PMC Conference Wrap-Up

I recently attended the PMC Conference at Purdue University in Lafayette, Indiana.  This was my first conference as I started working with the material just over a year ago.  I’ve attended classes and workshops, but the conference experience was quite different. For example, the conference features presentations and demonstrations, unlike a hands-on workshop.  The schedule offers lots of great opportunities for networking and making friends.  I picked up some good tips and a few techniques, and I purchased some interesting tools that I might not have sought out online.

There is a vendor hall that’s like nirvana for a metal clay artist with money in their pocket!  My favorite find was at the Naturescapes Studio booth with these awesome sets of graduated brass cutters.  I got every available set, so I have six sizes of circles, six squares, three rectangles and three hexagons.  Each set stacks onto a brass wire and a simple piece of cork holds the set together.  I’ve already started using these tiny cutters.  Pictured here is a greenware (not yet fired) set of earrings and pendant with tiny rectangles cut out.  I LOVE these cutters!  From the same vendor, I also picked up a cool elevated turntable, which should help my posture and make it easier to rotate a piece without having to pick it up.

The absolute highlight of the conference for me was meeting so many amazing metal clay artists.  Nearly everyday, I explain metal clay to someone, and am usually met with a puzzled look that says, “I’m not quite sure what you’re talking about”.  In the special bubble of the conference, absolutely everyone with a yellow badge shares the same passion.  Making friends is as easy as introducing yourself.  Every conversation is easy, with a shared lingo and a creative spirit that binds us together.  It really is a unique environment.

Many of us participated in the Charms for Charity raffle.  The community of metal clay artists donated enough charms to create nearly 40 finished bracelets.  And, we banded together to sell raffle tickets.  I was thrilled when one of the tickets I sold was pulled as a winner.  My friend, Sonja Marshall-Bone will soon claim this beautiful charm bracelet.  I want to thank all my friends and family members who generously bought raffle tickets from me.  I wish you ALL could have won!  In the final tally, the community raised over $6100 for the American Cancer Society and over $3600 for the Bone Marrow Foundation.

I went into the experience with limited expectations.  Not to say that I didn’t expect to have a fabulous time, just that I didn’t expect any particular variety of fabulousness.  I came away feeling very much enriched and far more connected to this amazing community of artists.  What more could a girl ask for?