Category Archives: workshops

Monday updates and a make-over

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How did I spend my post-Thanksgiving weekend? I did a makeover on my website (practicing for the make-over that I’ll have to do on myself after all that turkey and pie). I have a new header using one of the new Peregrino constructions that was a favorite. It matches the new SHARDS header – look up, see? And it should be somewhat easier to find workshops and calendar info on my site. Let me know if you like it.

Also, please notice the Writing Workshop in January given by Nancy West – it will be a great way to start the year for writers (aspiring or experienced) and journal-ers. Nancy is funny and gifted and I’m so glad she’s coming to the Studio as a guest artist/writer/teacher.

Oh, yeah, and I also I did a firing of 14 new Scent Shards this weekend – just in case you need a super $20 gift for a special someone (like you). They will be at the Studio starting today – if you’d like to order one by mail, email me for pics – shipping is $3.50 and the essential oil, lavender or eucalyptus, is included. Here’s your tantalizing example. This is a face from a 30’s carving and she’s about 6″ tall. Yay for Cyber Monday commercials! The End.

Scent Shard essential oil sculpture and diffuser

Scent Shard essential oil sculpture and diffuser

Cozy Saturday with Wax and Wings

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Michelle Belto and I agreed that Saturday’s Wax and Wings workshop was wonderful. It was, sadly, the last of the three on which we’ve so enjoyed collaborating – but we’re already planning the next incarnation of our partnership – stay tuned! Here’s the video featuring yesterday’s talented and diverse group (funny how the image of our lunch comes up on the preview – it was yummy):

It’s another cold and dreary day here in San Antonio, but I have to admit that I kind of like it, just because it’s fairly rare here. Makes me wonder how my Boston family is faring!

Planning ahead (I know, pretty astounding), I just posted two new workshops for January – Acrylic Abstract Painting for Beginners, and Collage on Canvas using Digital Transfer. Check them out 🙂 And finally, in the happy anticipation of thanksgiving, here’s a link to my favorite Cranberry Relish recipe from our old friend Arnold. He’s no longer with us, but his recipe lives on! Stay warm out there, y’all.

 

DYI Friday Freebie . . . Shard Adornment Kit!

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Howdy, and happy All Saints Day. I always think of old San Fernando Cemetery  on Nov 1. Lots of families will be there this weekend having picnics on the graves of loved ones and generally hanging out with them, which I think is pretty cool. Most of my earthenware faces come from San Fernando, so today’s Friday Freebie is a Shard Adornment Kit with everything you need to create a magnetic art-to-wear pin like this one:

pinfreebie2For the kit, I’ve put together a small shard face, some feathers and mat board, beads and cord, interesting paper pieces, and a strong bar magnet for you to use to create an adornment for yourself or a friend. You can see lots more examples at this YouTube link, and I’ll have some new Shard Adornments at the stupendous Studio Art Sale next Saturday, NOV 9. Please come!

pinfreebiekit_edited-1To be eligible win this kit, be a SHARDS subscriber by Sunday at midnight – yay for shameless self-promotion! A random drawing will take place Monday morning. Oh, yeah – I’ll even include directions! And if you’d like to come to a workshop and make them with me and several other creative people, sign up here for the Nov. 24th workshop at the Studio. It’s your Place of Creative Belonging – mine, too :). OK, go forth and doing something small and saintly for someone to celebrate All Saints Day.

Guest artsts show their faces

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One of the most enjoyable aspects of offering workshops, particularly on how to make face shards, is to see how they are used by the artists who attend. I’ve already posted photos of Spirit Dolls and jewelry – now here are some new ideas.

These are by Sheri Lenora from Austin, who took a class at the Studio recently on building earthenware faces – she’s used them in her beautiful mixed-media hangings – spectacular rich color and texture:

The nebookxt example (left) is the cover of a small book created by Zinnia Galliher, founder of Roses On My Table and a student in my online Making Faces class! I have a already warned her that I’m stealing her idea – it’s wonderful, and the air-dry clay is easier and lighter to work with than earthenware would be for adding to artisan paper constructions.

Don’t forget that there’s a workshop this Sunday at the Studio on making faces with air-dry clay with all kinds of beautiful finishes. Here’s the info, and here’s where to sign up.

