Saturday, June 15, 2013

Re-connect

  It does my heart, mind and body good to get out and surround myself with creative spirits who want to learn and make things with their hands. I Co- taught a felted bead making jewelry class this weekend with Tony Galbraith, who is a local wool felting artist and weaver. We spent the last two days outside in Tony's back yard talking, felting, beading and connecting with nature and each other. No cell phones, no computers just our materials, imaginations and creativity. It was just what I needed after a busy week!
So take a look at our fun projects we made!
Some of the felted beads.....





Earrrings made with seed beads and felted beads....




This was a two day process.....Tony taught us how to make the wool beads on Friday.  They had to dry overnight! Saturday we embellished the felted beads and I taught everyone how to combine the felted beads with seed beads, gemstones and wire to create the beautiful earrings and bracelets you see pictured! It was a match made in heaven and as you can see the jewelry turned out wonderful.
Collaborating in this way to teach workshops is fun and really gives the students exposure to more than one technique during the workshop. I would have to say that two heads are better than one and I really enjoyed working with Tony! We are currently planning some new workshops that involve seed beading techniques and felting. We will both be posting a schedule a soon as we have all the details! So, if this looks like fun you'll get another chance to sign up for a workshop!

Sunday, June 9, 2013

Painting Class

I taught my first Mixed Media Painting Workshop this Saturday and I wanted to share some of the highlights with you.
Although the weather wasn't as nice as it could have been, we still enjoyed being outside and in my garage. I pulled out all of the stuff I love to create with which included paint, paper, water, stencils a plethora of marking tools (rubber stamps, cardboard, combs, egg cartons, paper towel tubes, you get the idea ) ......we even used spray paint! It was an exploration of sorts that was only limited by each person's imagination.


Paintings in progress........
 
Lots of color and markings were made!




We had fun discovering the images that emerged as we journeyed through our process of layering. It was apparent as we moved through the different stages of our work that more than just painting was occurring.....it was quite obvious that whatever we were currently facing in our own lives was being channeled onto our canvases. Some of us had a difficult time letting go and covering up parts of the canvas which impeded moving forward..... while others discovered they had created self portraits. This was a great creative therapy session and after teaching this first session I am planning a second one!




Sometimes you have to get messy to wade through what is stopping you from moving forward in your life. I am a big believer in doing. I am at heart a true "maker" and mixed media art is a great vehicle to use to get that flow going forward.
 I feel happy and rejuvenated from holding this class and I think I learned just as much from my students as they did from me yesterday. You can't beat face to face communication....there is no substitute, and I think as a society we are on the computer so much that we have become very disconnected.
It is time to reconnect with yourself and others and taking art classes is a great way to do that.

Now these paintings I have shown here are all still in the process of being created....they are still evolving and emerging just as we are all still growing, learning and re-connecting!
I want to thank Kelly Diemond and Lorene Boulter for attending my first workshop. You ladies are truly inspiring and I admire your courage to create a life worth living!