My First Workshop at Serenity Studio Arts or Why I'm Back Teaching Part 1

Disclaimer: This workshop is the brainchild of  Dyan Reavely. I have express written consent from Dyan to teach her workshop.

Last Nov. 2012 I traveled to The Queen's Ink,{Savage, MD.}, owned buy the incredible Patti Euler, to attend two of Dyan Reaveley's workshops. Although I had met Dyan at each of the 4 CHA's I've attended this would probably be my only chance, within traveling distance, to take her classes. I was able to sign up for her gimongous Mixed-Media Canvas and Art Journaling. At the end of the classes Dyan told us to share what we learned on the one condition that we gave credit for her techniques and projects. I thought to myself how wonderful for Dyan to share.

Little did I know that I would be contacting Dyan and requesting permission...little did I know that I would be BACK teaching. In the early 1980's I taught hand quilting in a quilt shop in Lewiston, NY, before machine quilting hit the stage. I designed, created and presented all the classes offered there. Then my daughter was born, I had a full-time teaching job, traveled 75 miles per day and something had to give. I stopped teaching but kept my hand in the industry with a small cross stitch store where I also did archival matting and framing for needlework projects. Ok...enough of the background...fast forward to now.

Class samples that I still have. 

All hand quilting done at that time and mostly historical patterns!

With a serendipitous meeting with Courtney, a metal smith and owner of Serenity Studio Arts, it became clear that I would soon be presenting various workshops at her studio. After receiving permission from Dyan I preceded to create a workshop based on her 36"x36" mixed media canvas except I shrunk it down to a 12" x 12" size. 

104 E. Main Street

Elizabeth City, NC 27909

You might ask why I chose to teach Dyan's workshop and not create my own. Because her technique is tried and tested, it's a GENIUS project where students leave with a completed canvas and have learned a multitude of techniques, lots about mixed media media products and how to create using basic items found at home. In a small little town, surrounded by several counties, from Fredericksburg, Va. and east of the I-95 corridor, from the  northeast corner of NC near the Outer Banks down the coast to Myrtle Beach, SC. you will not find a LSS...they have all left this area. Getting supplies is mostly done from the internet or you wait until you get to a city to buy. 

So to make a long story short...lol! I presented this workshop on Sat. 3/16 2013 to a small but eager class. It is hard to believe but sometimes we have to come out of own bubbles and realize that there is a multitude of eager students who have no idea, because of location, about the things WE TAKE FOR GRANTED in the industry!

Since I know how little time everyone has, the long blog lists we read each day and creativity to be attended to I will post Part 2 on Fri. So make sure you pop back and see the rest of the story!

Now go get messy, inky and creative!

*Dyan Reaveley Stencil 5 X 8 LETTER JUMBLE Dylusions DYS34254	*Dyan Reaveley Stencil 5 X 8 DOTTED FLOWERS Dylusions DYS34247	*Dyan Reaveley Stencil 5 X 8 DIAMOND OF A BORDER Dylusions DYS34230	*Dyan Reaveley Stencil 5 X 8 NUMBER JUMBLE Dylusions DYS34223
*Dyan Reaveley Stencil 5 X 8 CHEQUERED DOTS Dylusions DYS34216	*Ranger Adirondack Acrylic 42 PAINT DABBERS Complete Set	*Ranger Inkssentials COLLAGE GLUE STICK Adhesive INK33103	*Claudine Hellmuth GESSO Studio Primer Paint Ranger
*PREORDER Tim Holtz Idea-ology MELANGE Tissue Wrap Paper TH93042	*Claudine Hellmuth MULTI MEDIUM MATTE Paint Glue Ranger

InLinkz.com

My "21 Challenge" Round Up Week 1

I've done the 21 Challenge before with Rhonna Farrer but this time I'm doing it publicly by sharing it everyday on instagram. If you want to know more about what this is go HERE. If you want to follow me on instagram you will find me HERE.

