Thursday, January 28, 2010

Felt class in Silverton


Last night concluded our three week felting class. Here are some of the lovelies they made.
A delicate flower was dry felted on a beautiful bag.

These colors became this....


a purse to make you smile.

A little wool to make a woolly little sheep....

and the lining looks so nice.

Just look at the spring colors.

Felting soap a wonderful little treasure.


I'm sure this is the beginning of something big.

Izzy smells her newly made flower. Thank you everyone that was a fun class !

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

I'm Going to Hampton VA.

Here are the classes I will be teaching in Hampton VA for Art and Soul.
One of the classes is called "Can I do that Michelangelo?"This class is so much fun and the creativity that the students come up with never fails to impress me.
This piece was meant for an artist...

Here the sculpture was put in a tin can for a charity food drive to be sold at Mary Lou Zeek 100 artist show in Feb.
The Feather Inspector holds a magnifying glass....

"Where The Lost Balls Go" lives with a friend. You will be able to create one of these pieces in just one day and learn skills that go on and on......
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The other class is "Never Felt Better Bag"

We will start with roving....

add water, soap and knowledge....

more roving, some needles,.....

creativity.... yes you could make your bag into a hat.....great creativity!...

and don't forget fun....


I would love for you to join me in Hampton or Portland for these exciting classes. You can register at the Art & Soul website, see you there!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

Fun felt class

When you teach you learn to look past funny personalities to give more than what you always receive because you really like to teach.The monetary rewards are always nice, but every now and then you get a gift better than money better than fame you get a chance to catch the enthusiasm of a student, that joy when they realize they have created something very nice.
This is Izzy modeling her new hat. She is 8 years old and has worked with wool before, her family keeps sheep and she can already spin and is learning to knit. She made this hat on her own, something I wasn't sure she could do when I first met her. Boy did she turn me around.


Izzy is letting mom help needle felt the pink rose to the flap on her beautiful cap. She started with roving, a balloon some warm water and soap, she did each step with a smile on her face and funny stories for the rest of the class.

Izzy is helping another student (her mom) with the design on her felt bag.
Next week is our final class and I will post the finished projects. Something to look forward to as they are making some very nice bags.

Thursday, January 14, 2010

A must see blog

I would like to introduce you to a blog that I think is one of the most outstanding blogs I have seen yet. Here is the link and the name “The Hermitage” but let me say a few things before you go to this wonderful fairy tale. The woman that writes this blog is called Rima and she lives in a Gypsy wagon on an island far far away….
she also lives with her husband who built many items in the house on wheels...


…she draws, paints and carves the most wonderful pieces of art that I’m sure have magic in them.... ...you can see some of her work on her etsy site but do go back in her blog to see and read the story's of some of her work.I have decided to buy a piece of her art only I don't know what yet...
..she is so very talented..

..this one is a window seat in the wagon....


..and here incense drifts outside...
She has a list on her side bar called “Encourager's of Tales” I like “Snapper & the Griffin” the best so far.
Make sure to read the left side bar "Welcome Travellers" it sums the blog up nicely.

Get a cup of tea on a dark and rainy day, take a little trip and see life through the eyes of a free spirit that is loving live and making art. Enjoy!

Monday, January 4, 2010

Ready To Roll

I will be participating in Mary Lou Zeek Gallery- 100 Artist Show again this year, it is for charity with the proceeds going to the Marion and Polk County food bank.
100 artists had a tin can sent to them some months ago with the instructions that "almost anything goes". Each piece will be bid on in February at the gallery show. Some don't even last five minutes, it is a show to be seen!
This young person rides around town in a magically powered tin can auto. Warning signs on the side let everyone know this is a very temperamental vehicle, (Automatically Protected- DO NOT- work this system without first calling county fire department) reads the sign.
As I have said before I never know who will come out of the clay and was so happy and surprised to see this innocent but adventurous face appear. I have always named the sculptures as I see their story's take shape but this one will need to be named by its new owner, for now I will call him Marion Polk. The piece is 12"x 18" mixed media assemblage.

I really enjoyed making this piece for the joy of making art but also this last week end I was surrounded by three fellow art friends to seek advise, visit and laugh. It really doesn't get any better that that!

This was the fourth guest Alex he claimed the blow up bed next to the fire place but was happy to share it with his best friend. What a nice little gentleman he was. And he seemed to like everyones art.