I’m finally getting around to sharing the ART part of my experience at Penland. It was such an inspiring time. I loved the energy of working in the studio every day with a variety of other artists. I don’t really have a studio space at home so I often feel guilty if I leave my art supplies out for a long period of time but for me I need to be able to walk away and come back to my work. I learned a lot about how I like to work while I was there.
Knowing yourself as an artist means knowing how you like to work, for what period of time, when to step away from something and knowing when to push through and let the inspired moment sweep you away. Being in a class for the first time since some graduate classes I took back in 2004 offered the balance of exploration and structure which also helped me grow as an artist tremendously. The irony of this is that as a designer I was trying to loosen up and allow myself to be more free and expressive (and abstract). Each day our instructor began the class with short exercises that allowed us to be gestural, free, expressive and not to over think what we were doing. These were fantastic and fun. I didn’t always like the outcome of what I created but that wasn’t the point. It was about just getting out of my own way and letting whatever creative expression inside the chance to escape. Some of the works created by the class in these short exercises are below.
Another fun aspect of the class was that our instructor, Jason Pollen (check out his amazing work if you don’t know him!) used Astrology as an inspiration for us to focus our creative energy on. Each day we discussed a different planet, the corresponding sign and the energy surrounding it. In this way we were encouraged to channel certain emotions or energy to put into our work. 
This class was primarily a surface design class and we began with limited materials and an 8″ x 8″ format using black backgrounds. The way we see color on black is different and this encouraged each of us to shake free of the “normal” color combinations we might use. We started with only gesso and color and eventually were encouraged to add stitching, collage or whatever else we wanted to. I find it tremendously helpful when I’m creatively stuck to really limit my options, within more restricted boundaries I find my self stretching to explore those limitations. 
After a few days experimenting and playing in this smaller format most of us began to explore other mediums and formats for our work. A group of us in the class began raiding the iron departments scrap pile and we began experimenting with rust dying. There is a good description of this process over here if you want to learn more about the technical aspects. I loved how as a group we got swept up into this creative process together.
Rusty metal pieces laid out with fabric for rust dying.
Completed pieces of rust dye fabrics.
Another process we began to experiment with was Encaustic painting. Although this was not a class in Encaustic one of our classmates was using encaustic and there was also a class being taught so those of us interested in experimenting with this process got the chance to give it a try. 
As you can tell we covered a lot of ground in this class. It was so freeing and inspiring, I came home with several new materials, techniques and ideas to work through more thoroughly. Both Jason and our studio assistant Debra Smith were fantastic about assisting and encouraging each of us in our own directions.
Jason working on one of his stitched pieces for the auction.
Debra’s scarf and a collaborative piece by Jason and Debra, donations for the Penland fundraiser auction.
Debra modeling a purse made by one of the students for the fundraiser auction.
Below are a variety of samples of fellow classmates work and working shots. My class mates ranged in age from 18 to over 75 and came from both the east and west coasts with all different backgrounds. Each one of them was an inspiration to me. I am so glad we all got to meet and work together:) Thanks to each of you!!
One of the final projects I worked on was a collaboration with 3 other students which we donated to the Penland Session 4 fundraiser auction. I love to collaborate and this piece turned out well. I wish I knew who bought it…
Next week I will be back to share some of the work I began personally in class. Some of what I started is still incomplete but hopefully won’t be by the time I post again.
Related articles
- Friday Fieldtrip::Penland the Full tour (hkpowerstudio.wordpress.com)
- Magic Mushroom Tour of Penland (hkpowerstudio.wordpress.com)
Inside the 3rd floor dorm rooms a “typical” individual non-private accommodation (above). Not bad especially with the windows and fans (they provided us with).
Below are some of the typical views looking out across Penland road and along the walkways that run across the campus. Craft House has a fantastic big porch with swings perfect for enjoying sunsets, reading, having a glass of wine and relaxing (although I felt short on relaxation time with all that was crammed into the schedule!).
The meals were really diverse and always included a vegetarian option and a great salad bar. They make a fantastic Wasabi salad dressing, man do I miss it and miss not having to cook (but really I love to cook). Each day the big chalk board in the dining hall told the daily events.
Some of the veggies and herbs are grown at Penland but they feed on average 250 people at lunch and dinner during their 5 summer sessions (each 2 weeks long).
Some of the buildings at Penland are on the National Historic Register (such as the Dye house below) and others are fairly new. They are also in the process of building a brand new dorm building. 
Clay Studio (outside kilns)
Metals Shop
Glass Studio
Northlight, houses Photography, Book making and a large hall for social gatherings and Yoga:)
Walled garden leading behind metals and clay to Lily Loom, it’s covered in clay tiles and found objects and I could always find something new as I walked past it.
View out the side of the Pines on our last morning.
Bon Appetit!
