Another Semester!

Welcome 2011! It's going to be a good year I can feel it. Last semester provided some good challenges for many of us and hopefully these new lessons will be put into practice for the new year. It's important to note that these challenges never stop happening and what is so important for an artist to learn is how to COPE! They never go away and managing time and resources is so very important. I am a perfect example for that; I have a fabrication job I am working on right now, and will go right into a commission piece at the same time as I am working on all new work for a show at the end of April. Never mind that I still must teach and run the studios and I have a whole busy life outside of all of this. Several of these projects kind of came up last minute but since I try and be relatively organized I was able to jump on them and provide drawings, plans and models of things literally with a two or three day notice. Get a calendar, or planner book or whatever you need, but build a schedule and stick with it!

Classes start on January 18th. The studios will not be open officially until this day, so please plan accordingly. Materials and tools can be moved in on or after the 18. Keypad and lock combinations will be given out a few days later when enrollments are settled.

Please make sure you look at your bank account and remember that you don't get your refunds for a week or so. You will NOT be excused from doing projects and purchasing materials because of refund issues.

Also remember if you are trying to get into a class that is closed try and get there the first day of class, no professor will let you into a studio class a week after it stared, that's just crazy and it's disrespectful to the faculty member who usually works pretty hard a preparing the first weeks lessons.

SLOSS is also coming up, April 13-16 (longer for people doing a cupola or taking certain workshops) please make sure you let professors and your employer know NOW that you will be gone. Make sure you save up absences for that week so you don't get docked for being away! SLOSS is amazing and as many of you as possible should try and attend.

Well that's all for now, see everyone in a week or so! Cheers!

SLOSS Sets Dates for National Conference- 2011

Pictures from 2009 SLOSS Conference.

The National Conference for Cast Iron Art at SLOSS Furnaces in Birmingham Alabama, has been set for April 13-16, 2011. Students who are interested in competing in the cupola contest will have to plan to be at SLOSS starting the Monday before, and there are several excellent workshops that start earlier too. Check out the conference website for more details and to register, there are important deadlines to be aware of!

It is by far the best conference available for students and all artists and a great way to see many other furnaces and techniques in casting. You will also meet lots of other folks, have opportunities for showing your work, you can participate in pours, and just have a blast of a time (pun intended!).

I go every year for the week and it is worth it even if you can only go for the weekend. Check the website and register early for the early bird discount student rate.