 

 

 

 

 

Wax and Wings workshop takes flight

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Saturday’s collage and encaustic workshop was wonderful – it is so inspirational to work with Michelle Belto. And what a fabulous group of participants we had – Chris, Janak, Glo, Mary Beth, Shirlene – your work is amazing!  There will be one more opportunity to take this workshop – Saturday, October 5th. It’s a pretty transformative experience, at least it was for me – thanks, everyone, especially you, Michelle ♥ Can’t wait till our next session. Here’s a video to share.

 

 

Rainy Friday . . .

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. . .and that’s fantastic! We’re in such a drought that no one is complaining. Rain is supposed to continue through most of the weekend – yes! Tomorrow Michelle Belto and I are collaborating in our Wax and Wings workshop. It will be a good day to gather around the Studio worktables, listen to the rain, and  talk about nesting and shelter and how we can create those concepts through collage and encaustic. I’ll post the photos from this first session later. Here’s one from my practice time in the studio this afternoon, just the collage “nest” part. Michelle’s in charge of the inside encaustic part – she’s so good. Check out her book.

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BUT WAIT, there’s more – (drum roll please) – I’m about to boldly go into cyberspace with a new series of video art labs. Zinnia Galliher, an amazing artist and techno-wizard , has developed two sites where artists can teach lessons and present projects. She invited me to teach a class on her Roses site, then I’ll be developing some longer classes for the 2014 Artful Gathering. It’s really exciting and a totally new adventure – man, all this and rain to boot! And it’s Friday!! Life is pretty darn good 🙂 Hope your weekend includes some rain and some art and a nice comfy nest.

zinniaartpage

 

Air-dry clay

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If you read the Studio newsletter today, you’ll know that there’s a whole lot going on in September – if you missed it, click this link. But I’ve had some time to plan a new workshop on an alternative way to make shards and adornments even if you don’t have a kiln. Sherrill Kahn got me thinking about this (Hi, Sherrill!), and you know I’ve been playing with molding compound. Well, I’ve discovered that you can make molds with air dry clay which, with a few tricks, work just about as well as fired clay. Look at this photo and see if you can tell which ones are air-dry and which ones are fired.P1090280

It’s not easy to tell – and I used some air-dried clay buttons on the piece that I submitted to the juried FASA show (below). You can see how nice they look with an iridescent finish. So sign up for the October 15th workshop and learn how to do this stuff! TGIF, y’all . . . .

buttons

 

Workshop Video: Spirit Boxes!

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Oh, my – Sunday’s workshop was great. I am sharing the video, below, because I loved each and every Spirit Box that was created, start to finish, during the two hours we were together. My pal J. Janak brought two of her foreign students, and their work reflected their cultures. One Spirit Box had Spanish nuances and the other reflected the Asian culture. It was very cool. Thanks to all of the participants. The next regular Sunday workshop won’t be till Sept.29th – it’s Collage on Canvas, but on the 21st, Michelle Belto and I are collaborating on a very special all-day collage and encaustic workshop called Wax and Wings.. More details about that later in the week, but email me if you’d like to join us – it’s gong to be an amazing experience. Anytime I get to work with Michelle is a very good time indeed!

Shards and Spirit Box Kit

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Congrats to Barb Wolfe, winner of the SHARDS subscriber drawing for the Spirit Box kit. Barb’s a good jewelry designer, can’t wait to see how she puts it all together. Speaking of shards, yesterday’s workshop artisans outdid themselves in quality and production. Take a look at some of their work – it’s very fragile right now while it’s waiting to be fired, but the pieces should be even more amazing once fired and finished. The last photo is a card of air-dry clay buttons that I made yesterday for fiber art enhancement – I’ll post directions at a later date. Sherrill Kahn turned me on to air-dry clay as a quick alternative to earthenware.Thanks for a great workshop, y’all – see you Wednesday to finish your pieces and put them together at Ann Pearce’s jewelry shop.

Sherrill Kahn Workshops, Halftime Report

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Sunday’s workshop was fantastic – we worked really hard and learned so much that my friend Vicki said her creative brain was full to overflowing. I will be posting a list of resources and photos and other fun things to share later in the week, but let me just say that I wish everyone could have the pleasure of taking a workshop with Sherrill.

Here are a few pics – more to come.

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