eXtreme Recovery: The Post-SNAG process

I returned last week from another stellar Society of North American Goldsmiths conference. This one was in Houston, TX, so we spend a few extra days hanging with Chris' wonderful family before facing the very long drive back to Atlanta. Driving meant we didn't have to spend $8000 checking bags, and, more importantly, we could take the new addition to our family. Our newest member (to the family not SNAG) is Lilah, a 4ish year old sheltie from Sheltie Rescue of Georgia. She is not only beautiful but also takes her job of herding her new sheep (us) more seriously than any other sheltie I've ever known, and that's saying something.

While Lilah kept Skyler and his 8 cousins in the 'pasture' way up in the northern burbs, I was whooping it up... um, I mean, diligently attending meetings, talks, and exhibitions downtown at the conference. There is nothing else like hanging out with hundreds of people, who do what I do. I dread being asked, "What do you do?" and the confusing explanations on my part at parties with non artists, so I look forward to these conferences all year long to recharge my batteries, get inspired, and generally not feel weird for 4 whole days. As presenter Bruce Baker described us, artists are people, whom non artists regard as having run away to join the circus. Hanging out with the other acrobats and tight rope walkers feeds my soul.

The recovery process, however, takes me days. There is always tons of work waiting on me, taunting me, "You thought you could escape, but NO!" Folding myself up in a car for 14 hours also takes a great deal of recovery time and slow stretching back to something resembling verticality. SNAG conferences are an incredible high from which I think I'll never come down, but alas, the reality of returning to working long hours alone in my studio hits like the proverbial ton of bricks. The good times and wonderful conversations echo through my mind as I forge through Photoshop and click through the mechanics of lockets. Seattle 2011, I can't wait!

Lilah during that last snow