And the winner is......

Last night was the annual Friends of the Transit Event.  (That's why I was working my butt off all last week..... oh if only that really worked.)

Turn out was good (but could have been better) for the festivities.  A new local Reggae Band played for the event.  They were really good (but loud in such a small space.)   With that rhythm and beat we all couldn't help but dance as we walked.  They will be playing in Pittsburgh soon.

The 12 minute paintings done to some lively music added to the festivities and were auctioned off at the end of the evening.

Joann Wheeler, Abby Bunnell and Carol McDonald all completed paintings in their individual styles.

The winner of this year's Friend of the Transit Award went to Marilyn Karns.  Marilyn is a retired kindergarten teacher who for the past ten years has run the National Transit Gallery and set up all the classes that went on for the Oil City Arts Association.  It was an award well deserved and we are all indebted to Marilyn for all she does.

John Manders again donated his time to do caricatures (which is always so popular.)  One of these days I'll bite the bullet and have mine done.

I demonstrated (basically talked about) one of the processes used to create designs for metal clay (particularly the Photo Polymer Plate technique.)  Then I did a brief demo with bronze clay and talked about the differences between silver and the base metal clays.  

The evening ended with the announcement of the winners of the 12 minute paintings.   The winners of the silent auction will be notified in a few days.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I was having a scavenger hunt and giving away a piece from the National Transit Series.  Earlier in the day a co-worker I hadn't seen in years stopped in the studio and it was great to see her.  In fact it was so great that her name was drawn for the necklace.  Way to go Vickie Conn.

All in all the yearly fund raiser was a success.  First count estimates that we raised $600 for the Gallery.  Thanks to all who helped.  

National Transit Jewelry Display

I ended up with twenty one pieces of jewelry.  (No wonder I'm tired!)

Get a jump on it.

The National Transit Building was built in 1890 by John D. Rockefeller and housed the financial, commercial and transportation dealings of the Standard Oil Co.  It is a four story building with an annex building built six years later.  The buildings are connected by a bridge  on the second floor that passes over the alleyway between the buildings.

Invariably when people visit the building, the one thing they all say is "How beautiful a building it is."  The architecture of the building is amazing even though it is old and in need of some TLC.  Everyone notices and comments on it.

So..... as I've been saying for quite awhile, I've designed some jewelry based on the architecture of the Transit Building.  (Finally got off my butt and got it moving.)  So far I've created four designs that are pretty much literally based on a piece of architecture somewhere in the two buildings.  I do plan on doing more but this is just a start.

On Saturday, at the Friends of the Transit Event in the Graffiti Gallery I will be demonstrating how to make a PPP plate and how to work with bronze clay.  After the demo I'll be giving away a piece of jewelry from my Transit Series.

In order to be eligible for the drawing, the designs need to be identified as to where they are located in the buildings.  (It should be easy, since the first designs are pretty literal.)  Be specific as to where the designs are located.  There will be forms in my studio for the scavenger hunt and some at the event which starts at five.

If you are coming to the event, or are going to be in the area this is your chance to get a jump (and more time to look) on the game.  Winner need not be present.

Here are the designs, but the official forms must be picked up at my studio or at Saturday night's event.
Good Luck!

All jewelry will be available on my Etsy site (once I get decent photos.)

(I plan on doing other jewelry series and conducting more games.  These will be online search games.)  Stay tuned....... although it may be awhile.