Hi Ho Hi Ho to the Yuma Symposium I go

Every February for the past 32 years a group of artists and creative thinkers make the trek to Yuma Arizona to attend what has now become known as the Yuma Symposium.
It started as a backyard barbecue after a visiting artist lecture series at AZ Western College, and has grown to an annual event with hundreds of enthusiastic attendees. The Yuma Symposium is self described as this:


"The Yuma Symposium is comfort food for hungry artists.
The presenters come from around the country to share their work; and like a potluck with great friends you know it’s going to be good. We bask in the warmth of Arizona’s winter sun while forming bonds that may last thirty years or more."  

One of the things that past attendees know is that the Symposium actually unofficially starts weeks before the actual event- This is the time period in which we begin to create our pins for the annual pin swap, which happens the first night of the conference, at Lutes Casino (a local watering hole). 


There are differing attitudes about the pins- 
As a Business card-some artists really concentrate on making a specific statement with their pins- showing their aesthetic sense, and usually having a web address on the back.
As a joke- these are the quirk pins- with rubber chickens and googley eyes..
As a creative excercize- these pins are the ones that the artist has done a bunch of experimentation and the pins are jumping off points for their own work for the rest of the year (I tend to make these kinds)
As a process- where the pins are made within a certain constrained time- mass production of a certain form- made with love and speed. 
and then there is the mystery pins---that leaves you guessing (usually pretty funny too)  


I thought I'd show my blog readers my batch of pins, before they get dispersed to the winds...
so- here is an image of a few of the 35 pins I've created for the Pin swap-
they are made with an experimental process that I've been playing with- one that reminds me greatly of the work I used to do in my years as an art student at the Museum School in Boston....

a few "Yuma Pins" for the Symposium 2011

Just to give you a side by side comparison to my old art school pieces, here is an old image of one of my works from 1988- I am in the far left corner, to give you a sense of scale...

"Galloping Spiral Rosette" 1988  

 

The piece is made of carved and painted styrofoam- I made a bunch of similar works- all with a motif of stone walls, shapes and movements. I believe they mostly have been destroyed at this point- Incredibly hard to store and transport, I gave up on these larger scale pieces, and have been exploring similar ideas in my metalsmithing...

Just for fun, here is an image of some of my similar pieces I've created using my metalsmithing skills-
these bracelets come directly from the same line of exploration as my early large scale works- but are MUCH more simple to store, and are fully transportable to boot!:-)

currently available at http://braceletworkshop.etsy.com

OK, rambling over for now- I've got to go check on my pins- hopefully they are all dry and ready to be packed up for the Yuma journey
I'll be taking lots of pics at this years symposium- will blog about the experience when I return-
ciao for now!- Maureen

YUMA 3- relay

Day 3 has two artists presenting in the morning, and the big closing presentation after lunch. Then comes one of the funnest events in the History of events- The National Saw, File and Solder relay.


Seriously...this is the way to have fun!!

In Teams of 3, it goes like this.... one runs to the end of the course (LOL, the bench is  only about 25 feet away from the finish line)  saws out a long oval, the next files it and shapes it into a ring, then the third runs down and solders the seam and shapes it into a circle....then runs back and jams it on their teammate's finger.
 
It's a relay often with full costumes, and the requisite free Tequila and limes from the back of Greg Patranos' car. Wildly fun- this year we even had a new challenge- soldering in the RAIN! (now I know all about wet strikers...never had that experience before)Trophies are handmade and fantastically designed by various artists each year. I have yet to win one.....(Note to self..must train harder!)

The Final night festivities hearken back to the roots of the Symposium. A big Barbecue is held for all participants- there is music, dancing, laughter and even a few tears, because the next day we know we'll have to wait a whole year before we can do it again.

I really want to acknowledge the Genius of this event- It's not only one person, but a group of dedicated makers who really know how to throw one hell of a party. Thank you particularly to Pete Jagoda and Neely Tomkins  for your vision and dedication.

that's it for this year- but in approx. 350 days you know where you can find me......
heading out to the deserts west.

ciao- cub reporter Maureen Brusa Zappellini signing off now!:-)

Yuma part deux....

OK, so, you've just arrived at Lute's Casino, pins for swapping in hand, and a thirst for Margaritas you make your way into the bar.......

The annual pin swap is a great way to break the ice. It's a way to open new friendships- those who have made swapping pins (Usually some fantastic and funky stuff) go around and find others to trade pins with- I love the collections that are emerging with these pieces- these are pins that are the artist with their hair down! I made some really funky pins this year- and their freedom has opened up new doors for my creative thinking. good stuff.

