This is the obligatory personal stuff... Or is it?
Debbi Matz, artist, crafter, was Wishcrafts, then PotWench, then Danglie Bits, Mom, Nana, Torchie...
and whatever other title some know or knew me under...
First, if you are looking for any esoteric wording about what I do, my beliefs or anything like that, you will not find it here. Inspiration comes from the dark, twisted, humorous bits buried deep in my little beady brain. Whenever I create something, the media and manner depends on my mood at that moment. I love fantasy, fairy tales and other fun stuff. I have been accused of living in those worlds by people living in worlds so filled with pain and misery, well... you can not take anyone serious who has no clue how to live and enjoy life.
Back in the early 80s, I was crocheting and designing crochet patterns. The patterns were little toys meant for children. (Sadly they were lost in my move.) I also tried a little sculpting with air-dry clay. I sold a few items at offices around the Fresno area. When we moved to Sacramento, I made an ashtray for my father-in-law that was a smiling, bearded man to hold my father-in-law's pipes. The ceramic shop I took the piece to for firing blew it up. They blamed me for air-bubbles, which I knew I had not done. I sought out a local potter to ask "why?!" it had happened. I started lessons with her, becoming hooked on mangling clay. She would shake her head at me as I added faces and what-not to the various pots. My business name was Wishcrafts for that time period.
I worked with stoneware clay for over 20 years making wheel-thrown and hand-sculpted dragons and such as "PotWench", (also my Ren Faire persona) before I finally realized the clay wasn't "talking" to me anymore. In the summer of 2001, I sold my equipment. I needed a change, but I wasn't quite sure of which direction I wanted to take. I really needed a new life path.
As a child, I always loved watching the glassblowers at the Fresno County Fair. I still have some pieces my Mom bought me when we attended the fair. Unfortunately, they were broken in our last move. I still collected bits of glass throughout the years. I came across some lovely flameworked beads, bought a couple of books on flameworking and that old love resurfaced with a vengeance.
I took a beadmaking class September 2004 at Arrow Springs in Shingle Springs CA. That was it. I would come home from work and hit the torch almost nightly. I just managed a few dragons that *look* like dragons! So what? With soft glass and only two months of torch time as of December 2004, that isn't half bad. ;)
I am working on a line of pagan-y things. The runes are the first bits, with oghams to follow. There will be bags for tarot cards, crystal balls, oghams and runes. I hope to bring out more items aligned with my pagan-y style.
I was born and baked in Fresno CA. I escaped up into the High Sierras over 20 years ago. We recently relocated to the Panhandle of Northern Idaho, not far from the Canadian border. I have a Pekingese named Maggie, my best friend. My daughter still lives in the Sierras with her son, my grandson. He is intelligent and creative. I know... Only a Nana would say that.
