Creative Connection

Yesterday the vice-chairwoman and I represented the Guild at the Creative Connection 3rd edition in Utrecht, the Netherlands.

Of course I was here well before they would start. I prefer to be rather early than arriving late, especially when the bus company with the apt name ‘Connexxion’ isn’t one to trust to drive on time. I had my first cup of Java just past 11, together with something to eat, a salmon wrap which covered breakfast and lunch. And then time to read till 2.30.

Together with our colleagues from the Hat Association, the Shoe and Purse Association and the Ceramic Guild we had to share one 3 meter / 10 foot table. Knowing the “hatters” would turn out in full claiming more space then allowed, I just stood there and said nothing. It was not an event I was in charge of, so I let someone else reprimand them. They got an extra table to show of their hats, so the three of us only needed some space for folder material.

This day for Creative Professionals in training was opened by an a capella group which listened to the name Trut Lokaal [Local Bitches]. After several speeches it was time to do something creative, like following a workshop. Nina the webmaster of Shoe and Purse and I went to Social Media. In that one hour I learned a lot, which will be helpful when we do a full day course on this subject later in May.

I was wondering why we had to present ourselves since all the students had already found their vocation. So I spend more time reading the next hours, and after the workshops finished connecting with people I know in this crafts network.

Then there was the Awards ceremony, in which the designer of the award also received a prize, a Meet & Greet with a Dutch person he/she admires. BTW the CC Award went to René van den Berg, a shoemaker/designer who’ll start a brand new label of ‘handmade in Holland’ shoes with someone I know.

Then the drinks would starting to flow, and the bites… but I ordered a taxi for eight that evening, and since this school is located on an industrial estate, it’s better to stand in front of the door to see them coming. By 8.30 I was still looking, after calling Connexxion [twice], they only could tell me it would arrive within 15 minutes. Which means in Connexxion lingo, double it!  Just before nine a cab stopped, his excuse “there are only garages and car sales around here, and they close at six.”  Twelve hours after I left home I was back, read 75 percent of my book, had 1 cup of coffee, a small bottle of tap-water, a salmon wrap, a muffin, 2 glasses of lemonade and one deep-fried octopus ring. At home I ate an apple and some crackers. That’s how I keep my ‘divine’ figure.