After pin swap we meet at the Yuma Theater for opening the Symposium with short intros and remarks. Many people go back to the bar afterwards, but I usually just head to the hotel- I know it's going to be an early wake up..........

chirp chirp! (cue: early morning birds, tweeting)

Day 2 begins the presentations! a variety of visiting artists presenting their work and ideas-
want a list of the artists who presented this year and their website links? Ok! here it is!:)

2010 Presenters
clay • fiber • wood • metals • painting • photography • printmaking
Jennifer D Anderson  • printmakingSam Chung  •  clayArthur Ganson  • sculpture
Zig Jackson  • photography
Becky McDonah  • metals
Bruce Metcalf  • metalsStephanie Metz  • fiber
Pete Pinnell  • clayBetsy Schneider  • photographyLisa Slovis  • metals
Patrick Stafford  • wood/multi-mediaDale Wedig  • metals

You have your choice- there are 12 presentations by 12 artists in 2 days and 3 locations- (sometimes you have to choose between one cool topic and the other) Friday's lineup has 7 artists presenting throughout the day- It's hard to choose sometimes, but no matter what, you will be treated to a really great presentation.

 

 

After a full day of checking out the amazing presentations Friday night there is an opening reception and silent auction. (Where the bidding is fierce)

Many people go out to eat after the opening, but I choose to go to the "show your stuff!" at the Yuma Theater to watch students and other artists present their work in an informal forum. (It's great to see the work that is coming through the schools...some big talents heading our way!)

  The Coranado- "home" for the Symposium crowd - (often booked a year in advance)

On the way back to the hotel I find my way to the bonfire at the back of Neeley Tomkin's studio- I stop and chat with a few other artists for a few moments- then head to the Coranado- "home" to catch some ZZZZZ's



and so, you see...it's a long story...and I'm verbose. I have to split this blog post in three!!
stay tuned for the stunning and entertaining conclusion of this epic saga!
.................................Yuma III - the relay

Yuma Symposium 2010 pt 1

I just got back a few days ago from the Yuma Symposium.
For a few hundred craftspeople, it is a weekend that we look forward to every year.

It's a funny thing for many Arizonans to fathom-
Yuma, while it does have it's charm doesn't usually evoke thoughts of a great destination-

Yuma is most often kindly thought of as perhaps a curious outpost on the edge of border towns in the U.S. ..a great place to stop on your travels to Southern California, but not usually a cultural mecca. Except on one long weekend every year (for the past 31st years) at the end of February. Then the floodgates open (*it's the desert) and hundreds of highly creative "Makers and Thinkers" fly in to lite upon the town like a cacophony of rowdy parrots.

Day one starts with a big party and meet up at Lute's Casino "Where the Elite meet". Driving in from all over- (Arizona, Oregon , North Carolina, Washington, California, Pennsylvania, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado...NM....etc etc.. )we meet up with the rest of the Symposium attendees for the annual Pin Swap and registration.

Yes, it's in a huge bar- and refreshments are flowing-And.. perhaps I should say right here that really, the Symposium has a party every night, (just to get that out of the way.)

Yuma Symposium started as a backyard barbeque after a Visiting Artist event 31 years ago...It was then as it as now: a jovial gathering of artists. The description of the events is too long to put into one blog post so I'm going to post that later this week....

Yuma Symposium part 2 in a few days...(along with tales of soldering woe)

Pin Swap

finished pin groups3
Originally uploaded by cosmosmoonjewelry

Well, I'm done for this year at least!
Here is a pic of my pins I made for this year's pin swap at the Yuma Symposium- They were really fun to make- a great way to free up some of my design ideas...I know some of the things I discovered while working on these will influence my future works- I actually would love to have these pieces done in a more permanent (less epoxied) manner-
stay tuned! :-)
I will be taking notes about the symposium and posting pics and blog next week, when I get home. I've made the decision to leave my computer home...and give my hands a break!
ciao for now- Maureen

Pins for Yuma

One of the projects that you will find many metalsmiths in Arizona doing right now is making pins for the Yuma Symposium pin swap.

I just thought I'd share a couple of images of the pin making I'm doing-

I have a hard time deciding what is "enough" or "too much" when working on these pins- last year I underestimated, and felt silly with my scrawny offerings- so this year I'm working on making up for last year's attempt :-) hopefully I'll hit the right cord!



BTW, if you have never heard of the Yuma Symposium, please click on the link- it's a really amazingly fun and inspiring event- this will be my 4th year there- (it's the 31st year for the YS). I hope to see lots of old friends and perhaps make a few new ones too!

ciao- MBZ