Haystack Journaling 3

6-6-08

Yesterday my T.A. drove me all the way to Ellsworth so I could rent a car. I stopped in a town and tapped into a wireless system, so I could load my email at high speed and Skype the family. Now, much like cocktail hour, I will need to drive in toward a town every afternoon to catch my internet connection and get my daily fix.

I'm also looking forward to driving to Liberty Tool, to Doug Wilson's blacksmith shop, and maybe even to the dump. I'm not much of a scavenger, but some of the students just love the idea of the dump for treasure hunting.

I have 8 students, 4 art college students, 2 independent artists, and 2 with other professions along with their art practice. I've never taught a 2 week course. At Friday, we are usually at the end of the course. Today it's only a mid-point. This process, chasing & repousse, is a slow meditative process. I do very few demonstrations and find most value in the actual work process. I wonder as I go along, with everyone tapping, if I am not doing enough. Do I need to talk more, show slides, give assignments? Or is it enough to say, here's the basics. Now work. Ask questions when you need to, and just work. There is a great value to quiet consistent work, working through the problem and then doing it all over again.

Friday after lunch- It's so loud here! The environment itself is quiet, but a large group of people in an enclosed space makes a loud and constant din in the group areas. The metal studio has the 8 students working, plus music, plus some talking. Put together, it's loud and disorganized.

It's chilly, similar to Wisconsin, but no heat. The weather is supposed to warm up on Sunday. I guess the blacksmith shop is hosting an alien dance party tonight after 9pm.

back to work....

Saturday morning, 6-7-08

The aliens danced last night and it was great fun, cold but fun.

I'm taking the day off and going sightseeing today out toward Acadia and Bar Harbor – tool hunting and nature watching. I would love to find an internet cafe or open wireless hotspot where I can sit and use my computer comfortably.

I feel like I should get some work done, while everyone else is hungover, but it's too cold for me to work in the shop. I'm quite sure that's it's been cooler than the 55 degrees I keep my own shop set at. The weather is supposed to start warming up today, which should boost my morale immensely.

When I am working in the shop, I am working on small steel chasings, pieces that can turn into jewelry, belt buckles at the largest. I'll go to bronze once the first 2 little ones are complete.

Photos!