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!!!

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....2011

I'm part of a family, a big art family called ART IS...  It is headed up by Ellen Legare and Sallianne McClelland and I love them and all the attendees.  When you walk into an Art Is Retreat the first thing you think is, I'm with my people!   You can wear what you want, you can behave how you want, you can eat what you want.  no judgement!  In fact, more than likely someone next to you will even join you! It's a place to share ideas, get inspiration, be yourself and be supported.  It is the most wonderful weekend of my year and I look forward to it every year.

This was the 5th year of ART IS...  Loretta presented Sal and Ellen with mixed media canvases celebrating  the anniversary.  They were signed on the back by the attendees.

This year I taught there for the first time and had the BEST students ever!  I am looking forward to teaching again next year.  Thank you for your support, Dawn, Loretta, Linda, Angela and Pat.  You all did wonderfully and am so proud of your first attempts at woodburning!


here are some photos i took,( i usually forget to take pics as i get so involved in what i'm doing.)

I learned coptic stitch binding with Diana Trout.
and now i am hooked on making my own journals.  i use the kind of paper i want and the size paper i want!  thanks Diana for sharing the art of bookmaking with me!

My class space set up and ready to go.

I gave each student a goody bag filled with not only the supplies they needed for class, but also a hand painted, hand bound journal filled with drawing paper.

display of my work in the style of the class i was offering.  the class sample is in the center.  tall poppies.

look who i shared my class space with!  so excited...i love tracy!!

This is Dawn Gold.  She was the first student to sign up for my class and came all the way from England to attend ART IS...  I've known Dawn 'virtually' for years through an online trading site.  It was so wonderful to finally meet her in the flesh!

Linda Willis took my class!  She is a fabulous artist...particularly in fabrics and quilting!

Pat was one of the brave ladies learning a new technique!

and Angela concentrating to hard!  we call her angel hugs!!!

and my dear friend, Loretta.  She did a nice job too!

After woodburning my students blocked in color and added other  mediums.  (you'll have to take a class with me to find out how we do this!)

my students with their finished/semi finished projects!  i'm so proud of them!  you did fabulous ladies!!!!

After I taught my class, I took a class with Tracy Stilwell.  I admire her work so much and love to spend time with her.  so inspirational!  I glammed up my old pair of jeans.  i wear these in my studio a lot and wanted to spruce them up a bit. 

I opened up the leg seam and created this little garden out of fabrics and embroidery stitching.  this was SO much fun to do and reminded me of my high school days!  These were also a big hit with the children at the nursery school I teach in!!!

My friend Dawn and I saying our goodbyes...
until next year...maybe ART IS will go to LONDON!!!

The Nature of Gemini

My latest work - 24"x24" on birch plywood

WhenI designed this piece I had difficulty choosing which swan should be the white (good) swan and which should be the black (evil) swan.  I couldn't decide if I was creating this with evil conquering good in mind, or that evil was the protector of all things good. 

Seeing that there is enough evil conquering good in the world, I decided to go with the latter thought; my black swan would be a guardian, and my little white swan was submitting to being protected and allowing for someone else to take care of her.  This is something I struggle with personally, letting someone else care for me, letting go of control, relinquising the reigns if you will. 

From this the title "Nature of Gemini" was born.  Gemini is a dual-natured sign, a mix of ying and yang and represented by twins.  Gemini's easily see both sides of an issue and can be restless, much like my swans and me.

so hard to get into a flow

here in NY we've been hit hard with storm after storm.  we've had 7 storms in as many weeks. the kids have been home, the dogs come in and out of the house and since my studio is in my home, it's been hard to get a flow of work going. 
i did manage to get a submission ready.  the theme is shakespeare's women and i've had so much fun getting these pieces ready.  keep your fingers crossed at least one will get in the show.

viola

queen elizabeth i

cleopatra

poppies

another poppy painting.  this one is woodburned on 12"x24" birch plywood and then layered with lots of fun textural goodies...tissue paper, acrylics, printing, stamping, fluid acrylics, stencils, colored pencil and gold flakes and finally beads in the centers of the flowers.  this may be offered as a future class, for now...enjoy!