Show and sell room view from my table – lots of artists!
How often do you wish you had some insight into how events would impact you? What choices we make can swing the pendulum of our lives one way or the other. As I’ve gotten older (no I won’t tell you how old!) I often just curiously wonder ‘what if?’ I had done one thing and not another?
As the days gain distance from the final PMC Conference that was held in Kentucky June 21-23, I begin to wonder. There are Facebook posts depicting smiling people and numerous comments of praise from those who attended — The classes were great. The sessions were inspiring. The food was plentiful. The meet-ups were fun. The last night party was rockin! (Thank you very much Rio Grande/The Bell Group!)
Even though I enjoyed most of my time spent there, I was struck by the many faces that I know who weren’t there. I wonder if those who weren’t in attendance now wish that they had gone? Is their choice causing regrets now that the posts are appearing as attendees have returned home? Is there anyone (I’m thinking the first time attendees) who now regrets spending their time (and money) as a spectator on the periphery to the PMC guild’s last hurrah?
As I sit here ruminating over those 3 days a few things stand out for me:
1. Conferences
Donna Penoyer, metal clay artist, aka stiltwalker/entertainer “Lorraine”
are more about meeting people and listening to talks than gaining skills. Extroverts excel in this kind of situation. Check out the photo of Loraine the Cowgirl (aka Donna Penoyer)
2. There is always lots of lag time between things – sometimes there is snacks and other activities available, sometimes there isn’t.
3. I prefer participating in classes and workshops where skills are gained (which they do have prior to the actual conference for extra $$$). So I usually choose those types of events. But I have experienced a couple of conferences where this observation holds true.
4. This is the first conference I’ve attended where at every single mealtime my table mates introduced themselves (of course I chose the best table mates, not the most famous).
5. Watch out or you will be captured in photos! Thankfully I wasn’t; and I always forget to take them myself, so there isn’t much to show you.
The very bestest (I know it’s not a word, but hey I’m an artist, I can create new words can’t I?) thing that came from my choice to attend this conference is the discovery of a new travel mate! Mary Lou McMullen is just the best! We shared a room and ended up attending all the talks together. She didn’t complain about my ‘quirky habits’ once! We doubled our connections through meeting each other’s acquaintences. We discovered we shared the same perspective on the entire event. We even had our palms read at the Rio party and we both have ‘fire hands’! How cool is that?
Will I go to another? Probably not. But maybe. Depending on which day you ask me the pendulum can swing one way or the other.
