Day 1

[Liz Steiner]

Oh my gosh, I love the desert!

I started the day by setting up the Hot Under the Collar Show at the Scottsdale Center of Performing Arts. It was a pretty focused few hours, but by the time it was all said and done, the show looked fantastic. I'm really pleased, and I hope everyone else is too. I have no concept of dimension, unless I'm looking at a thing, so it was really cool to see the work in person. Some was bigger than I expected, some smaller. Oh, and the cases we're using were just used in the Kiki Smith show at SMOCA. How cool is that!?

Set up for Hot Under the Collar

The rest of the afternoon was devoted to completing a few simple tasks, made difficult by stopping every few minutes to chat with another friend. I finally managed to pick up a few groceries, obtain a toothbrush from the front desk, locate my show post cards and turn in my work for the auction. These things took HOURS so, before I knew it, it was time for the pin swap.

Bryan Peterson donating a pin for the Silent Auction collections.

I was real excited for the pool party pin swap, but no one seemed interested in actually getting in the pool. The whole space seemed not quite right for the swap. It was too clustered and too crowed with deck chairs, and then it got dark, so you couldn't tell who had pins, and if they were any good. I spent a fruitless hour or so trying to track down someone with folded paper pyramid pins, and never did find them. I know I missed some other good pins as well. I didn't even try to get near the food or the bar. I feel like there should have been a section for people who were swapping and people who weren't.

Pins!!!

I think I had about 70 or so pins and wound up with 45. I gave a bunch away to awesome people. I believe in good pin karma, which is why I won't really say no to someone. I got a bunch that I'm not excited about, but I got some cool ones too. These are a few of my faves, including a tin ukulele by Bryan Peterson, a ceramic packing peanut by Lisa Johnson and the lovely copper oval in the lower left is by Zac Lopez-Ibanez. If you're wondering why you didn't see those, it's because I got the only one. (Thank you Zac!) I was surprised and a little appalled about the lack of business cards accompanying pins. So for many of mine, I don't know who the artist is.

I hope my pins all went to good homes with good people. I'm a little sad that they're all gone; I'd carried them around with me for so long. But now to bed. If today was tiring, tomorrow is sure to be more so.

See you in the morning!

[Brigitte Martin]

I am so glad you point out the need to attach business cards (or some kind of reference to the maker) to ones pins. Otherwise one really forgets who made the work.

Ok, and while I am at it: Liz, your show looks awesome! Everyone: You have to see that show. Beautiful, beautiful work !

[Liz Steiner]

I know! I received two very lovely pins from two very lovely young ladies from Endinboro University, but they didn't have cards and I don't remember their names.

Brigitte: Your show looks amazing as well! I hope people make it a point to go to SCPA and see two incredible shows at one stop!