Birds of a Feather

I am thrilled to be teaching a class at  THE Art & Soul Retreat in Virginia Beach Virginia this year.
It's a fun mobile class where we will be learning several things like this (but not limited to this!)
*designing one of a kind fabric with hand drawn Thermofax screens (screen printing)
*several beading techniques to embellish the birds
*embellishing techniques on driftwood (paint &/or thread wrapping)
*techniques to weight a mobile to achieve balance
*different ways to create a 3d bird (something besides the traditional stuffing material!)
*demonstrations on crocheting wings and adding beads to your crochet!
*alternate materials to make wings out of
and who knows what else!

lots of beading techniques

different options for wings

demonstrations of crocheting with beads!

lots of painting, beading and thread wrapping

ideas for balance on your mobile

There is always a lot of laughter in my classes as I believe that that is the best way to learn - in a relaxed and accepting atmosphere...and what is more relaxing than laughter?

I know that there are tons of online classes to choose from but if you have never been to a "real" art retreat before, you are missing something!
It's at these retreats that you meet people that will become lifelong friends.
They understand your creative drive, your odd ideas and would never divulge your retreat secrets.
Never.
And when you are able to learn with hand-on help...nothing beats that, now does it?
And being in a group allows you to see how many people do the same thing differently because sometimes you just don't understand what the teacher is talking about...it helps to hear or see it from a different perspective, doesn't it?
I love the camaraderie that develops within the group, the sisterhood of the traveling art retreat...

And Art & Soul is THE original retreat.
The one that all of the other retreats model themselves after.
And for a good reason - it works.
It delivers what people go there looking for - creative energy, like minded peeps and an opportunity to learn a craft or an art technique from experienced teachers.


I'll add some photos of the class that I am teaching this year at Virginia Beach.
Won't you come and join me there?

surface design in the form of screen printing 

lots of different wing screens

playing with painting ideas

lovely driftwood embellishment

painting a plain bird

beautiful bold colors

or you could draw on your bird!

a lovely twisted bead tail

great uses for tiny pieces of driftwood

Experimenting (or "The Way That I Work")

I don't know about you, but when I begin playing around with different products or techniques I tend to get lose track of time.
I forget about doing things that I was supposed to do (like laundry, dishes, dinner, showering) (eew).
It's me and my studio.
Oh, and the mess that is in that studio.

I have been working on the bird mobiles and took a break to go to an Icon exhibit at a local art gallery.
The paintings are just wonderful.
Time worn panels of wood  that were showing their age.
Limited palettes that said so much.
My original thought was to sketch while I was in there...but I couldn't when I got there
(this is going to sound crazy) but I almost felt that it would be a sacrilege to do that.
I know, I know.
But the very air within that exhibit was laden with a sense of holiness.
Did you know that the early creators of these Icons did not even sign their names? They felt that this would detract from the subject of the painting.
It was about the Icon...not the painter.

I was so inspired by the backgrounds in these painting (some from the 14th century!).
While I didn't want to start painting this type of subject, the look of the background (esp. the edges of the panels) fascinated me.
As soon as I had a minute (and when I could no longer stand to wait), I pulled out a few pieces of fabric and paper to do some experimenting.
I had one piece from a previous experiment that I really liked. So I grabbed all of the materials I used on that sample to start another one.
And it went on like this for a few days.
I taped small pieces of paper or fabric to my work table and layered paint/crackle paste/glazes in different order to see what type of results I got.
Here's some of my experiments (all samples, not "beautiful" per se but excellent learning vehicles).

Perfect creepy crackles for that, um, creepy thing.

One of my favorite experiments!
Crackled birds!
You had to know that was coming...

Two different crackle mediums with soft gel over the top of them.
You can see the huge crackles under the gel on the left.

Many, many layers of stuff.

The blue around the edges is painters tape.
Gotta hold your fabric/paper down or the crackling
will distort it.

Big, baked earth crackles

Tiny dino skin crackles

Thin layers over collage

More mad scientist experiments 

Love the bird with collage material underneath

Next, I'll add some color to that baby!

Building a Better Bird

What's on your table?

I'm working on building a better bird.
I have several samples for the April "Art & Soul" workshop but, true to fashion (mine, that is), I can't stop there.
(I have got to get better photos up there)
I am constantly striving to make everything "better"...perhaps I should say "different" instead, since the concept is the same.
Just different ways to get there.

There's this colorful bird -

As well as this one.

I think that most people love big bold hits of color in projects. I do too, but, I also think that understated color has its place.
I'm working on that right now.
Here's a couple of the parts and pieces of inspiration that I am using/working on/working from...

My work table looks like a stuffed bird graveyard right now.
Bodies, wings, beads, tail feathers and head dresses at all stages of completion.
Not to mention the driftwood (painted and wrapped), threads, torn pieces of fabric & trim, paint and thermofax screens.
Sounds like fun, eh?

New Workshop!

I have a few classes scheduled for the coming year.
One of them is in Virginia Beach (Virginia) at Art & Soul. I am really excited about this class for a couple of reasons.
The first one is because it is Art & Soul!
When I first began teaching workshops, Art & Soul was at the top of my list for places to teach. It was (and still is) the top place for innovative workshops, true creative bonding with like minded people, and so much darn fun!
It truly is the industry standard for art retreats.

The other reason is the project.
I created a workshop just for the retreat.
Not a book, not a painting (although we will paint), not drawing...instead I've planned a whimsical mobile with beaded & screen printed birds, hanging from embellished driftwood.
I have always loved mobiles. I love figuring out how to balance the weight of the treasures that I'm adding to the piece and I love searching for just the right baubles.
They are fantastic for hanging in your studio, a sunny window, kid's room or any place that needs a shot of something quaint and unusual.
And colorful.

Lots of smooth, silky driftwood. Hand picked by myself and my handsome hubby.
I tend to collect things like that when we kayak or ride our bikes along the shore.
Piles of colorful beads - shiny, matte, oblong, sparkled, square, painted and all part of the kit for the class.
Bold, colorful paint colors.
A stack of thermofax screens to screen print with (all one of a kind images drawn by yours truly).
Threads, glorious threads to stitch, wind and suspend with.
I already have several "practice" mobiles hanging in my studio window and two that are attached to the chain pulls on ceiling fans. One of those pieces was recently published in Liz Kettle's beading book (you need to check the book out! It's wonderful for first time beaders, if you need a refresher or if you need a shot of inspiration!).

We'll be doing all sorts of things in this class - here's a peek at a few of them.

Different fringe ideas with beads.
Also little crochet wings!

A variety of beaded hair styles.

Don't like crochet wings?
How about paper ones?

Beaded necklaces, different tail trims.

Ideas for eyes.

Look at this twisted beaded tail feather!

Lots and lots of ideas for beading on your birds.

I'll leave you with a shot of my work table today.
I've started on a blue and green mobile- beginning with designing my personalized fabric with screen printed images.

Nothing like a bunch of little circles, is there?