Category Archives: workshops

Workshop-O-Rama!

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OK, so maybe that’s a little hokey, but I did want to let you know about three cool June workshops before I leave for Boston. Here’s the Amazing, Stupendous lineup:

shellsWednesday, June 12, 6-8 p.m. at the Studio: Shards Pins  – This one happened kind of by request, and there are three spots left, so if you want to make some really pretty wearable art ornaments with earthenware faces, come join us that Wednesday evening – here’s the link to the description (tuition same as usual, $55 and all materials included)  and here’s where to sign up.

trioSaturday, June 15th, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.at the Studio: Shard Faces and Cabochon Beading: Master Class with Eileen Achorn (Beginners Welcome, Too!) This will be a rare and wonderful opportunity to work with Guest Artisan Eileen, whose beadwork is astounding. She’s a wonderful teacher, as well – heck, she’s a prof at UTSA. There are five spaces left at this point. Tuition $65, basic materials such as backings and face shards included (except for beads-BYOBeads :)) Optional: Eileen will be at Ann Pearce’s next door to the Studio to help you select beads with Ann before the class from 10-11 a.m. Here’s a link to the description and to the signup.

ladsmSunday, June 30th, 3-5 p.m. at the Studio: Digital Transfer and Painting Workshop
I’m really excited about this technique and have used it for all of the work I’m taking to the Beacon Hill Art Walk. We’ll use TAP paper to transfer the images, then incorporate them into a mixed-media work with paint and other media. Five spots left for this workshop (which will go fast, so even though it’s over a month away, you might want to sign up now). I will probably repeat this workshop in July, just FYI, if it goes as well as I think it will. Here’s the link to the description and here’s the link to sign up.

That’s all for now from Workshop-O-Rama Central. I’m off to practice my Boston accent so the natives will understand me – lets see . . .“I pahked my cahr in Hahhvad Yaahhrd . . “ OOh, wicked good. 🙂

3-PART ART #1

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So I was thinking about new workshops and such, and I thought it would be fun to share some quick and easy techniques that you can do with just three “ingredients” (there are a bunch of cookbooks like that*). The first of these is a Reanissance-esque little collage on watercolor paper that can you can use as a card or a cover on a box or – whatever you can think of. Here are the three ingredients (yep, they include my favorites):

  • Walnut Ink (made by Tsukineko, available at Michael’s and Jo-Ann’s or online)
  • Fake gold leaf (ditto)
  • A black and white page from an old art catalog or art book from Half-Price Books or wherever you can find pages to recycle

Here are the steps:

Idea – if you have an art “ingredient” that you bought and don’t know what to do with, tell me what it is and I’ll see if I can figure a three-ingredient project to use it with. Hey, and don’t forget about the Sacred Ground show today!

*PS If you want my favorite three-ingredient food-type recipe, click here 🙂

Spreading the spirit . . .

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sb1s

A Spirit Box by Lyn Belisle with a Secret Compartment on the Back

I had a nice surprise in my Inbox this morning from Barbara Delaney, Assistant Editor at INTERWEAVE Press:

Dear Lyn,
Thank you so much for your submission to CLOTH PAPER SCISSORS. We are happy to inform you that your project “Spirit Box Collage” has been selected by the editorial team to be included in our September/October issue. We are so pleased to have your work included in this publication, and hope that you will be, too.

You bet I’m pleased! The Spirit Box Workshop we did last Sunday was so much fun that I’m glad to be able to share the project with a wider audience. I’ve done one other article for Cloth Paper Scissors so far, and it’s always interesting to do the “step-outs.” You have to make the same object six or seven times, each time going a little further in the process. So I’ll need to make seven Spirit Boxes in progress that are all like alike except for their stages of completion.

Cloth Paper Scissors is a great resource for artists and crafters. I recommend their site and their magazine to lots of people. If you go to their site and sign up (it’s free and secure) you can download free e-books on all kinds of subjects. One of my favorites is Creating Digital Artwork for Photo Collage. Check them out! And look for the Spirit Box article in September.

cps

Workshop video – we learned so much

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It’s astonishing how much happened in two short days. Here’s the complete video of our weekend workshop at the Studio. Michelle Belto’s spiritual and physical energy took us on an unforgettable journey of artistic discovery!

