Pretty Pretty Bang Bang

The best part of Arrowmont is the people. Everyone is so laid-back and friendly. My class has 8 people in it which is a good amount. Naturally, when you work closely with people for long periods of time, you get to know them. Terri, who’s bench is next to mine, is a wonderful person. She’s quiet and methotical when she works, but always willing to give encouragement and advice if it’s needed. Especially when I was struggling with tube rivets! Plus, she has great tools she’s willing to let me try. Jim sits across from me and is from Athens, GA (home of REM and B-52’s). He looks like Stanley Tucci. He’s easy-going, funny and really nice. He owns a retail business that sells educational toys and he does enamel work. He also has the U2 iPod full of some great Alison Krauss and Nancy Griffith. Thanks to Jim and Whit, we’re full of music. Whit is a recently retired dentist who has some cool dental tools he uses for metal work. While he’s a quiet member of the group, chatting with him at breaks is always nice. He’s just a great guy. Nona is the tool lady. I have never seen anyone who has so many tools. She doesn’t always know what they’re for, but there’s a good chance she has it. She also must spend every free moment reading books and articles on metals because she knows just about everything! Lauren and Louis are the younger people in the group and their benches are at the other end. I know Lauren from MSU and she’s a hoot. She’s been here three weeks as a resident and seems to be enjoying herself. Louis is very quiet, but does great piercing work. Debbie is another quiet person who’s bench is across from Whit at the end. She joined us last night at Hard Rock and we chatted a bit (well, as much as possible over the bad, loud music). She’s really nice too. Just a great group of people.

Really great metalsmiths are like rock stars. Everyone knows their work, the skills they possess are mysterious and strange, and it’s hard to imagine they have a normal life. I made a comment yesterday in class linking metalsmith greats to rock stars so you can imagine my surprise when I discovered my class instructor was a rock star in the 1960s. Yes, Christopher Darway, metalsmith genius, was a member of the group The Critters in the 1960s. Last night several of us went to Hard Rock Cafe Gatlinburg (a serious oxymoron) and Chris told us a bit about his rock star past. I thought he was cool the first day, but now I’m a certified Darway Groupie. I doubt I’ll hit the road in a van following him from workshop to workshop, but I imagine I’ll be taking another workshop with him in the future.

This afternoon has been one frustration after another. First, I decided to take my spring-loaded clasp to another level by adding decorative holes in it. Ok, so far so good. Then I wanted to place the curved clasp on the edge of the square instead of on the side. That presented a new set of engineering problems, but I finally got it done. So far everything I’ve made looks like a beginning student. I swear, these people are never going to believe I actually get paid for anything I make! When things got too bad this afternoon I left to get a Diet Coke. However, the machine was out of DC but took my dollar anyway. I got a refund at the bookstore, but had to get a 12 oz drink instead of 20 oz which is what I needed. I went outside, took in some air and went back to finish up. Tonight will be long as I plan to prep my cast piece so I can start working on the production of it tomorrow. I wish someone would go to Hard Rock with me and get a beer!

I’m waging a war against ladybugs. For some strange reason, the hallway bathroom, the one I use, has a ladybug problem. This morning as I was getting ready, several of them were flying around and crawling over the mirror. Now, I don’t have a problem with ladybugs (I actually like them) but enough is enough! The unfortunate ones have died and are buried in the shade of the overhead light. I get to look at their shells while getting ready. Just another day at metals camp.

Ok, the food here so far is fabulous. All meals are hot and homemade which means I’m trying extra hard not to lose it. Dessert is served with lunch and dinner so I decided to eat only a 1/2 portion and only what I love. For instance, dessert at lunch was strawberry shortcake (I love it) but dinner dessert was sweet potato pie so I only chose one. Today we had chicken pot pie for lunch (with homemade crust), salad and vegetables. Dinner was smoked pork chops with rosemary (fresh), scalloped potatoes, green beans, baked apples with cranberries and sweet potato pie. The only weird thing is that I’m on Eastern Time which means I’m doing everything an hour earlier than I’m used to. So I’m eating dinner between 5:45-6:30, but it’s really 4:45-5:30. And I’m not even over 60!

Today I felt like I wasn’t the brighted bulb on the tree. First, I was having problems with my measurements (math was not my strong subject). Then, I had a brain block when I was trying to design something for my brooch piece. I wanted to stretch out and do something different, but I ended up with circles. However, many mistakes later, they ended up being drastically different than they started out to be. I hadn’t done tube rivets since my beginning metals class so I kept stopping and questioning my work. Luckily, my bench neighbor is a teacher who patiently helped me along and gave me encouragement.

I’m in love! Yes, still with Steve, but also with the new tools I discovered today! I must have this cool hand-held metal punch I played with all day today. It has different punches you can put in it and change the diameter of the circles. Plus, the pieces that are punched out look like little Chinese hats. I also discovered the need for an automatic center punch. I was borrowing my neighbor’s until I could race down to the bookstore and buy one for myself. It’s so much easier than the old one and so much fun! Tonight I finished making the pieces for a cool spring-loaded clasp we’re making. I had to make both pieces twice, but I think I have ones that will work. My brooch, however, was a study in correcting mistakes. What a project.

I have no idea what the Internet connection is here, but it’s really slow!

At lunch today, I was reminded of how much Arrowmont is like summer camp. The people from the mixed media class were wearing their necklace collages they’d made this morning, the pottery people were easily spotted due to the clay splatters on their faces and arms, and the metals people were being asked what they made this morning. It’s been really fun so far and I’ve fallen in love with two new tools. Anyone know how to make a hydraulic press, ’cause I want one!

Gatlinburg must want me to feel welcome because I was greeted on Sunday morning by two male mallards swimming in the creek outside our hotel room. Later, after Steve left, I wandered down the street to Subway for lunch. The place was packed with three large families and their brood of children (8-10 in all ranging from 18 months to 10 years). They were taking up all but one of the tables and making quite a mess. But I digress. As I was attempting to enjoy my sandwich, and ignoring the stares of the children, I saw two mallards walking down the street. They were so cute! One of the ladies exclaimed, “Look at those mallard geese.” Dumbass.