PCCMMR- another story- altered art puzzle pins

I have a post today that is about Pccmmr-Polymer clay collaborative and mixed media retreat I went to in West Virginia in June.
Read about it here: http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/pccmmretreat-arriving.html
Here: http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/05/polymer-clay-collaborative-mixed-media.html
Here: http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/06/lovely-meta-part-deux.html
or search PCCMMRetreat on this blog in the google search to the right.
They are getting ready for 2010 (can you believe that, 2010 weird)

My friend Meredith writes about Susan Z here: http://mereditharnold.wordpress.com/2009/06/23/creative-queens-like-susan-zacher/

One of the all time highlights of my time there was the final demo of the week long retreat.
Susan Zacher had done her preparation and this was sooooooooo much fun.

She had painted puzzle pieces with Lumiere paints front and back for our substrates. Those were beautiful by themselves. I love Lumiere paints, I can use them for almost any surface and they are permanent. I LOVE the Metallic Olive Green in the first picture? My fave. Plus I carry them too, it is a blatant plug. I love products that can be used for tons of things.
Anyway... then she brought out all of the things that we could embellish the puzzle pieces with.

OMG!! a ton of stuff and some things I got to work with that I never had, so much fun.

Stickles, black and white old timey images, plastic jewels, words printed on paper, she even had clay pieces but I didn't do those (sometimes I just have to put down the clay), stamp pads with different inks, stamps (I used some word stamps that I had from ERAGraphics), metal pieces, fabric stuff, feathers, and so much stuff it was unbelievable.

It was like walking in to a portable craft shop.

Crazy fun and I could have done this for hours. 

Check out how she made up words directed at a polymer clay group, such consideration in the gesture.

One of the best demos I have ever gone to.

She supported us with encouragement and showed us how to use some of the products worked if we had never used them. Guiding with out making us do it her way. She would say "well you could do this, or this, or this", or "you might want to do this" or "you can do whatever you want".

OMG!!! I can do whatever I want??? Hee hee hee, gets me every time.

One of the best parts is when I asked if I could make another and she said..."Make as many as you want". Geesh I didn't move, I was on a mission then. You know, I don't sit down and do many demos, I watch them for a moment and then move on, but I am so glad I did take the time to sit in on this one. 

We put pin backs on them (she brought those in several different sizes) left them to dry a bit and took home this pirates booty of wonderful, personal, and brilliant art from our hearts.

Susan, Oh Susan you are coming next year, right??? 

Thank you from the bottom of my pointy heart, this is a jewel in my life and I love you for sharing this with me.

I had sooooooooooo much fun.

Lovely Meta- PCCMMR

Meta: ...if you're hungry, rhymes with pita;


think bananas, it's Chiquita;



dirty books, oh, that's Lolita.



Meta Strick is a dear woman with a razor wit and phenomenal talent. I met her quite a few years ago at another retreat and I felt a bond with her.


I found out at PCCMMR that she felt the same. It is so nice to have validation on feelings and emotions.
I have to this day met very few people that have impacted my life in such a short time. She did.




You know, I am happy to say, the older that I get, that there are more that impact me in a positive way than don’t. I am going to pat myself on the back for drawing wonderful people in to my life now. I am so grateful.
At the other retreat Meta painted a woman’s face with Piñatas for me on clay that was crap, to put it mildly…LOL! No names need to be mentioned, eh? I broke the piece on my way home (it was even packed well) and I was distraught.
I was so happy when the retreat coordinators told me that Meta was going to be there.
And though I have changed very much (She hasn't) since the time I saw her last, she remember me and I saw actual joy in her eyes to see me. I hope she saw that in mine, because I was very happy to see her.
I also have another woman painted on a strong enough clay to handle the alcohol in the Piñata inks. The inks tend to, if painted in this way, to dry out the clay and make it more brittle.



Here she is: I am so happy to have her back in my life again.
ISN'T SHE GORGEOUS? I LOVE HER!!!!



She didn't break on the way home either.


And we promised to stay in touch this time.
Meta taught classes at the retreat you can read about them here. Scroll to the bottom.
Another thing Meta said at the PCCMMRetreat that made an impression on me with all of the others is. When asked how she stays so young,
“I dye my hair and don’t act my age” What a code to live by.
Love you Meta!

I forgot to add that Meta paints these on to raw clay and then bakes them in the oven.

Leaving for the PCCMMRetreat

Monday at 4:00am PDT the alarm went off. This is the point where I say "if I didn't pack it, it is not coming with me". I sleep like I am on the edge all night, making lists and popping awake with bring such and such in my head. I forget it all by the time the alarm goes off, it is just a form of self inflicted torture that I have done to myself for years. Besides every time I have forgotten something, some kind soul lends it to me.

I felt pretty organized, but it always happens no matter how organized I am.

Howard makes coffee for me while I shower, nice.

Howard drives me to the airport with little to no traffic, nice.

I get my bags checked and one is 48.5 pounds the other 40, I must have forgotten something right?
Southwest doesn't charge for 2 checked bags, YAY!

I go through security, they check my jewelry case (wire and clay) not the best combo for getting through there unchecked. I have a courteous human being that is friendly and doesn't throw my stuff all over the place, nice.

I walk up stairs to my gate. I am early, nice.

I go to the bathroom and...

I find a "getting small" right before my eyes.

It is a new to me installation of art in the San Diego airport Terminal 1, nice.

From far away as I approach it looks like a long photo and then...

Wow, it is tiles.

1/4" tiles.

With glazed tiles laid in to form the image. This is the baby's face.

This work of art is at least 15 feet long.

This is the baby's left eye. Wow, it is a beautiful piece of art.

And this one is right as you walk in to the women's restroom.

Already this is an amazing trip!

Please do not worry

I am going to be away from this blog and do not know if I will have access while I am gone. I do not want you to worry, you will be added to the giveaway, if you comment, when I get back.
You will see it as soon as I get back. Do not post a 1000 times ;-O, I have comment approval and I will be deleting all duplicates in the final tally anyway.

Here is a link.

http://mariesegal.blogspot.com/2009/05/1st-giveaway-thank-you-thank-you-thank.html

There is also a right hand side link under the title Giveaway page.

I am fine, I am in West Virginia playing and sharing at the Polymer clay and mixed media retreat.


You should be there.
I hope you all have a beautiful and magical week.
Love and hugs,
Marie