I am finally re-settled in Tampa. We had a rough patch there, from mid-November through the New Year, but all seems to be well now. Packed into that 2+ month period were such lowlights as finishing renovations on our house in Atlanta, last-minute revelations of shoddy work and repairs made hours before the closing, hurried packing that somehow seemed to take weeks, a teary request for a divorce (turned aside thankfully, for the time being), several long and uncomfortable trips back and forth between Tampa and Atlanta, moving into one apartment, only to move again into a larger apartment next door. Phew!
Yes, I am still somewhat shell-shocked, But it has really helped that Tampa weather is wonderful and I love where I now live, in trendy South Tampa, just blocks from Bayshore Blvd. The apartment is small, but quaint, and I should be able to do most of my fiber work here, though I'll really be missing the (3000 sq. ft) house in Atlanta when I am in the throes of production. I am looking into some local arts centers where I can rent studio time to do dyeing and any big pieces that don't fit well here. I am also hoping to teach some classes locally.
So, I am ahead of myself. I haven't written in my blog since last August, when I was getting ready for LEAF in October. I made several prototypes that turned out wonderfully and had the chance to be in a small show in Atlanta to get some feedback, the Fireball Collective. I didn't sell anything, but I only had a few pieces anyway. I did meet alot of cool people, among them the Education director at Spruill Center for the Arts in Sandy Springs.
The upshot is that I will be teaching an introduction to felting at Spruill March 31-April1; you can see the details on my new Classes page or at the Spruill website. This is really exciting for me because I love teaching and am so buzzed about felting that I can't wait to share! I'll be looking for more opportunities to teach felting, and maybe also dyeing, here in Tampa, Atlanta, and anywhere else in the South this year. It will give me a new link to other fiber people, now that I have moved away from my old circles.
Anyway, back to the story. In October I did the LEAF festival, the first time I had gone as a vendor during the fall. It was beautiful, but cold and rainy and I really pushed myself to the brink, since, again, I went by myself. I am so jealous of those artist couples who do the festivals together. There was one couple who camped right next to me (see my campsite pics below) who are from Michigan, and they had the coziest RV, all warm and inviting and they were great neighbors.
I have extremely mixed feelings about doing more festivals, since the last several have been tough for me physically and not all that profitable. Plus, doing one-of-a-kind felt creations makes it easier to do craft festivals, which can be less stressful, and therefore a new path away from River Daughters. Maybe I'm getting too old for the gypsy life. But, damn. I really do enjoy the goddess garb and the festival fun and the great people. Plus, I'm not sure that I'm THERE yet with my felt clothes. I have alot more work to do on them. So, I'm going to do one more spring with River Daughters. - UPDATE: 3/15 - I've cancelled all other River Daughters shows except for LEAF in May. I'm concentrating on making felt garments for shows in the fall. see more recent posts.
