Last week at this time I was busy in the metals studio at Haystack learning a bunch of cool new things from Chris Darway, like how to use an oxygen reduction flame to fuse 22 karat metal clay slip (PMC Aura 22) onto copper, and how to mix up “super pickle” to etch that copper piece to make the gold stand out even more. The demo of making bezel settings on stones by dipping them in PMC 3 slip, was genius! So is the whole idea of using Elmer’s Glue and flattened toothpicks to provide a handle to work with dried PMC pieces before firing in the kiln. There are so many ideas and images going through my head that I don’t know where to start.
I’ve not been back in my studio yet and I have to be okay with that. I am an introvert who has just spent a whole week among people with almost no time alone to recharge. Ideally, I need at least an hour alone to balance an hour of stimulation from being with people. Simply put, extroverts gain energy from interacting with others and introverts lose energy. It doesn’t mean we don’t want to be around people or go out in the world, it just means we have to find ways to reboot the system after we’ve been there, even among friends.
At Haystack it is ALL FRIENDS and ALL CREATIVITY all the time! It was a blast and I am so glad I spent the week there. My introvert/people energy may still need to be recharged, but my creative energy is brimming, spilling over into my quiet time in the form of sketches, poetry, and remembered images. When I make my way to my studio it will be with a smile on my face and a feeling of coming home to an adventure.
I’ll be posting an album of Haystack photos on my FaceBook page. If you want to see all of them just send me a friend request (if we’re not FB friends already). If you’re not into FB, that’s okay too. I’m going to post some of my favorites right here.
Our cabin: 
The metals studio awaits:
Demo of PMC slip bezels and Chuck’s version of the slip bezel setting:
Copper clay is still not my favorite medium, but it was at least humorous…
Random class photos:
And one of my favorite additions to this time at Haystack: Holly Kellogg and I went for a 20 minute swim every single day we were there, at this sweet little beach. (It only looks warm. The water was still about 63º just like home.)
Good bye until next time Haystack! 
It’s time to plant myself back in my own studio, and grow.
Barbara S Fernald Jewelry 
I know what you mean about being an introvert. It can be draining to have to be “on” all the time! Glad you learned so much and now you will have all winter to be an introvert and use all your new skills! LOL!
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Thanks for “getting it” Roberta! Haystack was really great. I won’t let that introvert personality take over completely and prevent me from such good times. But, yes. The winter is a really great time for me too!
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Barbara…great post and very interesting. Glad you have so many new ideas and inspiration from your course to continue creating. Thanks for sharing! Looking forward to some new work!
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Thanks Sue! I’m looking forward to incorporating some of the things I learned pretty soon!
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I’m recharging, too. Barb. I so get the introvert thing – I do not work well in a group situation so the workshops can be difficult. I need to process the info I learned and then work on my own. It was a great time though – and swimming every day sure helped to refocus the mind.
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That swimming recharges me every time! I was really happy with the group in the workshop, Everyone with their different styles and information to offer. It was especially nice for me to spend so much time with Holly. I hadn’t seen her since last summer at this time. I’m processing all the info by drilling rocks and thinking about paste paper! How’s that for weird?!
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