You can’t beat the cost. For non-guild members like myself it was $35 and with two roommates the room cost averaged $32 per night. I think that is why we had some East Coasters who had had non-refundable airline tickets for EoPC. Pam Pierce told me that almost half of the attendees were from outside of the San Diego Guild. “One of our guild members who came on Saturday said she only recognized 8 people! According to Pam, “This retreat is getting bigger and better every year. And we still see the need for changes. So expect an even better one next year” (I’ve cleared my calendar).


Marie Segal Demo


So just what are the logistics for an event like this? Ellie Hitchcock, who organized the demos, filled me in. Gail Wood, the SDPCG librarian, brought the guild library for inspiration. It filled a whole 6ft table with stacks of books and magazines. (I know that our guild library is so big that everyone has a list and pre-orders by phone or email so that the librarian only brings what has been requested.)


The store did something new this year. In the past only clay and supplies were sold. But Kim Kennedy and Thomas Ojeda introduced the consignment concept so that we could sell our work. They kept very good records and we all got paid accurately and in short order. We were fortunate to have been there on a “resort owners” weekend and had lots of buyers from that group. So much so that the store will be moved out of the cramped cottage and into a bigger room in the lodge for 2005. 

Judith Skinner and Pam Pierce

So how can a guild finance such an undertaking on $25-35 a person? Ah, the fun part of any clay gathering, the Silent Auction. Jami Miller ably ran this. Part of the proceeds of the auction goes to a memorial scholarship fund in honor of Julie Downing, a guild member, who died after a long battle with breast cancer. The rest of the money goes to defray the cost of the retreat.  “I still catch myself thinking that Julie would like this technique or this piece of jewelry,” says Jami. All of the items are donated. Everything from a toaster oven (I won! I won!) to artist items from Judith Skinner, Donna Kato, Lisa Pavelka and clay and supplies from the various manufacturers. syndee holt, who demoed the new Pearl-Ex inkpads, brought three bags of Piñata Inks and Pearl-Ex powders and inkpads that Jacquard, donated. They were much coveted and Myra Katz walked away with her arms full. Well over $1000 was made from the 43 donated items.  “Julie will always be in our hearts”, said Jami, “but this helps put her in the hearts of people who never met her.”

For Ellie’s part she characterized her job as coordinator of demos an “amazing experience. We were unable to offer an honorarium but folks came out of the woodwork to volunteer,” said Ellie. In less than a week she had 16 people volunteering to do 18 demos. And as the week went on many artists offered their demo a second time for people who missed the first one.

Among the demos were Donna Kato on attaining a lace brocade look, Lisa Pavelka showing her new transfer paper, syndee holt and Marie Segal with different uses for the Pearl-Ex ink pads, Judith Skinner incorporating glitter into your pieces, Jean Sheppard solving the elastic channel bracelet puzzle and Christie Friesen incorporating beads into your designs. This is not the whole list and I would hope that you visit the San Diego Guild website for more about this event. www.sdpcg.org

I can’t talk about this guild or this event without mentioning the Bottles of Hope project. We all made bottles over the week. San Diego donates their bottles in honor of Julie.  Orange County donates theirs for our own Myra Katz who takes them to the hospital where she received treatment. Some of the campers made a special bottle for Myra that was received with tears and gratitude. At this writing (July 05) Myra is doing great and sporting a chic new hair-do. For more on Bottles of Hope see the pcPolyzine archives          
I still haven’t figured out what there is about this medium that makes such willing sharers out of us. We all have tales to tell about artists from other mediums who clam up the minute you get the word “HOW” out of your mouth. Is it because polymer clay is relatively new or maybe because it doesn’t take many years of education like an Art degree?  Many of our artists do have art degrees but others of us come from backgrounds in sewing, fiber, ceramics, design, or just good old-fashioned curiosity.

Our guild, from Orange County, CA, sent eight members to Sandy Camp. Three of us were first timers. Although I have been to Ravensdale three times the retreat experience without set classes was great. We are all planning for next time and hope to get more of our members to go.

Michael Lenk, a fitness writer, says, “Laughter is a great form of medicine. Best of all it is free! A person who learns to laugh at himself or herself will never cease to be amused.” Come and play and laugh with us in 2005.