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Here
are a few terms that I will use to explain this newbie's
experience:
inspiration, intimidation, overwhelmed, impressed,
depressed, awe, dizzying, fun, entertaining, sharing,
thoughtful, talent, friends. The list is really endless.
First of all, let me say that, if you haven't attended one,
a Letterhead Meet is a different kind of experience. It is a
necessary function, for anyone who is in our profession, to
attend.
Whether you are a paint-slinger or a vinyl-sticker, you need
to get at least one of these under your belt. Just being in
proximity to the quality of work that was produced in this
weekend was inspirational.
The most obvious to me, was the staggering amount of quality
work that was being created off-the-cuff. I haven't worked
like that in MANY years, even though I'm 50 and I have 29
years in the business. It has inspired me to at least WANT
to do some hand-lettering again. (I promise I'll pick up a
brush at Karyn's). Nobody made me feel intimidated, I did
that to myself. On the contrary, there was never a better
group of artists willing to share their skills than this
group of Letterheads; Keepers of the Craft - more like
"Sharers of the Craft".
Artist groups, as a rule, are a potential for a bunch of
swelled egos careening into one another. Well, evidently,
everyone brought their Talents but left their Egos at home.
That's the way it should be.
Day One: Sensory overload was the theme of my first day
there. I had come off a bad week and was trying to chill, at
the same time I was being bombarded by a flurry of visual
candy. So, Friday I literally spaced about and was in
shut-down mode.
My second day theme was "Oh, shat, now what do I do? I
started to do a carving, feeling a comfort zone there. I
layed my pencil onto the Everwood Panel and then it hit me.
"What the hell is a pencil?" It has been so long since I
winged it with a pencil layout, that I literally froze.
Needless to say, I finally got started, but...
I then realized that a part of the meet was to produce a
panel FOR the meet. This carving was for my son, Adam, who
was attending the meet with me. Now I gotta come up with
another theme for a "panel".
By chance, Adam found an old bone that he thought was cool,
and he was going to hand it to the dog. THAT became my
panel! I "scrimshawed" it and there was my panel. Now back
to the carving. In between the wandering about and watching
others, I continued to carve.
Sunday, uh oh, we gotta leave today! Tried to carve faster,
yeah, right. Needless to say, between saying goodbye to
everyone, and trying to carve more, I didn't get it
finished.
So... now I have a panel to work on at Karyn's along with a
few panel ideas/patterns I will bring with me (is that
kosher?)
That was my experience, and try as they may, nobody could
have prepared me for it any better - nor can anyone remove
it from my memory.
Gene Golden,
Gettysburg PA
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Meet Photos
Don's Photo's
Jane &
Bill's Photo's
Mark's Photo's
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