Monday, June 29, 2009

BRONZclay and COPPRclay At Pouncing Rain

Big News! Pouncing Rain is now a COPPRclay™ and BRONZclay™ distributor. We are currently one of the few retailer/distributors in North America and will carry a full line of both the copper and bronze clay.

Many of you have used the silver Precious Metal Clay (called PMC), or maybe recently the BRONZclay, but COPPRclay has just been released for sale, and we have it for you to play with. Our price is $19.98 for the 100 grams and $35.98 for the 200 grams. This is the same (or better) pricing you would get from the “Big” mail order/internet dealers, but is right here in Bellingham. For our Canadian customers, we will even ship to Canada US Postal Service!
We are in the process of developing several classes and hope to have them on the calendar by Fall of this year. Check back for more detailed “How-To” info on our website at http://www.pouncingrain.com/ and here on our blog.
-Kathleen

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Roeder Home Info

This information is from Karen Espland, one of Pouncing Rains Members:
This is the latest update from Flip re: Roeder Home. If you can spare even a couple hours a month or year--- Please call Rob & let him know. Yesterday was the first time since February the "OPEN" sign was turned for the public to come in. There was a spinners group (yarn spinning) there breathing life back into the home. It was fun to learn more about this art & craft. As this is being reorganized & in its infantcy stage, do you have a suggestion that will promote cultural arts in the Roeder Home? Let us know.I am trying to be well versed on the groups & events that occur at the Roeder Home. If you know of a group who would be interested in renting the facility - please mention it to them. Unfortunately, it was not advertised in the last 2 Whatcom County Leisure Guides and rentals may be down. There are several rooms that are rentable. There are small art rooms downstairs (jewelry, kiln & ???) There are 2 rates for rentals: Non-commercial & Commercial. It would be nice to see the arts programs continue there. Do you know anyone interested in teaching a class? The insurance issue has been addressed. Call Rob from the W.C. Parks Dept. at the number below for further information. It would be wonderful if you would pass this on. Thanks - Karen E.

Member's Social For July

Member Social Makes a Comeback. All current, former or future interested members join us for a member’s Social on Wednesday evening July 22nd from 6:00-8:00’ish. Bring your “show and tell” treasures, favorite summer treat to share , and join us for some social time. We will visit, problem solve and celebrate this wonderful creative passion we all have in common.
-Kathleen

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Store Closed July 4th

The shop will be closed Saturday July 4th for our employees to celebrate the holiday.

News From The Shop

News from the Shop:

This month I am really excited (as always) to make my monthly announcement of new items in our shop.

We have been on the hunt for a while for new brass texture plates in different patterns and sizes, and we were finally successful! We have 6 new patterns in 4” and 8” strips with hopefully more to come! Texture sheets are used in multiple ways; add different patterns and dimension to your PMC pieces by rolling or pressing your metal clay onto the brass and lifting away revealing an exact pressing of the pattern; texture plates can also be roll printed against softer metals, copper or silver, in the rolling mill and used in rings, bracelets or whatever creation you come up with! The plates themselves can be cut up and used in your projects as well!

With the Flex Shaft Magic workshop coming up I though it would be appropriate to let you all know about the rotating bur organizer that we just got in, with 108 spots for your drill bits, cutting, setting, sanding and polishing burs. It turns around completely and is stepped for handy access to all your flex shaft accessories.

Hope to see you in the shop soon!
ryan@pouncingrain.com
www.pouncingrain.com

-Ryan

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Our Community Online

Our call-out to our customers and students with online presence got responses from some really fabulous folks with sites worth checking out! Wow, it is so inspiring to see so many creative people in our community putting themselves out in the wild world web. Many artists have links to their blogs or other websites as well. Interested in putting yourself out there? We will be giving our class, Marketing on Etsy, coming up again in the fall, check our class schedule out on www.pouncingrain.com. Another way to see find local artists online; go to www.etsy.com and click on the shop local button or go directly to www.etsy.com/shop_local.php?ref=fp_nav_local and type in your area, a fun way to support local businesses! We will also be posting this list and adding to it on our new blog, www.pouncingrain.blogspot.com If you want your site included in this list just contact me, ryan@pouncingrain.com

