ArtFest - Day 4

I started Saturday off by making a run into town for Sudafed, cough drops and Vitamin C...I don't know how it happened but I was brewing a bad bug! Today was my "Who's Your Dada" class with Linda and Opie O'Brien and I was so mad that I felt rotten! After dosing up and some warm oatmeal I felt better and I was on my way. This class was held in the Chapel right inside the entrance to Fort Worden. This was my favorite classroom...large, airy with filtered light coming through the windows. Linda and Opie were so much fun...they have such a great rapport and they're both hoots! I loved listening to their banter. I don't know how many times Linda told Opie "this is the last time I'll interrupt you" and then interrupted the next sentence that came out of his mouth. It was hilarious! I've admired their work ever since I happened on their book Metal Craft Discovery Workshop. I really wanted to get into this class and was so excited to find out I had. The class is described as "celebrating all things DADA" and the dolls are "wild, whimsical, non-traditional and outrageously fun." And I have to agree whole-heartedly. Everyone seemed to have fun making their dolls and they were everything from sweet to outrageous!




And here's mine....

Saturday night was Show and Tell...a time for all of us to share what we had been creating. It was held in three large rooms where everyone was invited to display their work. It was amazing to see what everyone had done. It also gave me ideas about whose classes I'd like to take in the future. We ended the night back in the dorm, talking til all hours and watching Cathy as she drew caricatures of all of us.




I had a wonderful time at ArtFest. If you ever get a chance to spend time with 500+ people who all love to do the same thing you do...jump at it! I know I'll treasure these few days and the good friends I made here for a long time!
Happy Trails to Artfest...until we meet again!

ArtFest - Day 3

Friday started off with deer visiting us for breakfast. Fort Worden is a really lovely place...from the grounds to the beach. My class today was called "Stone Pages" taught by Bee Shay. This was a very ambitious class with the possibility of completing 3 copper and mica projects. None of us got to the third project which was to be completed out of the leftovers from the first two. The nice thing is that we can all finish that on our own. The first project was a copper and mica necklace. The second was a bound composite mica book made up of mica pages. It's really gorgeous. Bee is such a sweet person...she shared with us that the wool binding material she gave us actually came from a boiled wool jacket which had belonged to her mother, now passed away. It made the book feel that much more special to have that connection somehow. Bee shared some wonderful preserved butterfly wings and dried flowers with us along with images of birds and nests. This was a fun class...there was a lot of sharing of tools and supplies. That's one thing that I noticed in each class I took...everyone was SO generous about sharing their supplies. I only took one picture in this class...of Bee at the beginning. I had intended on taking more but we were so busy it just never happened!




Friday evening was Vendor Night. This is an artist's marketplace where some of the artists sell everything from tools and ephemera to gorgeous jewelry, canvases, art dolls and more! It's loud and crowded and a feast for the eyes...I bought a few small things but mostly just looked and enjoyed. The highlight for me was having Jo, Cathy, Miki and Grace come out and join me for Vendor's Night. It was so sweet of them to come...we had a great time looking at all the gorgeous things for sale...and it made me so happy to have my own art friends share this with me!

ArtFest - Day 2

Thursday was the first day of classes. After breakfast (really good food!) everyone scattered in different directions...classes were held all over the Fort Worden complex. My first class was called "Of Nested Visions" and was taught by Marilin and Tracie Lyn Huskamp. Tracie Lyn is Marilyn's daughter-in-law. They're a wonderful team...sweet, funny and talented. The focus of the first half of the class was building birds' nests using horse hair and other natural elements. Tracie Lyn demonstrated the technique for us then we all went to work. She also showed us how to tint dried leaves to restore their bright colors. The second half of the day was spent assembling collages using our nests, other natural elements, vintage book covers and other ephemera. The assemblages are sized to fit into either 5x7 or 8x10 shadow boxes.





Thursday evening there was an artist panel discussion held in the Pavilion moderated by Lynne Parrella. Three groups of six artists answered and discussed questions on all sorts of art related topics. It was an interesting evening and fun to actually see and hear artists whose work I've admired. After this, it was back to the dorm where we spent several more hours congregated in the common area working on our projects from the morning, talking and trading. Nancy even showed us how to paint backgrounds on a bed sheet (no, we didn't use one off our beds...it came from the Goodwill) with acrylics and shaving cream!

