Thank you to our sponsors!
Copper Level:
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Thank you to our
Business Members!
Friday, July 19 - Sunday, July 21, 2024 ~ Aurora, Colorado
Current Registration Fees for the three-day conference are as follows:
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CoMA Member - $375 - $405 (after May 15th)
CoMA Student Member - $100 - $130
Student Group Rate (5+) - $75 - $105 each (email admin@coloradometalsmiths.org for a code)
Non-Member - $425 - $455
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Day rate (can be be booked at anytime):
Saturday, July 20th day ticket - $150 - $165
Sunday, July 21st day ticket - $150 - $165
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This year, you will have the option to purchase lunch for Saturday and/or Sunday for an additional charge of $15 per meal. You must book your meal(s) by July 1.
Members registering before May 15, will be able to choose a ticket that includes one conference logo t-shirt for $15. T-shirts will also be for sale at the conference for $25.
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Want that Member discount?
SCHEDULE
Subject to change
(last updated 2/27/2024)
Friday, JULY 19th
10 AM - Attendee check-in opens
- Vendor Room opens
- Silent auction items intake
1 PM - Welcome
1:15 to 3:15 PM - Keynote Presentation:
- Henry Spencer
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3:15 - 3:30 PM - BREAK
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3:45 - 4:30 PM - All Members Meeting
4:30 - 5:00 PM - Member Spotlight:
- John Sullivan
5:00 PM - End of Day Announcements
[Dinner on your own]
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7 PM - Jewelry Trivia Night
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Saturday, JULY 20th
9 AM - Vendor Room opens
- Coffee & Pastries available
​ - Late check-in table opens
10:00 AM - Silent Auction opens
10:15 AM - Morning Announcements &
Welcome
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10:20 - 11:50 AM - Keynote Presentation:
- Wayne Meeten
12 - 12:30 PM - Member Spotlight:
- Jen Lesea
12:45 - 2:00 PM - Lunch delivered to Vintage for those who ordered
2:15 - 4:00 PM - Keynote Presentation:
- Matagi Sorensen
4:15 PM - End of day announcements
- Pre-Dinner Drinks & Pin Swap
5:00 PM - SILENT AUCTION ENDS
(Dinner on own)
6 - 8 PM - All Members Show Reception
@ Downtown Aurora Visual Arts
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Sunday, JULY 21st
11AM - Vendor Room open
Silent Auction pick-up until 3pm
11:30 AM -1PM - Keynote Presentation:
Myra Mimlitsch-Gray
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1:00 - 1:45 PM - Lunch
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2:00 - 2.30 PM - Membership Spotlight:
- Jacob Midgett
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2.30 - 4PM - Keynote Presentation:
- Tom Hill
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4:10 - 5PM - Master Panel with all Keynote Presenters
5 PM - Closing Remarks
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PRESENTERS
Thomas Hill
Most of my work depicts bird, generally using steel wire and small areas of sheet metal. I find that the wire is, for me, the most expressive way to convey liveliness and movement. I see my pieces as 3 dimensional drawings and in much the same way as an ink line, the wire can be used to describe texture, suggest form, and to evoke posture and character.
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The natural world is an endless inspiration to me and my most recent pieces have been depictions of the insect and invertebrate world using a wider range of materials including paper and wood.
Wayne Meeten
Wayne Meeten's approach to silversmithing is a captivating journey of artistic expression, personal growth, and a profound connection with the world around him. Unlike traditional silversmiths who often view their craft as a means to create ornate, cold, and lifeless objects, Wayne's work is a testament to the transformative power of self-discovery, the beauty of imperfection, and the gentle art of finding grace in life's complexities.
In a world where the rapid pace of modernity often obscures the significance of personal connection and introspection, Wayne's unique perspective emerges as a beacon of wisdom and insight. He not only shapes silver but also shapes the very essence of his being through each delicate stroke and mindful creation.
This deep connection between Wayne Meeten's craft and his journey of self-discovery is a thread that runs through every piece of silverwork he meticulously crafts. His art is a canvas upon which he paints the rich tapestry of his emotions, his energy, and his encounters with the natural world, forging a unique connection that transcends the boundaries of traditional silversmithing.
