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Hello!
My name is Sarah Duyer and I am a ceramic artist and illustrator based in San Francisco, CA.
I was fortunate enough to be offered a work-study scholarship to attend a workshop at Penland School of Craft this summer where I will be taking a 2-week class on ceramic surface design. While the scholarship is very generous and covers my room and board and part of my tuition it will still be difficult for me to afford the remaining costs.
In the 10 years that I've been working in clay I've had many teachers and mentors tell me about their time at Penland and every one has expressed just how transformational and influential their experience was on their work. Since graduating from the University of Delaware with my BFA in 2012 I have continued to develop my own artistic style and gain experience in a variety of different studio settings. I feel I would greatly benefit from being back in a classroom and building on the knowledge and experience I have and am excited to learn new skills and meet other artists who share my love of clay.
What We Need & What You Get
While the work-study scholarship does cover a significant amount of the cost to attend I need help raising the rest. I am responsible for covering the rest of my tuition and travel expenses and taking into account that I would need to miss two weeks of work (without paid time off) the financial burden is more than I can comfortably cover on my own.
My estimated expenses for this project are:
- Tuition: $650
- Travel: $900
- Materials and production costs: $500
In addition to the direct costs of attending I have to consider the loss of income for 2 weeks (from both my day job and my own small business) and the cost of covering home and studio rent while I'm away.
Instead of creating a page for donations I wanted to have handmade rewards available for those who help me fund my trip!
Here are some of the rewards that I am offering:
- Sticker sheet with 7 die-cut stickers
- "Cute Butt" trophy enamel pin
- Ceramic trophy or pot magnets
- Custom ceramic trophies (available in small and large)
- Custom ceramic lighting
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For pictures and details of each reward tier check out the sidebar.
The Impact
From what former Penland students have told me attending a workshop is an invaluable experience for an artist at any point in their career. I see ceramics as a lifelong learning experience and, while I have worked in clay for nearly a decade, there are so many aspects of the medium I have yet to explore.
In the workshop that I'l be attending I will be learning new techniques for surface design and gain experience in firing a salt kiln. I have been developing my work on my own since graduating but I am excited to be a student again and be able to incorporate what I learn at Penland into my own studio practice.
Risks & Challenges
I have already paid my deposit for the workshop so I am 100% committed to attending Penland! I would have attended with or without your help but contributing to this campaign would help prevent me from taking on more debt.
I have a dedicated studio space in San Francisco and shouldn't have a problem fulfilling all the reward tiers, though the custom ceramic pieces will likely take longer to complete. Sticker sheets have already been made and production time on enamel pins is only a few weeks so those items would likely ship soon after the campaign ends. Ceramic pieces will likely ship 1-3 months after my Penland session, depending on the complexity and my workload between now and then.
Other Ways You Can Help
If you would like to support my work I do have an online store and Etsy. I am also open to commissioned works, if you have an idea for a custom piece you'd like to discuss you can email me at info@sarahduyer.com.
If you are unable to support me financially telling people about this campaign and my work helps a lot. You can share this page via social media or just tell your friends!
Thank you so much for your support!
