last week to register FOR THE ART OF FOOD!!!!

How would you like to spend some time with fun, intelligent, loving, welcoming, creative and inspirational people?  Then sign up for a class at ART IS YOU...Stamford!  Even better, sign up for a fun class with yours truly and my friend, loretta!  

We will entice you with our food (yes, there will be free food in our class) and of course a wealth of knowledge between us!  you will learn some background painting techniques, chalk marker lettering, collage, easy ways to use watercolor and more!  no artistic experience necessary...if you can cut and paste, you can do this class!!!  so sign up today!!!

It's almost time...

It seems like I made this book so long ago.  First it was just an idea Loretta (here's a link to more info about this class) and I were tossing around, then it became a class we are co-teaching.  There are so many ways this food memoir can be made.  One could create a 'favorite take-out menu' book, a 'wines I can't live without' book, or 'menus only a child can love' type of book. How about a 'special family recipes for the bride to be' book?  The more I think about it, it DOES seem like there are endless possibilities. Whatever your preference, it can be made into a wonderful book.

NOTE: YOU DO NOT NEED TO BE AN ARTIST OR A WRITER TO MAKE A BOOK UNIQUE TO YOU.  IF YOU CAN CUT AND PASTE, YOU CAN DO THIS CLASS.

Our class will involve some writing, some painting, some collage and shhhhhh....don't tell anyone, but samples of food too! We also have a terrific kit put together to minimize dragging a suitcase of supplies to class!   From me, you will create backgrounds, learn some fun paper engineering and bookbinding.  Loretta will teach us some writing prompts and exercises.  So join Loretta and I as we spend two great days together in Stamford, CT at ART-IS...YOU art retreat COME...have some fun with us!  Sign ups are until September 25, 2013.

here's a little eye candy to tempt you...never before seen pages ~

ok, i lied, you've seen this one before, but not with the writing added!

I know you want to come to NASHVILLE!

Art-Is-You Art Retreats is coming to Nashville! 

 I am so excited to be one of the faculty teaching at this event.  My good friend and art sister, loretta benedetto marvel is co-teaching a very special class with me.  Together, we make The Poet and The Painter Sisters and our class is called the Art of Food. 

 Join us in making a mixed media book of food memories.  

It can be a cookbook with recipes, a memoir of your childhood favorites or simply a food journal.  You are only limited to your imagination!!  We will play with painting backgrounds, collaging, learn how to do an image transfer, make hidden pocket pull-outs and even learn how to create a double sliding mechanism which will all be bound with a super simple binding technique. 

 Oh, and don't forget about playing with words, washi tape and all kinds of embellishments!  And as a bonus, there will definitely be chocolate!! So start gathering up your recipes, memories and photos....it's going to be a foot-stompin' kicking up our heels kinda fun (and i'll wear my new cowboy boots)!!! Registration is open..sign up now...ART IS...NASHVILLE 

ART IS...You days 2,3,4,and 5

where to begin?  Friday night I had class with one of my very favorite artists/friends.  Miss Linda Willis of Rhode Island inspired us to make zombies

and monsters and witches!  i just love the randomness of these!!!

this one was my favorite and Linda abandoned her art into the arms of this lovely lady.

I am making my own version.  it is a work in progress

some of my friends

betti, marlene and loretta

Day 3 - Saturday brought a morning session with mrs. pom aka loretta marvel 

she spoke of the connectiveness between women and friends that dates back years and reminds us of  Victorian days when women bonded over embroidery hoops.  mrs. pom had us wrap embroidery hoops with fibers and make tags for each other to attach.

anne and loey busy making tags

elizabeth and her lovely hoop

after our creative jumpstart i was off to my class of the day, titled my soldered muse with kecia deveney

 kecia's work is lovely and eclectic

we learned how to solder (my favorite part was learning how to make those little soldered dots) and add embellishments to make a dimensional doll of our muse.  the student work turned out unique and fun!

and look who was in the same classroom creating a doll of a different sort 

my friend Linda Willis!