In this exploration of Wayne's philosophy, we delve into the profound nuances of silversmithing that extend far beyond the act of molding metal. It's a journey that underscores the significance of embracing one's imperfections and learning from one's mistakes, much like the very silver he works with, and extends to the deeper wisdom of cultivating self-compassion.
As we journey further into Wayne's world, we discover how his connection with the natural world and his gentle approach to life serve as sources of inspiration for his art and as guiding principles
for living a more harmonious and interconnected existence. Wayne Meeten's silversmithing is a testament to the power of art as a mirror to our souls, the artistry of self-discovery, and the dance of grace and resilience in our ever-evolving lives. It's an invitation to share in the journey of discovering our own uniqueness, shaped by self-discovery and the intrinsic connection with the world that surrounds us.
Myra Mimlitsch-Gray
Myra Mimlitsch-Gray explores craft as subject and object, engaging the field’s history and methods to interpret utility and form. She conceptualizes material conditions to construct fictions and portraits. Facture is explored as an idea and then realized as an image; this research is reflected in the objects she generates.
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Mimlitsch-Gray received her MFA in Metalsmithing from Cranbrook Academy of Art. An American Craft Council Fellow, she was recently named Master of the Medium by the James Renwick Alliance. As Professor and Head of the Metal program at SUNY New Paltz, she received two Chancellor’s Awards from the State University of New York: Excellence in Scholarship and Creative Activities, and Excellence in Teaching. Mimlitsch-Gray has been awarded individual artist fellowships by the United States Artists Foundation, the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the New York Foundation for the Arts. Artist Residencies include: The Banff Centre, Alberta; Haystack Open Studios; Konstfack University, Stockholm; The MacDowell Colony; and the Arts/Industry Residency in Foundry at the Kohler Co., through the John Michael Kohler Arts Center.
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Mimlitsch-Gray’s work is included in Gone Astray: Jewellery and Utensils on the Fringe of Reason ( Jewellery Museum, Pforzheim DE 2023; CODA Museum, Apeldoorn NL 2024.) Recent exhibitions include Parall(elles): A History of Women in Design at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, and Prima Materia: the Periodic Table in Contemporary Art, at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. Other shows include: Crafting America, at Crystal Bridges Museum of Art, and EXACTLY: precision and process, at Pamela Salisbury Gallery, Hudson NY. Mimlitsch-Gray is a contributing essayist to the exhibition catalogue, This Present Moment: Crafting a Better World, published by the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution. Her work is included in public collections of the Smithsonian Institution, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Arts and Design, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, and Yale University Art Gallery, among others. She maintains a studio in the Hudson Valley of New York.
No interview
Matagi Sorensen
Matagi Sorensen is a contemporary artist who creates hand-fabricated jewelry and small metal sculptures based on his relationship to the environment in which he was raised. Matagi is a citizen of the Yavapai-Apache Nation from Camp Verde, Arizona. Matagi’s creative practice began at an early age; he was raised in an environment where he learned to work with his hands, sourcing materials from the land. His experimental designs are sleek and modern, although the inspiration is drawn from the natural environment and concepts of recycling, necessity, culture, utility, and sustainability, all of which are rooted in his Yavapai Apache heritage.
Matagi earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Northern Arizona University in 2011. In 2022 he earned his Master of Fine Arts from Arizona State University, where he was able to further his knowledge and skills in metalsmithing and design, and he experimented with natural and culturally traditional materials such as devil’s claw, a fibrous claw-shaped seed pod native to the American Southwest.
Matagi has exhibited throughout the country at prestigious juried and invitational shows including the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts’ Santa Fe Indian Market, the Heard Museum Guild Indian Fair and Market in Phoenix, Arizona, the Autry American Indian Art Market in Los Angeles, California, and the Native American Art Market at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C..
Matagi lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico. In addition to metalsmithing, Matagi also spends his time teaching both in-studio and remote workshops for community members and for students at various educational institutions.
