Vessels, Etc.
A weekend with Melissa Manley
August 14-16, 2009
Fri: 2pm-7pm    Sat/Sun: 10am-5pm
1 hr lunch each day

Illuminata- Illuminated Gut Sculptures

Since our early hunter-gatherer days, we hominids found uses for all that surrounded us, and wasted nothing of our harvests from nature. We used every part of the animal, as its use was intrinsic to our survival. There was no hot glue, no pneumatic nail gun, no solder. Objects had to be made of natural materials, there was nothing else! Sinew and membrane from animals contains a natural glue for which early humans found many uses. And we are going to use this to our advantage!

Drop back with us into a primitive time. Search deep within to find your wild-woman, your sage Old Mother, as we make illuminated sculpture using natural sausage casing, or hog gut. It stretches and dries to a glowing, taut, papery consistency. We’ll use this ancient material and add our modern twists. Yes, it’s weird, it’s wild, it’s primordial…. You’ll LOVE IT!

SUPPLY LIST:

Wire -If you want your wire to rust under the casing then use: Dark annealed steel or iron wire (sometimes called binding wire). If you don’t want the rusted look bring copper or other type of wire in various gauges- 19, 20, 24

a small plastic tub for water -1 quart to small bucket size

Pliers for wire working, jewelry sizes are nice. Various types- you’ll want round nose, flat jawed chain nose, maybe some flat wide ones. You may also want one with serrated jaws. But for the most part I don’t want the teeth on the pliers they make nasty marks. But every now and then I need them. You will probably also want one larger hardware store needle nose plier for strength. I will bring my pliers.

A larger sized wire cutter to cut the steel wire

Lamps- socket and cord for instance the type you would hang inside a paper lantern. And/or the type that clips into a little Christmas house, and /or a cool burning night light.

We’ll probably make two or three each, so bring plenty of wire and enough lamps. (Or at least one of the type of lamp you want to make, if you don’t want to travel with them. You can add them later once the size is right)

Other optional fun items:
You may use other structures than wire- gourd that’s been carved would be cool. Woven dried grapevine, or branches, or bamboo would be great. Bring stuff to work with those items, for instance a Dremel for gourd carving. Pruning shears for branches, that kind of thing.

The casing takes liquid transparent pigment and dye well, and once dry can be drawn on. So you may want to bring:
Dyes or inks
Liquid watercolors
Temporary tattoos
Rub on images
Stamps and inks
Sharpie pens
Drawing instrument and ink
Transfer mediums work well with zeroxes
Clear matte spray or medium to seal
Gloves- especially if you want to dye the casing

Embellishments could be cool for instance:
Beads
raffia (hanging down out of harms way)
Antler bits
buttons
ceramic /clay baubles

Bring anything you might like to experiment with. I have had people bring all kinds of cool stuff. This will make everyone’s look different and is half the fun. The surprise element is what makes taking this simple ancient material and making art out of it, so exciting!

Melissa Manley is a trained metalsmith and artist. She received her BA in Studio Arts, painting and printmaking, in 1987 from University of North Carolina at Wilmington. She dabbled in ceramics and jewelry making, and did craft shows, juggling them with motherhood until she went back to school later in life. She received her MFA in Metal Design from East Carolina University in 2006. It was at East Carolina that Melissa took a day workshop with a mixed media basket maker who used hog gut in her work. “It was really a lark. I had a very experimental professor, Robert Ebendorf, who signed me up for this class I knew nothing about. He told me, “Go, you’ll love it!” Later at the end of the workshop, I looked up and only myself and another student were left, not wanting to stop.”

Melissa currently teaches metalsmithing at Cape Fear Community College and privately in her studio in Independent Art Company. She lives in Wilmington, North Carolina not far from the water with her thirteen year old daughter Meredith and Robert Smith, her kayak guru/manager/assistant/knight in shining armor.

http://www.melissamanleystudios.com/
http://ladysmithsupply.etsy.com/
http://melissamanleystudios.blogspot.com/
http://melissamanley.etsy.com

Three day class price: $750
Early Registration Discount: Register by July 14 and pay only $450.00

Payment via Paypal can be paid with the link below, or should be sent to: artfreakzine@yahoo.com

Payment via personal check can be sent to:

Carol Parks
4804 Laurel Canyon Bl. #294
Valley Village, CA 91607

Classes/workshops take place at Carol Parks' NoHo Studios. Location and directions will be provided upon registration. Catered meals can be ordered upon request.

Contact Carol for questions, lodging information, and seating availability prior to sending payments.

Please review Carol Parks' Class Policies.