One of a kind trunk and sculpture by Mark Murphy and Mary Grady O’Brien in the 2014 Live Auction.

Guild School has many fun components besides the actual classes. If  you’ve gotten in early, you may have taken part in one of the first optional extras, a Saturday morning seminar. Seminars also take place on Sunday and Monday evenings, if you didn’t sign up for one before getting to school, there are sign up sheets in the school office for any that have spaces remaining.

Curious about what’s going on in the other classes? All the classrooms are open on Sunday or Monday evenings prior to the seminars, some buildings one night, the remaining buildings on the other so that you’ll have a chance to visit as many, or as few, as you wish.

Every night, there is a social gathering in what is commonly called ‘The Bilge’, downstairs in Curtis Hall. Just pop in anytime before 11 p.m. and enjoy a beverage and snack along with some conversation and occasional game playing. Each evening is ‘hosted’ by different groups within the IGMA organization, so a variety of questions can often be answered by your friendly bartenders.

Silent auctions take place in the cafeteria daily. Have a look during one of your meal breaks and place a bid if something looks interesting to you. Monday evening there is an open bid silent auction during dinner, and Tuesday evening, right after the infamous Lobster Cookout, is the Live Auction with many one of a kind items donated by teachers and some of the Guild’s Artisan and Fellow members. I understand that this year there will be a special silent auction running outside the cafeteria for the first couple of days-hint…they’re calling it ‘Real Estate Row!’

Relax in the evening watching the sailboats in the harbor, or join Julie Hagel’s crew for a kayak paddle.

Wednesday night is supposed to be rest and relaxation night, but there are no hallway monitors and if you relax best by working on one of your class projects until midnight, that’s on you, just no whining the next day when you can’t see where that tiny nail flew off to!

I hesitate to say Thursday night is one of the highlights of the week as most of the previous nights can lay claim to that moniker, but on Thursday, everyone gets to shop–no more of that putting a bid in and hoping you get it here–it’s a manic hour and a half of shopping along with a cash bar-which always helps the shopping along, and snacks.

The work of Phyllis Hawke’s students at the graduation exhibit in 2015.

The exhibit room opens for the first viewing Saturday evening during the opening reception and remains open during the entire week, as long as there is someone to staff it. Exhibits on view are provided by attending students and teachers. Do you have something you’d like to share? A piece you made that came out particularly well, or something you truly love that you purchased? Just let the exhibit chair know what you’re bringing and there will be a label waiting for its arrival. Saturday evening whatever class prototypes are available will be on display, to be followed the rest of the week by available prototypes for future classes. And, if you have a free period, consider volunteering to man the front desk and help keep the exhibit room open as much as possible.

Sometime in late winter, Guild School Director Barbara Davis, sends a notice to all IGMA’s Artisan and Fellow members, asking for proposals for classes for the following year.  Prospective teachers, all of whom must be Artisan or Fellow members, have until May 15, to submit their ideas which generally include a brief description and a photo. The photos are very important as they are often the only information that students will have on which to base their opinions on which prospective classes they would be interested in taking. All these photos are posted on huge display boards outside the cafeteria at Guild School, and those display boards are often the first thing returning students look for. Nothing like planning for the next year when you haven’t even begun the current year’s classes!

A proposal from Ann High that eventually became a class.

Students have several days to examine the posted photos and mark their preferences on their opinion sheets-indicating with a 1 or 2, which classes they are definitely interested in taking, and which they might be interested in taking. These ‘votes’ are tallied and each proposed class then has a sort of beginning point from which further evaluations can be made. This is all what I’ll call Step One in the process.

Step Two is in the hands of the School Committee. Upon arrival at school, each committee member receives a large packet of information containing photos and descriptions of each proposed class, along with a little information on the instructors and their teaching experience. Committee members are responsible for familiarizing themselves with that material during the week so that when they meet at week’s end, they are ready to help with the selection process. When the committee meets, all the previously mentioned items are present for discussion. The student opinion tallies are often the beginning point, but committee members also spend a substantial amount of time reading student reviews of classes/teachers who have proposals under consideration.

A proposal that did not become a class.

Next, large sheets of paper are posted around the meeting room, one for each category of class, i.e. furniture, structure, metal, etc. to ensure that a variety of media and disciplines will be represented in the final choices. Starting with the longest classes, 48 and 36 hours, the list begins to be winnowed down. Any proposal with good numbers and strong teacher performance will make the list. If that teacher has more than one that proposal that looks good, discussion will ensue as to which might be the more popular choice, but often the final decision in cases like that is left to the director to work out with the instructor. When all proposals have been considered, then work continues to make sure the list is balanced according to category and media, by number of offerings overall, and also by time categories; for example, you obviously want more 12 hour classes than 36 hour classes as students can take 3 – 12 hour classes in the same time as one 36 hour class.