Henry Spencer
It has been my goal for more than 40 years in the art of Chasing and Repousse to constantly refine my understanding of the infinite light reflecting effects texture and surface planes have on a precious metal. It is only natural for any artist’s body of work, in forty years’ time, to express an affinity toward certain design forms and motifs. However, even when a piece is created through the inspiration of past work, each new piece on my bench is unique, representing not just applied knowledge and experience but also an opportunity to discover and explore new subtle surface finishes via my constant attempts at flawless execution.
PRE-CONFERENCE
WORKSHOP
SCHOLARSHIPS
With the support of donations from members, CoMA is able to offer a limited number of scholarships to the conference every year. For 2024 we have 8 scholarships available for Emerging Metalsmiths to attend the 2024 IGNITE FREE of charge.
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2024 Marlin Cohrs Emerging Metalsmith Scholarship
In keeping with CoMA's mission, we want to support and foster the professional, educational, and artistic growth of all metalsmiths! The intention of the following definition is to include aspiring metalsmiths of all ages and following a diversity of paths to metalsmithing. Applicants should have the goal of developing a metalsmithing career. We have 8 scholarships available for 2024. If you have any questions or need clarification, please contact Kim Harrell, president@coloradometalsmiths.org.
Emerging Metalsmith is defined as follows:
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graduated from a full-time or part-time educational program (college, university, technical college, community college, non-traditional school) and/or any other degree, certificate or non-certificate granting program within the last 3 years.
OR
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enrolled full-time or part-time (2 or more classes) in any educational program (college, university, technical college, community college, non-traditional school) and/or any other degree, certificate or non-certificate granting program.
OR
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having less than 3 years of professional experience as a metalsmith.
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If you have received a CoMA scholarship anytime in the past, you may still be eligible to apply.
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Applications are open to all qualified persons regardless of member status.Current CoMA members will given priority until May 15th as will those who are applying for the first time.
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Emerging Metalsmith Scholarship recipients will be selected by the current CoMA Conference Committee and notified upon acceptance.
TRAVEL INFO
The downtown "Original" Aurora is located approximately 20 minutes from downtown Denver, and 20 minutes from the Denver International Airport . It is rich in cultural activities, local craft breweries, parks and diverse eating establishments, as well as art in public spaces.
“The City of Aurora acknowledges that we gather on the territories and ancestral homelands of the Cheyenne, Ute, Arapaho and Lakota peoples, past and present. We also recognize the 48 contemporary tribal nations that are historically tied to the lands that make up the State of Colorado. Indigenous people have remained committed to the stewardship of this land over many centuries. As these words of acknowledgment are spoken and heard, the ties that these nations have to their traditional homelands and to their vital place in the ecosystem are renewed and reaffirmed, and we are called to be better stewards of the land we inhabit as we continue to work to meet the needs of our entire community.”
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CONFERENCE VENUE: The Vintage Theatre
1468 Dayton St, Aurora, CO 80010
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LODGING:
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Hyatt House Denver/Aurora, 12230 E Colfax Avenue, Aurora, CO 80011
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We have a group rate of $149+taxes per night/room; free WiFi and parking​
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Booking details & codes will be on your purchased ticket DISCOUNT RATES EXPIRE JUNE 16 5PM MDT
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PARKING:
There is free parking at Vintage Theatre on the north and east side of the building. Additional free parking is available on the streets nearby, at the Martin Luther King Library east of the building on Elmira Street, and a large public lot accessed from Florence Street between East Colfax and 16th Street.
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WEATHER:
Sunny & hot! Temps average in the mid to high 90's in July. Aurora is 5,300 ft above sea level so bring your sunscreen and stay hydrated!
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ABOUT AURORA:
Aurora offers a variety of local cultural venues, historical sites, and activities such as: The Fox Arts Center, Centennial House, Red Delicious Press and The Stanley Market Place. The area near the theatre boast many eating establishments to suit all budgets. The Aurora Eats Guide can be viewed HERE. Please check out Visit Aurora: https://www.visitaurora.com/ for more information and maps. The Visit Aurora Guide 2023 is available online here: https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/visitaurora/2023vg/. We will update this link with 2024 information when it is available.
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