An Interview Marlynda Taylor by Linda Bernstein

LB...Tell me a little about your life and your family.

MT...I am a native Texan, divorced and still single, and I have lived in the Fort Worth area for 27 years. I have 2 part time dogs named Cowboy and Molly. If you meet me some day at a show or in a class, I'll tell you the story of how that came to be. My house is out from town a bit, so I have an opportunity to watch a great variety of birds and to watch the deer who come up into my backyard to feed. I love working on my jewelry and watching them while I work.

LB...What did you do before PMC?

MT...I taught school ( English and Public Speaking) for many years. In my heart of hearts, I am a teacher down to my soul. Nothing gives me more joy than seeing people learn and have those ahaa moments. So teaching PMC, is the best of all worlds. Teaching people who are excited to learn something new, and experiencing, with them, that special creative energy that always fills the classroom, is for me a natural high which lasts well past the class. For me, teaching PMC releases all of those great brain chemicals which experts say make us feel good all over- sort of like chocolate for my creative being.

LB...What inspired you to become involved with PMC and become a Senior Instructor?

MT...The first time I saw an article about PMC when it very first became available sometime around 1998, I knew I had to try it. I bought my first package even before I had a kiln, before I knew anything about firing it or about kilns in general. I went online to search for information about renting kiln space somewhere. I sent Tim McCreight an email asking for information which he personally answered.

Then, eventually when searching for kiln information, I stumbled onto the Paragon website. They were at that time a distributor for metal clay.
Their site listed information about a certification class, taught by Mary Ann Devos, which was being offered in the Dallas area within a week or so. I called, and Earl Roberts, the designer of many innovative jewelry kilns, and now the General Manager of The PMC Connection, answered the phone.
After patiently listening to me point out that I had absolutely no experience in anything beyond stringing beads, he ask if I wanted to take the last space left. I couldn't believe my luck. I jumped at it.

As it turned out most of the other students were very experienced in silver and goldsmithing, in pottery, design, glass and all manner of creative arts. I was definitely the under achiever in that group. I think that is why I still love teaching intro. and level one certification classes. I remember vividly what it feels like to be that deer in the headlights beginner. With Mary Ann Devos' encouragement, I next took the first level two metal clay class that was ever taught in the US.
Mary Ann Devos' original senior teachers came from those two early classes.

When she ask if I would consider becoming a senior teacher, I  was having some health problems, and my 30 year marriage was dissolving. I declined using the partially true excuse that I didn't think I would have the stamina to keep up with the necessary schedule. The rest of the excuse, which remained unspoken, was that I lacked the confidence.

However, I hung around, so to speak, helping out at shows, practicing with and falling in love with PMC. Finally, I decided I wanted to be apart of this exciting and inspiring "jewelry revolution." So I discussed it with Mary Ann and became her 9th PMC Connection Senior Teacher. I feel like, collectively, we, the first 9 instructors and those senior instructors who have since joined us, have been apart of jewelry history.

LB...What do you like best about PMC?

MT...I love the fact that PMC can be so egalitarian-everyone can do it! Kids, teens, moms and dads, senior citizens with little hand strength, folks with handicaps, even the creatively challenged can experience it and have some level of success. Of course, those with more talent, experience or sheer determination can take it to whatever level of expertise they wish.

I think the possibilities are limitless, as we are reminded every time we see an article in the many jewelry magazines, every time we open a new PMC book, or check out the websites and gallery pages found online. Even when I look at the Sunday paper ads or finished jewelry catalogs, I am beginning to see the PMC influence reflected in the mass produced jewelry. It is always evolving.

LB...What inspires you when you create?

MT...Seeing art and beauty of all kinds inspires me- a shape, a color, the composition of a piece, vintage jewelry, the intricacies of a seedpod or leaf, and of course the work of my colleagues and all other metal clay artists.

LB...What is your favorite PMC technique?

MT...Ever so often, I change my idea about which PMC technique I love the most. My first love was the collage pieces, using paste on natural objects- seedpods, mushrooms, leaves, pasta. I love fine finishing a piece by hand, feeling the metal change under my hands as it takes on a mirror shine. (My students think I'm nuts.) Dry construction techniques really intrigue me.  What possibilities they open up for us non-metalsmiths.

However, I always come back to combining PMC with glass. Fused glass is my other passion. I love teaching fused glass as much as I love teaching PMC.
Oh, did I mention that I'm teaching two pre-conference glass classes in July at the PMC Conference at Purdue. (Shameless self-promotion, I know, but they are going to be fun!)

For me, there is magic in putting PMC and glass together. I recently finished a piece using PMC and a piece of broken vintage glass I found at a flea market. It's my new favorite piece! I'm also fond of mixing PMC with pottery shards, which is sometimes just another way of saying a broken piece of a cheap dish found at a thrift shop. I love the excitement of seeing the successful results of my experiments.

LB...What advice would you give to a new PMC artist?

MT...My advice to beginner PMC artists is: Read everything you can find on PMC and be patient with yourself. Practice brings improvement. It is supposed to be fun. Learn the techniques before imposing design and style criteria on your own work.
Make your mistakes learning tools.

For the more experienced PMC artist: Don't hesitate to experiment or to keep "re-creating" a piece until you're happy with it. Many of my pieces that started out as big oops, have become my most admired and treasured pieces. Spontaneous solutions can turn out to be art jewelry!

LB...What do you see as the future of PMC?

MT...I think that the art and possibilities of PMC will continue to mature in both scope and sophistication. We have yet to reach it limits because of the excellent educational programs that are growing and maturing with this medium. The future is also exciting because of the many jewelry artists who are pioneering new uses for PMC and because of the entrepreneurs creating innovative gadgets which make new techniques possible or more easily accomplished.
We all are the future of PMC.     

LB...How is PMC different in your area from the rest of the US in terms of teaching, business and style?

MT...In the Dallas/ Fort Worth area, there is a huge variance in PMC knowledge and experience. We have many long time experienced PMC jewelry artists and PMC teachers scattered our metroplex. We also have folks who are just discovering PMC. It is very exciting for me because I can teach the beginners, which recharge my batteries, and I also have experienced students who are ready to tackle the most complex projects.

I see this wide variation in skills and knowledge in the people I meet at the bead shows in this area when I have a booth. There is nothing better than introducing the mystery of PMC face to face across a show table. "Wow, is that really silver? How is that possible?" I love their faces when I have them brush a newly fired PMC piece, and the silver starts to glimmer. Then the next person at my booth might be a former student who brings examples of their newest creations or someone who is bubbling over about teaching their first small class. So much fun! Makes me smile on the inside.

LB...Is there anything else you would like to share with us?

MT...Well, you know that I am an unabashed cheerleader for both PMC, the medium, and the PMC Connection. Our program continues to add new techniques and current information. Our Senior Instructors are thoroughly dedicated to sharing their knowledge and to helping students succeed with PMC. If you are a newbie, we will bring you along step by step until you can explore independently, with confidence. For the experienced student, you can be assured that if it is happening in the PMC world, we will bring it to you. We are constantly reviewing and improving our programs to make them current, innovative and exciting. This newsletter is a great example of that philosophy. The PMC Connection is a small company, and we care about the quality of the information and training we provide. I'm proud to be apart of such a group of dedicated and talented artists.