Saturday Night was ART TRUNK AND TUTU night

there were so many vendors with so many beautiful things...if only i didn't have two kids in college *sigh*

Sunday was bittersweet.  It was PJ day

Ellen, Sal, Loretta, Me
Patricia, Elizabeth, Betti, Kecia

 and started off with Breakfast of the Brave.  Artists Melissa Bolton, Jodi Ohl, Tracy Verdugo, Kecia Devaney and Seth Apter shared experiences outside their comfort zones that made them who they are today.  Patty Dineen also presented Ellen Legare with a quilt of squares made by many of the ART IS family.  The picture here doesn't do it justice.

Then it was off to class with Tracy Verdugo. This class was called Sacred Marks and was based on the Aboriginal word, Dadirri which is a special quality and unique gift of the Aboriginal people. It is an inner deep listening and quiet still awarness.  The class was a two day class.

we started with personal symbols and their meanings.

At this point during class, Loretta got word that her mother had passed away.  It was terribly upsetting and I just couldn't continue until I took care of my friend.  After bringing her home and regrouping, I went back to class, but missed a few steps.  It didn't really matter though as this is a process of layering.

After wrapping up day one of sacred marks the PJ party continued into the night and we had a chocolate fountain and made the bracelets mrs. pom had planned on having us create.  

day two of sacred marks was more layering and learning to let go...

tracy's finished piece.

one of tracy's pieces still in progress

My piece is still a work in progress...more on that later.

ART IS...You is always my favorite time of year.  I get to see my old 'art friends' and make new.  Like minds gathering together, sharing ideas, connecting and getting inspired carries me through another year.  I can't wait for ART IS...2013!

ART IS YOU....day 1

The largest East Coast ART retreat has begun!  ART IS...YOU!  This is my annual retreat and I look forward to it every year!  It is like a family reunion of sorts.  Everyone reconnecting with old friends and making new.  

My first class was with an encaustic painter named Serena Barton.  She is from Portland Oregon and her knowledge of encaustic is amazing!  Her work is pretty amazing also.

Encaustic is basically painting in wax.  The word encaustic comes from the Greek word 'encaustikos' meaning to burn in, and that is exactly what we did.

First you need a palette of colors

and some beeswax mixed with resin.

(that is one of Serena's portraits)

After coating your substrate with beeswax you 'fuse' it with a torch.  yep, we are using tools here!

then you paint with the wax

and fuse and paint and fuse until you get a finished product.

My piece

What I learned about encaustic -

It isn't a medium you can control.

Surprises happen at every turn.

Fusing is tricky.

In a way it is very meditative.

You need a lot of wax for one portrait.

It is pricy.

It is for texture lovers!

I would love to explore this medium more, but want to take a couple more classes.  The layers achieved with encaustic are amazing.  I have some ideas about mixing this with some of my woodburning techniques.  I'm not finished with this medium yet!

30 days of get your ART on!

Beginning October 1st, I'm joining traci bunkers in 30 days of get your ART on!!!  I need to jumpstart my creativity and the timing is right.  I'll be at ART IS for the first few days of October so i'll have some momentum going in.  wish me luck and if you can, join me!  

Snow-creations at the Homestead

Today I had an art day.  The hubby is in Arizona on business, the girls were at a volleyball game and I decided I needed some creative time with my Art Is... pals.  Sue Pelletier was in town and teaching her wonderful vintage snowmen and I was lucky enough to get into this fabulous class.


We had a wonderful time catching up, having a spectacular lunch including some delicious pumpkin layered brownies made by Betti Zucker and just having creative fun.  It's always nice to bounce ideas of one another and get a little silly!  Using paper clay, beads, buttons, glitter and lots of vintage treasures we made snowmen/women/children!  Here are mine:

my snow creations

I just love the chess piece for the hat and the little jack  dangling from his scarf

this is Verla.  She is on her way to meet her friends Betti and Pearl at the opera.  As my niece would say, 'she's fancy'.
  

this one is my favorite.  I decided I like the monochromatic ones the best.