 

Weekend Workshop Wrap-up

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It’s not *really* a wrap-up – the whole weekend was so rich with experience and creativity that it will resonate in a lot of ways for a long time to come. There were eleven participants in our Hildegard: Art and Soul Journey and we got to know each other pretty darn well as we worked with Michelle Belto, our amazing artist-guide. There was a lot of soul-searching and laughing and eating and playing and writing during the two days. There was also a lot of sharing – what a generous group!  I’m working on a short video of the weekend’s process which I’ll post here later in the week, but in the meantime, I’ve uploaded a few photos and I send a heartfelt thanks to Michelle and the other creative women who came and made amazing art – wow.  You transformed the Studio into an honest-to-goodness place of creative belonging for two whole days. Group Hug!!

I need to, I should . .arg!

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It’s one of those “I need to” mornings right before the Hildegard: Art and Soul Workshop which begins at 10:00 this morning at the Studio – incredibly good timing, because it is much needed.  “I need to post a Friday Freebie – oops, too late – I need to fold up the laundry – oops, forgot to put it in the dryer, it’s probably all stinky – oh, no.” Have you ever been swamped by so much stuff that you can’t talk yourself out of panic mode? I’m not quite there yet, but am on the outskirts. However, after visiting with Michelle Belto yesterday about the workshop plans, there’s hope, because she could calm and refocus anybody. Check out her blog post on Viewpoint and Perspective. It makes me wonder why we don’t give our own selves permission to chill out once in a while, like Michelle did at the Spurs game. I’ll report back from the workshop as a new, improved serene ME.

On that very topic, Here’s a link to upcoming Studio events – lots of cool stuff- actually, being frazzled is sometimes productive. I keep telling myself that the best research papers I ever wrote in college were the ones I did the night before they were due. Yeah, sure.

Your Saturday order-of-the-day is to do something relaxing for yourself. Get a pedicure – guys, too! Eat some gelato, that yummy salty caramel kind! In the meantime,convincing myself that things are getting done, I did finish the five Guardian pieces – they will go to the Cathedral House exhibit on the 19th of this month along with some other small paintings. Here’s a phone shot as I was leaving the Studio last night – whew! Happy Saturday 🙂

guardians

 

Sunday and Spirit Boxes

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Another beautiful Sunday workshop at the Studio – this afternoon, we created Spirit Boxes, small wall sculptures with a hidden compartment on the back. Each one has a special “heart stone” jewel or symbol in the center and lots of other adornments The artisan participants were very original and imaginative. Nobody fought over stuff, everyone got along – gee, you guys,  you play well with others! Thanks ♥♥♥

Heather Ash and Michelle Belto

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How did I get so lucky to have these two extraordinary teachers in my life? On Monday evening, Heather Ash Amara will be at the Studio for an informal, enlightening talk about creativity and intent – and how to spark both. Carla Pineda from Viva Bookstore will be there to share some of Heather Ash’s publications. This is the perfect start to a thoughtful spring (and if you come, I’ll have a new basket of take-home shards). Refreshments and conversation, too.

And I’m counting the days to Michelle Belto’s workshop. I’m really excited about this, and so is Michelle. Please consider joining us.

logo copyOff to do a happy dance 🙂

Nope, haven’t forgotten the Friday Freebie either – stay tuned!

Spirit Dolls, Opening Night

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The second big Studio event in two days was just as enjoyable as the poetry reading in a different way – a nice crowd of artisans and friends gathered to see the Spirit Dolls and to ask questions about their construction and uses. There was lots of curiosity and admiration for the work, especially when the guests learned that the dolls had been constructed in just two hours during the workshop. Once again, many of the people who came tonight saw old friends that they hadn’t seen in years or discovered new connections with people they hadn’t met before. I love it when that happens! There’s something about that Studio space that encourages those kinds of connections . . ..  . and here’s a video from this lovely evening:

 

Sunday Wrap-up

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Today’s Mala and Spirit Flag Workshop felt like playing – wonder if there’s such a thing as a Playshop? It was like summer outside where we splattered our prayer flags with paint. We didn’t get much more done with the flags because sitting around the table stringing mala beads and talking was a lot more relaxing. One of the things we discussed was creating with intention, which seems to elevate and enrich any project.

Congratulations to Barbara Weitbrecht, the winner of the Mala meditation bracelet. Barbara, email me and let me know if there’s a favorite color you’d like me to use for the tassel. I’m still far from perfect at making these little wrist Malas, but it will be made with much love.

Here’s a video from today’s workshop – you can see what the parking lot around the Studio looks like! It was deserted on a Sunday afternoon so no one ran over our prayer flags. Yay!