Sarah Williams, www.snowyowljewelry.etsy.com
Pat Rowe, www.patsysbeads.etsy.com
Jill Rockwell and Mary Lou Moffat, www.backyardbeadsvictoria.com
Jenn Baerg, www.allegrafire@etsy.com
Nanci LaHatt, www.designedkeepsakes.etsy.com
Lynn McGinnis, www.bluestoneoforcasisland.1000markets.com
Allie Ryser, http://www.glassallie.etsy.com or http://www.glassallie.artfire.com
Mieko Takashi, www.shizendesigns.etsy.com or www.shizendesignsbridal.etsy.com
Lois Dahl, www.Whimrab.etsy.com
Mel Kickland, www.MoonLitCreations.etsy.com or www.EarthenCreations.etsy.com
Kath Urbano, www.Myemmagrace.etsy.com

-Ryan

Cool Things From Tim McCreight

I was checking out the Brynmorgen Press website (Tim McCreight's publishing company) and found some cool free stuff. I really like the circle divider. Check it out. http://www.brynmorgen.com/resources.html
-Kathleen

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Metal in Tacoma

4 Curators:
Contemporary Craft in Northwest Museums
cosponsored by Seattle Metals Guild and Tacoma Art Museum

August 23, 2009 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm
1:00 - 3:00 - Panel discussion
3:00 - 5:00 - Docent tour

·4 informative presentations followed by a dynamic discussion with 4 Museum Curators. Each will outline the significance of contemporary craft within the collection of their museum and the role that craft plays in museum programming. The moderator will begin the discussion by posing several questions to the panel and will then open the floor to questions from the audience.
·A docent tour of 2 important contemporary jewelry exhibitions:
-Ornament as Art: Avant Garde Jewelry from the Helen Williams Drutt Collection
-Loud Bones: The Jewelry of Nancy Worden.

All for $15! Includes museum admission
($10 for members of TAM or Seattle Metals Guild)
Space is limited. Advance tickets are available by calling 253.722.2455
or Email - Education@tacomaartmuseum.org
Tacoma Art Museum
1701 Pacific Avenue
Tacoma, Washington 98402
www.TacomaArtMuseum.org

Rock Hushka Tacoma Art Museum - Tacoma, WA
Stefano Catalani Bellevue Arts Museum - Bellevue, WA
Kathleen Moles Museum of Northwest Art - La Conner, WA
Namita Wiggers Museum of Contemporary Craft - Portland, OR

Why should I bother to go to a panel of museum curators? My work will never be in a museum… Well, maybe, but several regional museums have made a commitment to exhibiting craft, especially jewelry and metal objects, and some are even beginning to assemble collections. Your brooch, neckpiece, or Kiddush cup might just one day be found on display in one of these museums. And, even if your work never finds its way into those hallowed halls, aren’t you curious about what they are collecting, how they make their decisions or how they acquire work? Or even how they care for all that work?

Here is the opportunity to not only be in the room with the curators from four of the five major museums in the area but to ask them questions as well. This is a unique event and a unique window into four unique points of view.
So don’t miss it!

And while you are in Tacoma, be sure to check out: Metal-Urge - Beginning on June 6 and continuing through September 20, the Tacoma Arts Commission is presenting a city-wide celebration of the metal arts. This community event includes 23 venues and features more than 100 artists. For additional information, please visit http://www.cityoftacoma.org/Page.aspx?hid=11969.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

T-Shirt Design Contest

CONTEST! We will be printing Pouncing Rain T-Shirts this coming Fall to sell and use for prizes. Instead of using tired-old average advertising art, we want the T-Shirts to be fun, creative and funky (whatever that means!) So, we are having a contest. Submit your “Pouncing Rain Metal Jewelry and Metals Center” T-Shirt Art to us by August 31, 2009. We will choose a winner by September 7, 2009 and feature the art on our Pouncing Rain T-Shirts as well as on our Blog, website and in our October Newsletter. The prize!!! We will be giving away a Year of Unlimited Open Studio, or a Free Class/Workshop (excluding Silversmith Camp). Additional Info and entry form available on our website. www.pouncingrain.com

Day 2 of Silversmith Camp

Today is Day 2 of the 5 day "Silversmith Summer Camp". The studio is alive with the tink, tink,tink of hammers on metal. It is a sound that makes me happy... to me it sounds almost like laughter. The weird wonderful world I live in anyway.
-Kathleen

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Pouncing Rain Starts to Blog

We (Kathleen, Ryan, Nanz, Nancy) have decided to start a blog to keep our customers, members and fans updated with the going-ons at Pouncing Rain. We will post tips, tricks, pictures, and all manner of fun stuff. So this is our first post.

The June "Silversmith Summer Camp" starts tomorrow! We will have the store open tomorrow as well, even though is is not one of our normally "open days". Stop by and say hello!

Members! Ryan is having evening "Open Studio" Tuesday Eve, June 16th. Come and work and keep her company.

Be sure to visit our website: www.pouncingrain.com

-Kathleen