Lessons learned

Merino wool cuff bracelets:
MFS students' work

Some lessons I've learned this summer:
      1.  You can never produce artwork as quickly as you think you can.
      2.  Life will always get in the way.  Best recent example: My husband's broken finger, on his dominant hand, four weeks before (with surgery two weeks before) my first-ever four-day sale event.
      3.  I hate working multi-day sale events.
      4.  My work doesn't show well out-of-doors, especially in a steady breeze.

Finn wool vessel: 
MFS student's work

I spent much of my summer preparing for the four-day US Sand Sculpting Challenge & 3D Art Expo, which ended on Labor Day.  It was an eclectic event held on the B Street pier in downtown San Diego, attracting thousands of people -- but not necessarily thousands of shoppers.  A fellow artist made me a very good offer to share a booth with her and two others, and I knew it was the best opportunity I'd ever get to see what a multi-day show, and an outdoor show, was like for me.  Now I know. 

As planned, I did make about 100 mini vessels this summer, most for the Expo, and a few nice, larger ones.  Unfortunately, few of them sold there.  On the positive side, I won't have to make any mini vessels for quite some time in order to keep Studio 40 supplied! And sales are going well for me at Spanish Village, so really I can't complain.

My week at the Midwest Felting Symposium (MFS) was well worth the trek to Wisconsin.  I learned what I'd hoped to, and more, from my three classes with Pam Macgregor.  I saw beautiful things being made in other classes too, and drew a lot of ideas and inspiration from being surrounded by all that felt and all those felters!  It was great.

The summer heat is far from finished here, but I am moving on to make work for the cooler months:  scarves, cuff bracelets, and who knows what else?  I look forward to getting wet, soapy, and wooly again -- just as soon as I can tame the chaos that the Expo left in my home studio.

Finn wool vessel:
MFS student's work