Artfest - Day 1

Well, I'm back from ArtFest and recovering from 4 days of wonderful, artful camaraderie and one nasty cold! I'm sure I'll get over the cold but I hope I never get over the feelings of shared creativity with like-minded women that I experienced there. Everyone I met was welcoming, warm and generous. Each of them had come to learn and explore, make new friends or reunite with old ones and have a great time creating art in a beautiful setting. I couldn't ask for a better experience for my first art retreat. Wednesday afternoon started with check-in where we each received a beautiful art bag filled with information and goodies to "see us through" the week. After check-in it was time to move in to my room in Dorm 202. I loved my little room...just big enough for me and Octavia and all the stuff (too much!) I'd brought with me. I found myself nested between Nancy and Barb...sisters-in-law who came to be my art buddies for the duration. Next, came the meeting of the Festal Virgins (first timers) at Alexander's Castle where we shared some champagne and chocolate and a few virginal trades. The trading really took off as we gathered in the Commons for dinner. Everyone who had made trades was there either offering or asking and I had little time to admire one before someone else was offering me another! After dinner and the kick-off meeting in the Pavillion we all went back to our dorms and admired all the lovely things people had made to trade. It felt just like Halloween when I was little and we'd come home and pour out our bags of treats and ooh and aah over each piece of candy. We sat up and talked for hours...all excited about the classes that would start the next morning!

Grab your octopus chapeau...it's time for Art Fest!

Well, it's almost time to leave for ArtFest! I'm all packed and ready...I just need to throw in a few last minute essentials and I'll be off to Fort Worden for 4 days of arty fun! I'm so excited...I've wanted to go to ArtFest for the last few years and now I'm going! I have to admit I'm a little nervous...I keep replaying that "new girl holding her lunch tray in a cafeteria full of unfamiliar faces" scene in my head. But I'm sure once I get there and actually say hi to someone it'll all be fine. Here are the swaps I made to take with me...this is going to be a big highlight for me...trading with everyone else. I have some ATCs, a glass bubble magnet with one of my moo cards and a recycled (green for Lyneen!) test tube full of Fort Worden beach sand and shells. Last but not least is my purple "Festal Virgin" ribbon and some mermaid charms for the other virgins. I can't wait to come back and tell you all about it...hope I packed everything!



I almost forgot Octavia...Sara made this crocheted dolly for me to take to ArtFest so I wouldn't be lonely. Isn't she smashing? She's wearing a lovely pearl brooch and she's bringing along her pet octopus. She should fit right in don't you think??

Vintage Spring Sweetness

Dear Linda at A Swap for All Seasons has done it again! The Vintage Spring Sweetness swap was so much fun. For this round of swapping I was partnered with Mimi. Be sure to spend some time looking at her blog and her Etsy shop Dandelion Wishes. She has such a great style and puts so much love into her creations. I purchased one of her soldered charms and they're just beautiful! Take a look at the lovely package she put together for me. Thank you Mimi...I just love it!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Be sure to pinch a leprechaun before he pinches you!

Buttons and Beeswax

Our lunch ladies group met last week for another great afternoon of shared fun, food and art. Cathy and Jo had the table all set for lunch including a gorgeous beeswax collage for each of us. Cathy and Jo are simply THE best and most gracious hostesses! After lunch we set to work on two different projects. Jo manned the beeswax station and Cathy taught us how to use her new fabulous button maker. I loved working with the
beeswax...it gave such a wonderful finish to each piece. I tried it on two atcs I had previously made and a new hanging collage piece I'm taking to my sister later this month. Jo showed us how to change the finish of the beeswax using either a heat gun or a small quilting iron. I loved it and I know I want to try it again. I'm on the prowl for an old crockpot for heating the beeswax. I can just see poor Q rolling his eyes and saying "another kitchen appliance taken for the sake of art." I promise...I won't use ours! Cathy's button maker was a big hit and I think we all had a great time using it. No, wait...I think Lyneen was so taken by the beeswax that she never made it over to the button maker! But, the rest of us had a great time. We made pin backs and flat backs. Once I got home I realized the flat back buttons worked perfectly with some pendant bales I had so I just had to make myself a new necklace. It was another fun afternoon spent with this special group. I'm just sad that I forgot to bring my camera this time so I have no photos of the actual festivities. But rest assured...Dagger did indeed come down for a dance with Grace!

Red Lead Charm Swap

We've had another charm swap on the RedLead Group. I love these three for three swaps...they're so much fun. This month I received charms from Allison, Susie and Lori. I love Allison's black, white and red charm...that's one of my favorite color combinations. Susie's charm is a wooden disc with spring flowers and a small crystal. I've been lucky enough to receive charms from Susie before and I love her style. Lori's charm is so striking with all the silver and gold. And it's such a coincidence...Lori made her charm using vinyl tubing and I just found some the other day when I was at the Creation Station. I had planned to try it out for the next swap! Thanks ladies...can't wait for the next one! And speaking of the next one...if you like to swap charms join us for the April swap due the last day of the month. In honor of Earth Day we're making "green" charms. Use something used or recycled in your charm...take a look here and join us!

Did you SPRING forward??

Baby Take a Bow

My mom and I both love old Shirley Temple movies...who doesn't right? So I made this card for a movie themed swap with her in mind and I'm sending one off to her today! Love you mumma!

March Countdown

I know it's hard to believe it's March already...February came and went before I knew it! It's time for another countdown at Ten Two Studios. Click here starting today to see the new images Lisa Vollrath has in store for us. Thanks Lisa!