By the end of the meeting, which often takes a good 6-8 hours, Barbara Davis winds up with a list of possible classes for the following year. And that leads to Step Three, Barbara now goes home and begins to contact instructors. Sometimes she needs to ask them to make changes in their proposals to address questions that may have arisen in the committee meeting. Sometimes she needs to ask them if they’d mind teaching more classes, or fewer and be a student part-time. Some classes/instructors will drop out here, and sometimes, when registration begins, other classes will be dropped due to lack of interest. In any case, about 6 months after the process began, the school catalog is in production and the list of classes goes up on the website where eager students pore over the possibilities and start to make their lists!

IGMA’s general Instagram page.

How do you find out what’s going on in your world? The time has long since passed when you waited for a notice to show up in your mailbox, or in the newspaper, almost everything is available on line now, including newspapers! The Guild, staying abreast of this shift, has begun sending out regular newsletters to keep members apprised of the events on the IGMA calendar, and you can always find the whole story on Guild events at their website.

The Guild has not given up any of its print programs, but they have begun, this year, to ask the membership if they wish to switch over to digital instead of receiving the print mailings. The switch is an economical, and a green (environmentally conscious) alternative and it is hoped that many will take advantage of.

IGMA’s Fine Miniatures Forum

Digitally, the Guild has many avenues of outreach to its membership, and to the world at large. Most people are probably aware of the Guild’s Facebook presence. The first IGMA Facebook page, where miniaturists from around the world have been sharing their work and events for many years now, was recently retitled IGMA: Miniature Community, to make room, and to differentiate it from the official page titled simply, International Guild of Miniature Artisans. On this official page you will find information on current Guild events, along with features on Guild members and other items of interest to miniaturists.

There are three Guild affiliated Instagram accounts where you may go to enjoy photos of miniatures and the programs built around making, sharing and selling them. Go to Instagram and search for guildshow, guild_of_miniature_artisans and igmaguildschool. Instagram is a great place for photos and videos that will link to websites and tutorials where you can find much more inspiration.

Have a question? The IGMA Fine Miniatures Forum,  reached via the link at the top of the IGMA website, is the place for answers. You may find an answer already posted, or submit yours on the appropriate page and the site’s many visitors will turn their attentions to helping you out. It’s also another great place to see inspirational work, find sources for materials, and share tips and tricks.

What is Instagram? Instagram is an online mobile photo and video sharing, and social networking site. It can be accessed by anyone with a computer at www.instagram.com, but you can only post from a mobile device with internet capabilities, I post from my iPad.

The Guild Show page on Instagram.

When you go to the Instagram site, you can search in two ways, for a particular account (a person or group that is posting in that account), or for a category of photos and videos. Type into the search bar what you are interested in, using a name or keyword and a list will come up; if there is a ‘hashtag‘, that’s what this symbol ‘#’ is referred to, that means that entry on the list is a category of photos, if there is no hashtag, or if there is a photo in front of the entry, that is an account name. If you click on an account name, (one without a hashtag), you will go to that account and see photos that that person or group has posted. If you click on the entry with the hashtag, that is an archive of photos that people have thought that category applies to.

In order to get them seen by the largest number of viewers, photos are usually given many hashtags. For example, someone might post a photo of a miniature table, that photo can be placed in the category ‘miniatures’, but it could just as well be posted under #miniature, #dollhouseminiature, #tiny, #miniaturefurniture, #woodenminiature, #handcarved, and so on. The person posting content must try to think of possible search terms that could be used to describe his photo and enter them as hashtags on his or her posting. And you, as a viewer, can also use many different keywords to find images you might be interested in. Only the account names are proprietary, by which I mean, if you search IGMA you will see that #igma comes up as a category list of photos with over 5,000 posts, but if you click on it, you will see a lot of photos that have nothing to do with the IGMA we know and love! Evidently, many people have a different idea as to what those four letters mean.

For now, searching Guild of Miniature Artisans, IGMA Guild School and Guild Show, will get you to accounts that are purely Guild related photos — that’s if you click on the account listings, not the hashtag listings. If you click on #guildshow, #guildofminiatureartisans, or #igmaguildschool, you will find many show, fine miniatures, and school photos, but also occasional photos posted there that have nothing to do with ‘our’ IGMA because hashtags are just categories and anyone can put any hashtag they want on their photos.

So, ready to leap into the world of Instagram? Have fun exploring the photos already posted, or establish your own account and start posting your own photos. If you have school or show photos you’d like to add to those already posted, just add the appropriate hashtag (#) to your photos and they will come up whenever anyone searches that category.

Making a 1/12 scale lobster trap will be the focus of a 12 hour class taught by Bonni Backe at Guild School 2015.

