Southern Arizona Alchemists
October 12, 2008 meeting notes
Attending: Ruth Bollerud, Marnie Ehlers, Priscilla Fernandez, Jay Humphreys, Leslie Jensen, Doris King, Lucy Pirro
Welcome to our newest member, Priscilla Fernandez! After "touring" Jay's beautiful studio, we ate a delicious pot luck supper. Then came the surprise: our bronze clay throw down!
Everyone was given 30 grams of bronze clay with only a roller, badger balm, two rubber stamps and two toothpicks for everyone to share and told to go to it! It was a fun time and we'll see at the November meeting how our creations turned out.
Plans were made for the rest of the year's meetings. Meetings will be held the second Sunday of each month - except April which is Easter Sunday - and each will be a hands-on meeting. We'll be introduced to a project or technique and have an opportunity to experiment with it. Materials will be provided by our guild. Meetings will be noon - 4:00 p.m. and everyone will bring a sack lunch and beverage. We'll eat noon - 12:30 and our projects will start at 12:30. If you don't bring your lunch, maybe someone will share their box of raisins with you (a quote from Marnie!).
November 9, 2008 - Marnie Ehlers' home. Bring your basic metal clay tools dedicated to bronze clay. We'll again experiment with bronze. And, election of officers for 2008-2009.
December 14, 2008 - Holiday Party at Nancy Palmer's home. This will be a pot luck meal. Since none of us have seen Nancy's newly renovated home, and she was not at the meeting to say no, it was decided to have the party at her home. (unless, of course, Nancy has something else to say about it!) Instead of our usual white elephant exchange, this year will be a Holiday ornament exchange with each ornament made of silver and/or bronze clay or other mixed metals or materials to make it really creative and cut costs. You might want to make your ornament at the November meeting.
January 11, 2009 - Jay Humphrey's home. Jay will share all we've ever wanted to know about metal clay veneer and never asked! What a great opportunity to learn from the creator of this wonderful product!
February 8, 2009 - Reception at the Hilton sponsored by Rio Grande! Rio has offered to again sponsor this event.
March 8, 2009 - faux bone (details to follow)
April 5, 2009 - image transfer to metal (details to follow)
May 10, 2009 - concrete and papier mache (details to follow)
Rio Grande has offered to sponsor the reception at the Hilton on February 8, 2009, during the gem show. Last year there was a very low attendance - seems half of Tucson and its visitors were sick - and Rio has asked for a head count for this year's reception. We will send out invitations to guilds in Arizona, visiting teachers and guests in town for the gem show and will need an rsvp from our members. More details about the date to rsvp will follow.
A membership drive was also discussed. Each meeting has the same people in attendance and we'd love to get some new people involved. It was great to meet Priscilla on Sunday and have her try her hands at bronze clay. We also discussed having a table at Park Place Mall to promote PMC and our guild, showing how PMC is used and some finished products to help get interest in our guild. Marnie also mentioned a Family Arts Festival in January where we possibly could set up a table. Any other suggestions of how to promote the guild, please let Marnie, Doris, Jay or Lucy know.
We also discussed a spring retreat for the guild. Marnie is checking into possible dates at a spot in Flagstaff and we'll get more details to you as we have them. Please let any of us know if you have any interest in doing something like this.
We also discussed having a guest teacher come sometime next year. Any suggestions?
Marnie also mentioned one of the Phoenix area guilds, Metal Heads, is having an exhibit in Phoenix this Saturday from 2pm - 9pm. The address is 8550 N. 91st Ave #49, Peoria, AZ 85345.
And, if you haven't already paid your dues, please send $20 to Doris King, our treasurer.