Saturday, August 6, 2016

August 2016 Meeting

The Pocosin Arts Metals Guild met at the home of Joanne Lang.  It was a meeting packed with information from members Carolyn Sleeper and Valda Beyleu about classes they took at The Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee, WI.


The center of discussion was The Tool Box Initiative fund raiser.


Metal Smiths Tim McCreight and Mattheiu Chimnee raise awareness of and money for metal smiths in Senegal, West Africa.  http://www.toolbox initiative.org  

Matthieu Cheminee researched the jewelry of West Africa for 20 year.  During that time he developed a deep respect for the metal smiths and for their work.  Cheminee took his research to Tim McCreight.  Together they returned to West Africa.  There, Cheminee introduced McCreight to the amazing metal smiths who worked with primitive tools and yet created wonderful work. Tim was moved by the imbalance of resources that was affecting his peers.

Cheminee and McCreight returned to the US with the mission of partnering with others in the jewelry community to provide the tools and materials needed by the West African metal smiths.  Several members of the Jewelry community in the US and Canada have answered the call for partnership.  However, the Pocosin Arts Metals Guild is the only guild to do so.

It has been an exciting time for the guild.  So far, we have contributed over $600.00 dollars in silver scrap and we have raised $80.00 in a tool sale.  Their efforts to support West African metal smiths will culminate in selling their individual work at the New World Festival of the Arts in Manteo, NC on August 17th and 18th, 2016.  Come see us at Booth 51!

The Pocosin Arts Metals Guild appreciates the support of the Dare County Arts Council in allowing them to show as a group for their 35 their Annual New World Festival of the Arts.  Each of the exhibiting artists is a seasoned metal smith whose work will bring joy to the purchaser.  Forty–percent of the purchase price will go to support West African metal smiths. 

After reports from the four committees organizing the booth at the festival and ensuing discussions.  We adjourned to the pool.  Every meeting should end with a dip in a pool.  Thanks, Joanne



No comments:

Post a Comment