LOVE working with these materials. I've clayed just about every single day for the last four years, give or take a day here and there. With that kind of passion and the great versatility of both these clays, you just can't help turning out some lovely pieces.
I also have the support of my husband Curtis which is half the battle won right there! In the beginning he helped pay for the basic equipment which he doesn't have to do these days because I'm making enough to pay for anything I really 'need' now. It's more that he's always 100% behind any question of help I'm asking for. He makes displays, he fixes things, dismatles my pasta machine for cleaning, cooks fabulous meals for us when I'm too engrossed in clay, helps man the stand with any sales related events...there are hundreds of ways he supports my creative endevours. Without that, I wouldn't have achieved as much as I have in these last few years. I once wished upon a star...and look what I got! See, it DOES work!
Well, that turned out to be an epic novel sized post but you'll get to know that's how I am when I'm excited and grateful.
Have just had a fabulous day with my 'slay' friend Vicki (her term, meaning silver clay) this week which I'll tell you about...soon. I'm having a much needed few days off.
Mel