My challenge is to reorganize my studio so that it works in the way that I work/create. That always is in the back of my mind...what are my steps in creating...how can I organize my studio in the same way. Some areas work but others don't. I've added areas specifically for art journaling and for fabric art...these are in dire need of HELP!!!!!

I'm also purging STUFF that I really haven't used in the last year...sorting, purging, donating...clearing space for more creativity! Here are the photos I shared on instagram...I'm utilizing Rhonna Farrer's Insta~Goals Kit and Phonto for my captions.

Here's Week 1 photos:

Utilizing Fly Lady's 15 minuter de-clutter buster always helps!

Blog maintenance is part of my functional studio!

After not teaching workshops and classes in quite awhile I am back in the saddle again. Presenting workshops at Serenity Studio Arts and loving it!

Uggh...my computer desk has not been functioning right. After months of thought I realized I HAD to move my desk hutch.

Are you in for the "21 Challenge"?

Have a creative day...off to organize ;)

Week in Review with The {21} Challenge and More!

I had a great week in that I was creating art every day...that makes me HAPPY!

Kicked off the cross promo week with HELMAR & Pink Paislee.

Joined in Rhonna Farrer's The {21} Challenge.  A future blog post on this ;)You can follow my progress on Instagram.

Getting ready for tomorrow's workshop at Serenity Studio Arts. Will share all the details next week ;)

104 E. Main St.
Elizabeth City, NC 27909

Mixed-Media Canvas Workshop

Worked on secret assignment...details to follow in Apr. 2014.

Plus everyday life!

So excited for my grandson Shane who at 8 earned a spot
in the NY State Wrestling Championships this weekend
in Elmira, Ny.
GO SHANE...GO SHANE!

All ready for Easter...LOL!

Introduced to my daughter's new addition to her puppy collection.
Dahlia{top} is a Oorang Airedale Terrier and Raven {below} is
a Giant Schnauzer puppy...nothing like
grand~furbabies.

Some creative time for me!

Thanks for stopping by...what's on your plate this weekend?

Painted Doodles or How I Relax...

I do create everyday...something, even if it's only 15 min. It's one way I relax and at the same time quiet those inner thoughts of "do I have creative talent or not". I'm sure everyone can relate to that inner dialogue...this is a way for me to banish them...doodling & zentangles.  These are what I lovingly call EXPERIMENTS...new techniques, new product, new color...no pressure...no stress!

The 1st EXPERIMENT is this finished doodle. After the drawing was completed using Faber-Castell Artist Pitt Pens I painted the circles with Dylusions Spray Inks.  I have the ink sprays in the fabulous Tim Holtz Detail Water Brushes and they are perfect to paint with. I love the look of the dryed Dylusions...a very rich, matte look. With that in mind I pulled out my Luminarte Acrylic Silk Glazes and created the background, wanting the contrast of the different product finishes. I loved seeing how the different colors worked on 9x12" Strathmore Watercolor Paper, series 400. The backgrounds of each circle were also painted with the silks.

The more I looked at my finished EXPERIMENT I realized that I really loved the smaller circle and what looks like peacock feathers. That wasn't my intention but I do agree that it does. So onto the next EXPERIMENT. I enlarged that one circle, offset from center and created the same image. I wasn't sure about the background but when I saw this Marrakech stencil designed by Michelle Ward, Stencil Girl Products, I knew I had to use it...lately I have been drawn to anything using a quatrefoil shape as evidence in my work.

Painted with several colors of Dylusions Ink Spray

Background painted with Luminarte Acrylic Silks in Spiced Pumpkin

 The next question in my creative process was what colors to use for the background and whether I wanted just one of the 2 shapes painted of the background. I have this vision in my head...I don't think it is quite this but I will save that idea for another EXPERIMENT. The background was painted with African Jade and Olive Vine Acrylic Silks. I wish you could really see the contrast from the Dylusions & the Acrylic Silks...very dramatic. 

I'm not sure I am done...I will let it percolate in my mind's eye...again NO STRESS, NO PRESSURE...it is my EXPERIMENT!

Thanks for stopping by...what do you do for creative relaxation?