A.R.T - A New Year

Denise & Tina in Tina's sunny studio.

Well, our group was reeeeally small January 3rd when we met at  Tina Roeder's beautiful home by the  Kingston Yacht ClubI had planned to talk more about the A - Z Business Tips from the December Crafts Report magazine but as it was only Tina, Denise Love and me, Carolyn, we sort of had a 'women's' coffee morning but 'studio' geared. We talked about working and not working, finding work and fitting our passions for our work into our busy lives as our families grow and change. How to keep on working under dire conditions (as I endeavoured in 2010 when my Mum was sick and passed away). We all of us at this sort of age, go through these life passages and if we don't work in an office or some second job with some sick or compassionate leave we will not see a pay cheque.....how to cope? We also chatted about changing horses in mid stream...changing mediums, learning new skills and that sort of thing, that keeps us excited about our craft and art so we can carry on inspired, refreshed. Appropriate for a New Year! 

Here is a shot of Tina's work corner in her studio. Being a fibre artisan with a studio full of wool, knitting machines, sewing machines, books and all manner of other stuff collected over the past three decades her tiny space blew me away! But that's jewellery making for you.

Opposite view, with a showcase.

Tina's work bench.

I guess we use whatever tools we need...whatever they were originally intended for!!!!

Sometimes it's just good to sit in a bright room with colleagues and learn that we have all been in places where we were either swept along by life and struggled to keep our wits about us and our heads above water. We come away realizing that perhaps our lot wasn't quite as bad as we thought or that if it was/is there are our artisan colleagues and friends who understand and may offer a word of advice from their own experience.

I just got back from a wonderful weekend of workshops in Syracuse and though the border gives me the willies I spent the time with some amazingly super people, helping them become creative and bringing out their inner child!

 Happy New Year!