Tuesday, March 23, 2010

YUMA Symposium 2010

Every year I go to the Yuma Symposium in Yuma, Arizona. The symposium has been held for the last 31 years. This was my 7th year at Yuma, and possibly one of the best years so far!
Presenters this year were:
Jennifer D Anderson • printmaking

Sam Chung • clay

Arthur Ganson
• sculpture
Zig Jackson • photography
Becky McDonah • metals
Bruce Metcalf • metals

Stephanie Metz
• fiber
Pete Pinnell • clay
Betsy Schneider • photography
Lisa Slovis • metals
Patrick Stafford • wood/multi-media

Dale Wedig
• metals

My favorites are below:
Arthur Ganson showed videos of his crazy, amazing, hilarious, kinetic sculptures.



Sam Chung demonstrated how he builds his forms from slabs of clay.

Becky McDonah did a demonstration on using the hydraulic press, and techniques for pushing the form farther.
Bruce Metcalf spoke about the writing of his book, "Makers: A History of American Studio Craft", which is scheduled to be released this summer. I am really looking forward to reading this book. I would love to teach a history of Craft class someday! Stephanie Metz is a fiber artist that does a lot of needle felting. This "Natural History of a Teddy Bear" series was strange and fascinating at the same time.Lisa Slovis did a pewtersmithing demonstration on how she constructs one of her vases.Patrick Stafford talked about his work. I really liked the furniture he did with etched metal elements like the tops of these two tables below.Dale Wedig did a demonstration on using indoor ceiling tiles for mold making and casting. He was able to get fairly complex forms in a very low tech way. Im excited to try this with my 3D Design students.

Besides the presenters, there was plenty of fun to be had at the pin swap
These were my pins this year, little glass tubes with red silk and pearls.
Every year the grad students at ASU make a group piece to donate to the auction. This year we made a planter and this happy young man was the winner. Ironically he purchased our piece last year and didn't even know it.


Oh yeah, and of course we all had a blast at the campfire.

1 comments:

Lisette said...

Thanks for posting all the pictures! It looks like fun, some of the grad students I know at ECU went and I plan on attending next year!