Shoulding...

So there has been a running joke in my family about "shoulding". My mother finds it incredibly annoying to be "should-ed". Future "shoulds" are ok, but past "shoulds" are not. (I think. My dad is constantly looking for the acceptable should, but my mom's standard response is "don't should me!" often followed by "you shouldn't should yourself or others".) That is her golden rule. Should onto others as you would have them should onto you.

Anyway, I think the worst "shoulds" are when you know the should is accurate, and yes, you SHOULD do that thing, (or should have) but didn't do, forgot to do, don't want to do or don't have the time. Case in point today: My mom said I "ought to" (See, that's how you get around it) write a blog post. I got all whiny (amazing how a 30 year old can revert into an whiny adolescent when told they should do something by a parent) and like "meeehhhh, I don't WANNA write a blog post! No one reads them anyway!" And my mom said "well, you have to write more so people will want to read more." And thing thing is, she's totally right. Sigh.

Lucky for you my dear reader, I actually have some interesting things to say. Of course, I will be completely tooting my own horn, so if you enjoy hearing about my successes and happiness, then this blog post is for you!

I recently entered a contest, but I didn't tell anybody about it. This is not the contest I wrote about before, which was the locket piece I entered in the collaborative contest between Metal Clay Artist Magazine and Metal Clay Findings (jury is still out on that one. They moved the deadline to April 1, so it will be a while yet before I find out if I was accepted). I didn't mention this contest, because it is (in my eyes) very prestigious, and I didn't want to jinx it. I guess "contest" isn't really the right word. It is a juried exhibit. This exhibit is part of the PMC Conference, which takes place every two years and is a mecca for all things PMC (pretty much anyone who has every written a book on the subject will be there!) This year's exhibit is called Cultural Messages: Symbolism Through the Ages, curated by the director of the PMC Guild, Jeanette Landenwitch. The prospectus describes the exhibit as : "... an important international exhibition of preeminent work made using metal clay. In the summer of 2010, this exhibition will be on display in the gallery at Purdue University where in addition to the hundreds of metal clay artists who attend the conference, the work will be seen by visitors to the college. This juried exhibition...will receive national coverage...and will celebrate the many and varied forms of symbolic expression from ancient to contemporary times."

I thought my reliquaries were a perfect fit with the exhibit. (hang on, let me put on my nerd hat...) Historically, reliquaries were made to contain the relics of saints, and housed the physical remains of a holy person or holy site. Often they held bone, hair or pieces of clothing. In Christian belief, reliquaries were thought to provide a spiritual link between life and death. During the Middle Ages, reliquaries were a major form of artistic production across Europe and Byzantium. Since the contents were considered "more valuable than precious stones and more to be esteemed than gold", they were enshrined in vessels crafted of or covered by gold, silver, gems and enamel. I made a reliquary when I lost my dog Gonzo, not because I thought he was a saint (though he was a really good boy!), but because I needed a memento, and if not a spiritual link, than certainly a physical one. Once I began making reliquaries for others who had lost loved pets (and loved humans: I have made one for a friend who lost her beloved grandfather. Her reliquary contains fabric from the plaid shirts she fondly remembers him wearing) I found that I wasn't the only one who felt comforted by having a tangible reminder of a loved one. I've received feedback from numerous recipients of a reliquary who tell me that they "feel closer" to the loved one when they are wearing the piece. Those ancient Christians may have been on to something!

(Nerd hat removed). So long story getting longer...I entered 5 photographs of reliquaries I'd made. I had seen some amazing entries of intricate Calacas (Dia de los Muertos masks) and carved Milagros and thought at the least, perhaps I'd get some constructive feedback. (Can you see where this story is leading?) Last week, I opened my email and saw I had an email from Jeanette. The title was "Cultural Messages exhibition". Upon opening, I scanned the first line and read "Jurying for the Cultural Images exhibition at the 2010 PMC conference has been completed". I figured I was being let down gently. But I'd noticed there was an attachment to the email (as one customer put it, "you got the THICK envelope!") So then like any normal person would, I actually READ the entire email and guess what! (I'm trying to build the suspense here, but since I'm sure you sleuths have already figured out the punchline, I'll cut to the chase) I WAS ACCEPTED! Woo hoo! I was (and continue to be) so excited that I was actually a bit shaky. My initial reaction was of shock and delight. My secondary reaction was "oh crap! I don't even have that piece! What if the owner of it doesn't want to part with it. Will I have be able to make a stand in? Why did I submit a piece I don't even HAVE?!"

Luckily, the owner of the piece was as excited as I am and is happy to have her Leia reliquary exhibited. She said "It is beautiful so I am not surprised it was chosen". Aww, shucks!

Congratulatory remarks and accolades welcomed in the "comments" section. Let the horn tootin' begin!