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July 08, 2008
Idyllwild, First Impressions
Hot. Dry. Bare bones.
Then again, I was very, very tired, having slept for less than two hours on Saturday night/Sunday morning. The reception* for Becca’s lovely, moving wedding—I started to cry the minute I saw her begin her walk down the aisle—ended at 11:30pm. I got to my hotel around midnight, finished packing a little after 1am. I had to be in the lobby waiting for my shuttle at 4:45am. I took a “nap” for about an hour and 45 minutes and didn’t sleep again for the 12 or so hours it took me to get to Idyllwild.
So after I got checked in and found my room and unpacked some things, I wandered around, found a place with WiFi and discovered I’d forgotten my email and blog passwords and I hadn’t changed them on this laptop.
I had three hours before dinner. I went back to my room and sat down to read. Some instinct of self-preservation kicked in then, and I reset my alarm for half an hour before dinner. I’m glad I did, because I passed out. I don’t think I even moved for the two and a half hours I was asleep.
I was much better when I woke up
They offer all kinds of classes here. People this week are doing assemblage (which sounds like mixed-media collage stuff), ceramics, Navajo pottery, Navajo weaving, jewelry, a painting class called Color Unleashed and stonecarving. Plus there are a children’s camp and a performing arts camp for high school students.
Last night was just an adult student orientation and a hoop dancing performance. I only managed to watch the first bit. The mosquitoes were eating me alive and I was still pretty sleepy. Though I enjoyed watching bats flying above the parking lot. This morning is when the fun started.
The class has ten students. Our instructor is Sybil Rubottom of the Bay Park Press in San Francisco. She is just so cute and sweet and funny I wanted to put her in my pocket to keep forever. She spent the morning talking about (and displaying) several different kinds of books. Gorgeous, amazing works of art. Then we did a couple of writing exercises, to open us up to the creative flow. In the afternoon, we made paste paper, which was a hoot. I never really opened up and played. Not like I could have, I was feeling a bit hesitant. The woman sharing my table is really sweet and TREMENDOUSLY talented, and the paste paper stuff felt like painting to me, at which I am a complete novice. I need to work on letting go even when things are scary. (Hello, that would be my core issue again.)
Anyway, now is the time when we break for an hour or so before dinner. I’m in the “Starbucks” here where they have WiFi, enjoying a raspberry iced something-or-other because they’re out of mocha mix. Tonight’s program includes an Oaxacan carving demonstration—I love Oaxacan art, and I cannot wait to watch it. (I missed a trunk sale of the artist’s work yesterday, I was sleeping. Dammit.) Also a gallery opening of work by the faculty here this week, which I am also very excited about attending. (And not just because there might be wine.) I seem to not have remembered my blog password correctly because everything I’ve tried hasn’t worked. I have, however, remembered to check my email.
Posted by sally at July 8, 2008 08:14 AM
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