I don’t know about you, but I keep several ‘calendars’ in my brain, and run into trouble when I forget that, say, April on the miniatures calendar is the same April on the birthday calendar. For example, on the miniatures calendar, the month of  April means the Chicago International Show giving me, right now, about 3 months to think about making a new display and new merchandise. I get fully absorbed working on that and totally forget that on the birthday calendar, my husband’s birthday falls in that last week before the show. Poor man. Its usually just a couple of days before his birthday when the calendars mesh and I panic.

In any case, that’s still 3 months away, so… the miniature calendar has flipped over to a new year, and is starting off with a bang. Guild School class assignments are being received around the globe and that launches many a new to-do list, depending on whether you are a student or a teacher, or in my case this year, both. I can rejoice that I got into my first choice class, and not worry about that further until a tool list arrives sometime in the next few months. In the same packet, I received a list of students who’ve signed up for the class I’ll be teaching, and that kick starts another major to-do list for me. That tool list I’ll be receiving from my teacher, I need to send one out to my students. That means I need to start planning the exact processes that will be covered in class.

A fisherman’s cabled sweater in 1/12 scale is the end project of Althea Crome’s 24 hour class at Guild School 2015.

I need to start assembling materials. While ‘kits’ are discouraged, you cannot reasonably expect students from varied locations with varied access to supplies, to gather and bring a long list of materials, some that may not be easy to locate. Instructors gather materials for general class use; they’ve most likely already sourced them in order to make the class prototype; and are re-imbursed for them through class fees. This way teachers can be certain that everyone will be working with the same materials and progress will not be hindered by having to find work-arounds.

And, I need to start writing instructions. Every student will not work at the same speed-some are jackrabbits and others more methodical, so providing written instructions ensures that those who are waiting for the next demonstration, may proceed with another task instead of twiddling their thumbs. Another reason for having good printed instructions is the very real possibility that the project will not be 100% complete at the end of class; in that case, students must be able to complete the projects at home, and while no one can guarantee that they will have time to do it while the process is fresh in their memories, written instructions ensure that they will be able to pick it up again when their schedule allows.

So, hup, two, three, four, its time to get cracking. Oh, and let me not forget that while June means Guild School-it also means number one son’s birthday!

A lovely japanned chest in 1/12 scale by Mark Murphy and painted by Mary Grady O’Brien will be for sale at the Gallery of the Guild.

Many miniatures aficionados are gearing up for the Philadelphia Miniaturia this coming weekend. For many reasons, the Philly show looms large on the calendar for the International Guild of Miniature Artisans, too. The Guild staffs a general information table at most of the larger miniature shows in order to acquaint the public with  the organization itself, and we are always on the lookout for members to help staff the table and spread the story of the Guild’s mission and the many programs it provides for miniature makers and collectors alike.

Walter Schutter crafted this 1/12 scale drop front desk which will be available at the Gallery of the Guild.

One of the more popular programs is Guild School and the Guild School Director, Barbara Davis will be there with 2015 School Catalogs and applications and many of the class projects for next June’s classes.

Another program that makes its appearance at many of the larger shows across the country is the Gallery of the Guild. A perk for Artisan and Fellow members, the Gallery provides a selling opportunity for those who cannot be there in person. The Guild takes a small commission on each sale in order to continue to provide this opportunity, but most of the work in coordinating the program and getting everything to and from the shows is done wholly by volunteers.

A charming 1/24 scale dining set made by Mark Murphy and Mary Grady O’Brien, also available at the Gallery of the Guild this coming weekend.

Lastly, the International Guild of Miniature Artisans will be the beneficiary of the annual fundraising auction held at the Philadelphia Miniaturia this year. The Auction Committee has been busily gathering wonderful pieces for silent and live auctions to be held during the show weekend. There will be silent auctions taking place during the show on Saturday and Sunday, and the live auction will take place Sunday morning at 9 a.m. Bagels and coffee will be served and the bidding will be lively. Auction items will be on display during show hours, stop by the IGMA table to see them, and stop by the auction Sunday morning to enjoy a bagel and place a bid maybe one or more of these exquisite items will go home with you!

Be sure to visit the IGMA Facebook page to see more items that will be at the Gallery of the Guild table at the Philadelphia show and at other shows around the country.

Guild School 2015 theme, The Ripple Effect.

The 2015 Guild School catalogs are in our eager little hands and around the world, decisions are being debated before pen is put to paper and those final choices are written on the forms. For those that have pre-registered, those choices have to be submitted to Barbara Davis, Guild School Director, by November 10 to be eligible for the annual lottery. This year the lottery takes place in mid-November and class assignments will be in our hands mid-January.

Jon Almeda will be teaching the construction of a 1/12 scale teapot to anyone who has previously taken one of his classes and would like to further develop their skills.

