In My Right Mind in Hancock, Michigan - June 2011

I spent a fabulous week at the Midwest Weavers Conference, held at Finlandia University in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Co-chairs Jean Lind and Mary Brownell and their many guild volunteers did a terrific job putting the conference together.

It was great fun exercising our right brains - with occasional left-brain forays. Inspirations and projects below are by Becky, Linda, Sydney and Judi  - created in "Natural Inspirations," a three-day workshop.

And  I ate a pasty for the first time  -

a specialty of the region, introduced to the area by Cornish miners. This is from the Kaleva Cafe in  downtown Hancock. It is a combination of meat, potato, onion, carrot, rhutabega, salt and pepper, in a sturdy pastry shell.

The Language of Fiber at Vertin Gallery in nearby Calumet marked the debut of Red Offerings, and I had the opportunity to give a gallery talk as part of the opening. The gallery itself is quite spectacular - a classic former department store with high ceilings and lots of light. Calumet was a much larger town in the 19th century when the area was home to many copper mines. Now the town is smaller, and creative re-use of buildings is an important trend - the Vertin Gallery is but one example.

with Ansley Knoch, guest curator; Phyllis Fredendall, Fiber Dept, Finlandia U; and artist Sheila O'Hara

The Finlandia University Art and Design School created the perfect T-shirt so of course I had to have it.

As it was explained to me, Are you out of  your right mind? has at least two meanings.

Number One: Stuck in left brain thinking? Come to Finlandia  and embrace the creative right brain.

Number Two: Are you out of your right mind?  Why come all the way to the Upper Peninsula for design school? After getting to know faculty, administrators, students and local guild members, that answer is easy...!