Convergence 2012

The Handweavers Guild of America hosts a huge conference every two years called "Convergence."  I have been trying to think about just how to write about my awesome time there, but I've been so busy beading, weaving, drilling, sanding, hanging, and laying things out, that sitting down to reflect my mini-fiber-vacation has not made the top of my list.  So, in short, I had a GREAT TIME.  Now here I go rambling on about it:
I decided not to take any of the classes since I had never been to a Convergence before and I wanted to get a feel for how it's organized and how much time you may or may not have to see exhibits and meet people.  Plus I wanted to consider this a little vacation and get in some relaxing and seeing Long Beach itself. I signed up to see the fashion Show (including dinner before hand), Lucy Dunne's keynote, and the breakfast talk with Aaron Kramer.  This kept my schedule nice and open to enjoy doing other things.

The exhibits of what weavers and fiberartists are doing around the country/world were amazing.  I feel very honored that my "Bamboozled Bangle" was chosen to be in the Small Expressions Exhibit along side many other wonderful artists. Also, this makes the first time that one of my pieces has made it into an Art Museum, how cool is that?!  It's at the Long Beach Museum of Art until August 12th, 2012.  It also was chosen to be on the Exhibit page for the LBMA's website, which is like winning a prize.

Bamboozled Bangle, Photo by Luke Anthony Photography

Thankfully my light schedule allowed me to figure out how to get around Long Beach (the red Passport bus, $1.25), hang out over on 2nd Street in the Belmont Beach area, and I even took a long walk on the beach from Belmont Beach to Long Beach picking up some interesting seaweed pieces and a log that I plan on using in my beaded sculptures.

AND I got to have dinner with my roommate from freshmen year at University of Michigan.  It's been 12 years since we lived together, and we didn't see much of each other in college, so we had LOTS to talk about.  Thanks for meeting up with me Jen, and lets not wait another 12 years, eh?

Jenny and Jen!

The energy of the conference was exciting and I got to talk to and meet a lot of other weavers and also many of the HGA Reps from other states. I would say we had a pretty good show of Michigan weavers there too.

Thank you HGA for putting on such a great conference!