Now, there is nothing truly mysterious about the lottery, but for some reason,  Carol Hardy has to bring her own chair to the event! Enormous charts get posted on the wall, and each name that is drawn gets entered on the charts with their first choices of classes and so it goes until the classes start to fill up. When your name gets drawn, if your first choice class has already reached its limit, they move onto your second choice and then to third choices, if necessary. It is rarely necessary, but if by some strange quirk of fate, all of your choices have filled before your name was drawn, you get a PHONE CALL. You don’t really want to be on the receiving end of one of those calls, but, remember back to the first paragraph, how hard it was to decide which options to make first, second and third? Most likely you had fourth and fifth choices that didn’t make it onto the list…who knew? Bottom line is that there are so many great options, you will be happy wherever you land.

And hey, keep coming and after 20 years, you get a certificate entitling you to an automatic ‘in’ to your first choice class. One time use, only! That’s one of the great things about the lottery….everyone goes through it, and way more often than not, you do end up in your first choice class.

See all the class photos (in color!) on the IGMA website (click on Guild School) and don’t forget to visit the Guild School Facebook page for updates throughout the year. Only 240 days until Guild School 2015 begins. Keep your fingers crossed!

Fantastical espresso machine in1/12 scale by Mike Barbour.

I love seeing artist/dealers who are so obviously having fun with their craft. I know personally how boring it can be to be making the same pieces over and over again, so stepping outside your comfort zone occasionally, can bring immense rewards.

Two doll artists I saw at the Guild Show this year have really been having stepping out. Mike Barbour has been making a name for himself with the evocative character dolls he been creating. Last week I showed you a photo of some peacocks he’d made, well he also had some spectacular phoenixes on his table this year, glorious in their flame colored feathers! The last couple of years he’s also been assembling and selling a really neat variety of fantastical accessories; elaborate espresso machines that any tres chic pastry shop would proudly feature front and center for all to admire, hookahs straight from a Persian bazaar and telescopes and orreries among other intriguing creations.

A winged stallion and riders in 1/12 scale by Deb Mackie of White Horse Studio.

Deb Mackie of White Horse Studio has also been branching out from her doll work. I was aware that Deb had been working with cast horses, turning them into unicorns and fantasy winged stallions, but lately I’ve been seeing and hearing about her 1/12 scale leather work. She’ll be teaching it at Guild School next year and

A 1/12 scale saddle, complete with conch decoration by Deb Mackie of White Horse Studio.

the miniature saddle that was on display at the school table was to truly impressive.  The tooling and silver trim have been scaled down so convincingly it looked like the product of a mad scientist and his shrink ray gun!

Bravo people, keep stretching those creative muscles!

Early American Hutch in 1/12 scale, subject of the class with Bob Hurd at the Guild Show 2013.

The Guild Show 2013 has a quality schedule of classes this summer, and one of the many lovely subjects is this early American hutch that you can build, with Bob Hurd’s patient guidance, in a day and a half of class work. It is a lovely, practical piece with a glowing, painted finish and some nice early American-style joinery. Learn to use, or gain more practice using, the table saw and drill press, and how to shape and install doors and basic molding. Bob is an experienced teacher and Artisan member of the Guild and only accepting a total of 6 students into this class ensuring a good experience for all.

The entire list of classes is available on the website, with all the pertinent registration information, along with the schedule of the weekend’s events. There is a lot of excitement on tap for attendees.

Learn to turn exquisite footed vessels like these in 1/12 scale in the Bowls on Stem class with Iulia Chin Lee.

Iulia Chin Lee, an award winning woodworker, is also well-known and appreciated for possessing the rare skill of being able to teach lathe turning in a friendly and non-intimidating manner. This year the Guild School catalog boasts two lathe classes taught by Iulia, both welcoming students who are complete beginners or those who may already possess some turning skills.

The 12 hour class, Bowls on Stem, will focus on the basic techniques of spindle turning and bowl hollowing while students work on creating a footed bowl or similar vessel. Upon completion of the class, students will have the skills necessary to make many of these and other small decorative items that make a vignette or room box really come to life.

Conquer the mysteries of spiral turning in the class Spiral Twist Pedestal with Iulia Chin Lee.

The 24 hour class, Spiral Twist Pedestal, will teach students how to create the intriguing effect of a single or rope twisted spiral while turning on the lathe. Once students have mastered this technique, Iulia will then teach them how to join this very decorative element to a turned top and base, making an attractive pedestal on which to display  treasured possessions.

The Guild School maintains a large inventory of tools and a lathe is supplied for each student’s use during the class so there is no sharing of this essential tool during lathe turning classes. Iulia does offer students the opportunity of purchasing sets of turning chisels for those who are interested in having a set of their own, a set of Sorby chisels will cost $150, while a set of Chinese chisels is $75.