I can't believe that I went to Art&Soul and came back already! Time passed so quickly... I will need much more time to process things that I learned, things that I saw, people I met... It was so great to be completely immersed in art for a few days, but it is so wonderful to be back home. Nothing better than seeing my husband waiting for me with open arms, my son's lovely smile and hear Hana trying to talk about her whole week all at once.
I didn't take as many photos as I thought I would. It didn't feel right clicking away and disturbing people you just met. But I did snap a few... The first one is from my hotel room, late in the evening. I managed to get on time to get registered and to receive my lovely fat book. The lock on my suitcase was broken (?!?) but the hotel people quickly took care of it (cut it off). I made a cup of coffee and opened the welcome package - a bottle holder box. It was full of little treasures - beads, ink pad, sweet smelling lavender pouch, golden products, a bendi doll, watersoluble pencils... What a treat to open! And the fat book is so amazing that I will look through it many times.
My first class was with
Nina Bagley. I absolutely LOVE reading her
blog and now will always 'hear' her voice while I read it. She commented that I have a lovely accent, and I had to reply that her southern accent is also absolutely great. This was a two-day class.... and all I can say is that I appreciate her art even more now. It is not an easy process to create that amazing jewelry... even if we had her enormous imagination and talent it would be very difficult to make those lovelies. I was so out of my comfort zone that I carefully chose the words to put on my pendant. They helped me move on and try to work on the piece. I drilled holes in stones!!!
(One of the stones attacked me, and the Dremel fell from my hands in water and splashed my poor neighbor, and I turned it on even higher speed when I tried to turn it off... and it was embarrassing and scary.) I also made a groove all around a stone and am very proud of that! Can you see it in the photo?
Dan Essig is such a sweet man and amazing artist! I loved his class! I was familiar with the Coptic stitch, but never used 4 needles before. He was very organized and helped us every step of the way and made it easy and fun. I hope to have a chance to take a class with him again.
"Luminous Collaging Techniques" with
Phoenix Forrester combined acrylics, collage and oil paint. It was not a structured class, more like a fun place to create fast and free. Unfortunately, I was not feeling well so I had to leave the class at lunch break. I managed to play with one canvas. At this point I can't add any collage pieces but plan to work more with oil colors.
My last and most anticipated class was with
Carla Sonheim. What a beautiful and talented woman! Not only is she a great artist but also a wonderful teacher. It was magical to watch her create her sweet characters. I enjoyed the class very much!
D.J. Pettit and
Claudine Hellmuth were in the class too!
We were painting a family portrait. My family looked very gloomy at this stage. It made me laugh to look at our long, candle like figures. I was so inspired that I continued working on it late at night in my hotel room and finished the whole piece. Don't we look funny?
There are more things to share, but I'm tired and have a cold and can't wait to jump in the bed. I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to be there. I am also very confused at this point. How to incorporate the things that I learned in my art and not be a copy cat... We'll see where it takes me.
I finished another big journal and listed it on eBay. I never listed anything with a price this high... It was probably not the best idea in the world because I doubt that it will sell, but I just had to do it this way. As much as I enjoy creating journals like this, they are really not cost effective. Not only do they take days to create, but the things I put in have a certain value... Not to mention that it takes a full day to take photos and organize a listing. Another mistake - I have more than 50 pictures in my listing. Who will take the time to look through that? It's just that I want to show what's inside. I worry that people will not notice how many little details are in the big picture and how much thought I put into the elements my journals... Oh well... What will be will be.
I also listed this sleeping cat. I love when I can express my feelings through art. This piece is just like a journal page in three dimensions. I was feeling sad and low the whole day, a million silly things going through my mind, kind of torturing myself (does it ever happen to you?). And I noticed that our cat (Bart) was sleeping so peacefully, so relaxed... he calmed me down. I found a piece of wood (from a rubber stamp), sketched him and later painted using Carla Sonheim's technique. Then I added the saying on the back. I should have probably rubber stamped it, but I couldn't wait... I had to finish it. Now it makes me smile.
These cards were fun to make, but a lot of work. The transfers are done with liquid polymer clay. I love the leathery feel they have. Added some machine stitching, combined with transparency and layers of paper and paint...
The first little traded 1" square was waiting for me. A perfect tiny collage from Tejae.
She added a stack of the most beautiful vellum paper I've ever seen! It reminded me of my childhood, when I would trade delicate napkins with my friends (we called them Japanese napkins... I don't know if they were really from Japan). I'm not sure that I can use the vellum - it is pretty just as is...
My dear friend Connie visited me yesterday. She endured hours of me talking and talking about Art & Soul. And not only was she the most patient guest, she surprised me with a wonderful gift. I can't express how much I love this box! It brought tears to my eyes, even before she told me that the buttons were vintage, some from her mother's blouse... It is very special, just as Connie and I will treasure it forever.
I can't believe that I went to Art&Soul and came back already! Time passed so quickly... I will need much more time to process things that I learned, things that I saw, people I met... It was so great to be completely immersed in art for a few days, but it is so wonderful to be back home. Nothing better than seeing my husband waiting for me with open arms, my son's lovely smile and hear Hana trying to talk about her whole week all at once.
My first class was with Nina Bagley. I absolutely LOVE reading her blog and now will always 'hear' her voice while I read it. She commented that I have a lovely accent, and I had to reply that her southern accent is also absolutely great. This was a two-day class.... and all I can say is that I appreciate her art even more now. It is not an easy process to create that amazing jewelry... even if we had her enormous imagination and talent it would be very difficult to make those lovelies. I was so out of my comfort zone that I carefully chose the words to put on my pendant. They helped me move on and try to work on the piece. I drilled holes in stones!!! (One of the stones attacked me, and the Dremel fell from my hands in water and splashed my poor neighbor, and I turned it on even higher speed when I tried to turn it off... and it was embarrassing and scary.) I also made a groove all around a stone and am very proud of that! Can you see it in the photo?
Dan Essig is such a sweet man and amazing artist! I loved his class! I was familiar with the Coptic stitch, but never used 4 needles before. He was very organized and helped us every step of the way and made it easy and fun. I hope to have a chance to take a class with him again.
"Luminous Collaging Techniques" with Phoenix Forrester combined acrylics, collage and oil paint. It was not a structured class, more like a fun place to create fast and free. Unfortunately, I was not feeling well so I had to leave the class at lunch break. I managed to play with one canvas. At this point I can't add any collage pieces but plan to work more with oil colors.
My last and most anticipated class was with Carla Sonheim. What a beautiful and talented woman! Not only is she a great artist but also a wonderful teacher. It was magical to watch her create her sweet characters. I enjoyed the class very much! D.J. Pettit and Claudine Hellmuth were in the class too! 
There are more things to share, but I'm tired and have a cold and can't wait to jump in the bed. I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to be there. I am also very confused at this point. How to incorporate the things that I learned in my art and not be a copy cat... We'll see where it takes me.
Open suitcase, open mind... I'm feeling a little bit nervous, anxious, giggly, worried, lightheaded.... This will be my first Art Retreat experience and I can't wait for it to start... and finish.
