More Talking, Now with Pictures

talking with Molly Anne Bishop about her ceramic work

I was able to get some pictures from the Hand-Crafted Entrepreneurship Symposium. These are from the senior BFA critique. Thanks to Elizabeth Molinari for sending them to me! I really enjoyed my time with the VCU students. Friday of the symposium began with a three-hour group critique with the seniors and all the symposium presenters. Then after lunch we met individually with students for 30-minute one-on-one talks, six over the course of three hours. I was impressed with how interested and responsive the students were. I could tell they were working hard and thinking deeply about how to make their best work. It's always such a pleasure to speak with other artists about their work, especially emerging ones, and by the end of the day I was pumped. I left feeling excited and inspired.

Heather Mae Erickson taking a closer look at Molly's work

with Daniel Michalik, Heather Mae Erickson, and Alex Hibbitt as we talk with Maggie Davids about her steel and plaster sculptures

Alex Hibbitt talking with Frankie Toan about an interactive steel ring

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Talking and Feeling Good About It

I spent four days in Richmond, VA last week at the VCU/ACC Hand-Crafted Entrepreneurship Symposium and I keep coming back to the word "valued." I felt valued as an artist, a unique feeling that I haven't considered before. I'm sure I've felt it in other experiences, but I didn't know it at the time. My experience at this symposium was enriching, inspiring, and energizing. VCU took excellent care of my fellow presenters and I. Our schedule was full, but not too full and the pace was realistic. The event was well-organized and the staff was warm, friendly, and helpful. The quality and content of the lectures and panel discussion were excellent. The students were engaged, thoughtful, and open to critical response. There were many great talks and lots of commraderie. I also ate a lot of good food. 

The event made me feel like my opinion and my work as an artist and educator is important. Being around like-minded, hard-working, creative people and having an opportunity to help younger artists made me feel like a part of something greater and worthwhile. I was reminded just how much that I love what I do, both as a metalsmith and as a teacher.

My job is awesome.

I didn't take any pictures during the symposium but I'm going to get some to share. I'll write more soon.

Thanks to VCU, ACC, Christopher McElroy, Alex Hibbit, Daniel Michalik, Heather Mae Erickson, Debbie Quick, Danielle Stevens, Susan Iverson, Andrea Connell, Sonya Clark, and Perry Price. I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with all of these people.

And thanks to all the students who attended and to the ones I got to speak with personally. I loved talking and listening to each of them. 

Thanks for reading.

So What's Next?

I will travel to Virginia Commonwealth University to take part in a symposium on November 15 and 16. The Handcrafted Entrepreneurship Symposium will include a panel discussion and lectures by all the participating artists. The artists are Daniel Michalik, Heather Mae Rickson, and Alex Hibbitt. I really love doing stuff like this. I love being able to shed some light on what can be and often is a very scary thing: trying to make it on your own as an artist. I will post more details as they arise. 

Later in February I will travel to Arizona again to present at the YUMA Symposium. I know I mentioned this before, but now I know will give a talk about my trip to Belgium and how it affected my work. The talk is called: "Observation/Translation: 90 Days in Belgium." You can see a full list of presenters here. 

Thanks for reading.