TNwJ

(Tuesday Nights with Jim.)

Last week I mentioned my poor choice of timing beginning this series yet did not mention why I felt this way...you see, our Tuesday night class is 9 weeks long and last night was the last class in our "Spring Semester". 

As we progress beyond week 3 onwards to weeks 8 and 9 fewer students attend.

I say "only the strong willed survive."

I understand this process and how it happens. My own exploring has taken me from...watercolors to leather tooling, paper making, fanciful boxes, polymer clay, beading and glass bead making, pottery, silver, stone cutting, enameling, and now etching and soon form folding.

Many are still seeking the media that completes them and in that journey they will discover much about themselves and the others that are on the same path.

I have taken Jim's class and seen some students overwhelmed, smitten, confused and enthralled. I have sat next to, students that haven't touched a torch since college, first time silver workers, glass workers looking for another way of incorporating their work. I have worked side by side with Engineers, IT Specialists and a mother of twins who came to a very small room with relentless hammers "to relax".

Our common bond is to find the thing that keeps us dreaming, keeps our visions at the surface so we can get them out with whatever expresses us the most accurately and allows us to share them then move forward. We do this unselfishly, for our selves but for others as well. Like all artists we hope someone will connect, look and say "wow" even if it is so softly only they can hear it. ( I usually find myself doing this with pottery.)

This is what I was thinking while attending week 9 of our Spring Semester class last night. I know Jim has seen it all over his 17 years, but I still consider myself new in so many arenas of this process. The three of us still attending were still working hard at 5 minutes to 9 and trying to find a way to get Jim to throw in a Week 10 class, with all his enthusiasm  he said we could attend the Wednesday or Saturday class if you need, otherwise sign up for Summer Class. Even Jim needs a break...

Okay Jim Summer is here!

I don't know if I will ever see that cuff bracelet completed but the rest of us were forging ahead (pun intended) some with old projects, (my, now 6 pairs of earrings to get done.) and new.

Jim and Ed decided to take on some faceted stone setting...

In the end Jim got the most done during this class, I wonder if he will be back...

For the next two weeks we will be off from class but I will continue to push forward with Tuesday nights being dedicated to working on silver.

 Jeff and I are headed to William Holland again, Jeff will be attending a glass fusing class and I will be learning the way of the mallet, fold forming...on to a new journey!