From the wild west of SA to Penland School, USA

A$4,864
of $4,325 targetyrs ago
Successful on 21st Jun 2013 at 2:00AM.
From the wild west to Penland School of Craft in North Carolina, USA. 

A scholarship opportunity to learn, develop, experiment and enjoy.

With this creative learning opportunity, I will bring newly learned skills into my current arts practices. I will design and make unique art pieces and develop a new object & jewellery range.

I just need some help making it happen. The funds I need to raise in order make this project possible; $4325.00

Below you can read all about my project.

Due to my beautiful yet remote and isolated location, accessing skills development and artistic enrichment can be challenging requiring traveling long distances and living away from home for extended periods of time. Learning new skills is essential to me to continue to grow as professional artist. Hence my application to Penland. I have applied for a full scholarship to attend Penland School of Craft in the USA. This is a very highly regarded craft school using unique immersion programs for learning arts and crafts from beginner to professional levels. Penland is dedicated to craft education and to helping people live creative lives. You can read about Penland here: http://penland.org/about/description.html

Do have a look...it is amazing the range of classes, the place and everything else about it!

                 

To my surprise and delight I found out that I have been awarded a full scholarship for a two week workshop! This is a huge gift to me and just what I need. The workshop I will attend at Penland is July 7th-19th; Arthur Hash; One-Two Punch.

The problem is....that I am a struggling artist and the costs of the trip are more than I had expected or can afford right now. The scholarship only covers the tuition, room and board. Now to try to fund my trip since the flight costs and travel expenses will be high. Crowd funding is something new to me but I am going to give it a try!

As a full time practising artist, also teaching occasionally, I feel that I need to continue to develop my skills and to research new, creative techniques and methods. My home and studio are located at such a remote location that it is impossible for me to access learning opportunities without traveling long distances and living away from home for extended periods of time. Learning new skills is essential to me to continue to grow as an artist. Hence my application to Penland.

                  

The Penland Scholarship trip plan

I will travel to North Carolina with a short stop in California on the way to start the Penland study opportunity. When the two week workshop is finished, I will spend several extra weeks in the USA for artistic enrichment, skill sharing, to experience the rich cultural diversity of my birth place, and have a little time to see family. I can fit these things in either side of the Penland trip without many extra costs. If by some chance I raise extra funds I will attend the Enamelist Society Conference which will be around the same time I am in the USA. At this time I do not think I can afford it but it would be a benefit to my career and future. Attending these conferences keeps the artist up to date with new directions in the craft. Networking with other artists in my preferred mediums will be a great advantage to me.

There is a rich arts culture in the USA. Craft is a huge movement and is much more revered than here in Australia. There are craft shows everywhere and I hope to be able to attend some. I can think of at least a dozen intensive craft schools around the country. There is also such a great diversity of cultures in the USA including the ones I am familiar with in Southern California where I spent the first 23 years of my life. Mexican art and Native American art influence my life and work indirectly. I enjoy seeing this cultural stimuli when in the USA. It gives me great inspiration and refreshes me. There is very little arts culture readily available to me in Penong, SA.

Travel schedule; June 28th - August 9th, 2013

June 28-30th; Travel from Penong to west coast of the USA

July 1st - 4th; Visit galleries and art fairs around southern California.

July 5th; Travel to North Carolina

July 7th - 19th; Undertake my scholarship intensive workshop at Penland School of Craft; Arthur Hash; One-Two Punch.

The studio is open all day and night. When lessons are finished for the day the students can stay and work for as long as they want. Other activities include slide presentations and talks from the instructors and teaching assistants, exhibitions and an art auction. Students are able to walk into any of the other concurring studios to see what the other students are learning. Meals are served in family style so there is loads of time to meet and talk to the other students.

July 20th - 22nd;Visit galleries, museums and historical sites around Asheville, North Carolina. Also I would like to spend some time in the forrest and observe nature.

July 23-25th; Fly to Philadelphia, PA to spend time with a jeweller friend to skill share, network and visit other artists, galleries, museums, etc.

July 26th; Travel back to California.

July 27th - August 7th; Again in California. I hope to do more arty things with friends and family. I will take some time to reflect and draw. Since it is summer there all kinds of arts events are in progress.

                 

Budget and costing of project;

The value of the scholarship is only about 1/5 of the total project cost.

Scholarship value; $1871.00

Project costs;

Application and materials fees; $200.00

Flights & road transportation; $4893.00

Travel insurance; $505.00

6 nights hotels; $900.00

Food & other living expenses for about 3 weeks while not at Penland; $1260.00

Project costs not including scholarship value; $7758.00

My own contribution; $3433.00

What I need to fund in order make this project possible; $4325.00

                 

The bonus project if funding costs met and exceeded

If the funding goal is reached and exceeded I will attend The Enamelist Society Conference. This is the 14th Biennial Conference of the Enamelist Society. It is from August 2nd - 4th. There will also be two days of travel involved.

To attend this conference the costing follows;

Flights; $560.00

Conference including some meals; $515.00

Hotel accommodation 5 nights and a small food allowance; $600.00

Total for bonus project; $1675.00

Watch this space for a short video clip coming soon.

So that is it. My project fully explained without too much detail but just enough.

Thanks for reading this far. Please help if you can. I would greatly appreciate it! All the best to you, Cindy x

Look at my website www.cindydurant.com 
to read more about me and see some images of my work [ I also need to build a new website!]

                                              

                  

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