The Art Dept

This has always been one of my very favorite shows. I was in it twice, then not invited back for whatever reason. Juried art shows are very competitive, and that’s all I can say about it! So after many years, and after moving far far away, I decided to apply. I figured, hey, I’ve quit my job, so I can travel, and it would be amazing to be in Florida right about now. So hallelujah, I got accepted. So I am heading south tomorrow morning and I must say, I can’t wait to be back. I love this show for many reasons. 1. First, they feed us. Yes indeed, they serve hot, home cooked breakfast and lunch to their artists, and then they give us a party, complete with dinner, beer and wine. What’s not to love? 2. Second, the quality of the art is top notch. Check out the video that shows the artist lineup and you’l see what I mean. Where I’ll be this weekend    Wait for it on the video- the categories are shown in alphabetical order, so of course I being a W am at the end! B...

How does Wine and Art Night sound to you?                                                  Click for more info

Here’s another satisfied customer!  Mom says: "Meara did most of the work herself (I bent the wire for her to connect the findings). She had a good time piecing it together. What a fantastic idea to sell the kits at your shows. ” Before I started selling the kits at shows, I “tried it out” on two 11 year old twins. They did great! With very little instruction, they each produced a pair of unique and artful earrings. Since then I have sold many many kits, not only for 11 year old girls, but to women who wanted a fun craft for ladies night out, for birthday parties, for stocking stuffers, for grandmas to make with her grandkids, for jewelry makers to add to their repertoire with new materials, and to jewelry lovers of all ages. At a recent show, one of my customers came by who had purchased a kit the year before. She was wearing the pair of earrings she had made from the kit, and was ready to purchase again. I loved seeing how she took the contents of the ...

       In this festive holiday workshop we will focus on designing and producing the components of mixed media collage. By the end of the session, guests will be able to take home pieces of wearable or frameable art that can be given as gifts.   Materials will include handmade textured paper, acrylic paint skins, canvas remnants, polymer clay beads, paper beads, and various painted and textured surfaces. All tools and materials will be provided to guests. Holiday snacks, coffee and cold drinks will also be available.  Santa’s Mixed Media Workshop takes place on  Saturday, December 1 Schedule for the workshop:  10 AM introduction and demonstration  10:15-11 design and build parts of parts of art 11 coffee & snack extravaganza 11:15-12 put all the parts of art together The workshop will take place in my inspiring and peaceful country studio outside Alexandria Indiana. Once your registration is completed...

       Now that autumn is officially here, and the natural color palette of the landscape is warm and muted, I am focusing on the beautiful muted green called sage. Here’s  a description and recipe from Bustanoby’s Color Manual, 1939: Sage green Grayish green of  dull character, resembling the undried narrow, wrinkled leaves of the sage plant, used as a seasoning in cooking. Sage Green was recorded as a color name as early as 1596. In the reign of King Henry VIII, when the enjoyment of food was a high art, it was customary to have kitchen gardens growing sage and other plants, used as subtle seasonings for foods. This practice is still followed today in some rural localities. 16 parts Zinc White 8 parts Yellow Ochre 1 part Ultramarine Blue Speaking of the autumn palette, here is what I have recently pulled from mine:  Always looking for harmonious blends, I find that sage green pairs well with lavender and black. ...

  Upcycled Treasure Workshop What : In this fun and innovative session we will make earrings and/or a necklace from all kinds of stuff from my studio! Materials include acrylic paint films, bits of canvas, strips of leather, various handmade papers, and beads made from twigs, clay and glass. There is no end to the possibilities that this session will bring to your jewelry making repertoire.  No previous jewelry making experience is required All materials are supplied Snacks, coffee and drinks are available  Where : The workshop will take place in my inspiring and peaceful country art studio When : Saturday, October 20, 10AM -12 to register for workshop click here

      I am a lover of paint and the painted surface. What the painted surface is able to express is a silent language that speaks with a voice louder than words. When standing before a painting, one can perceive this language, can even participate in the silent dialogue. The viewing of a painting becomes a conversation of sorts.        This month My husband and I celebrated our 40th anniversary by going to Bavaria, Germany. During our stay we visited five museums and saw firsthand over 2000 years of history expressed in paint. With bated breath I stood before masterful oil paintings I had heretofore only studied in art history textbooks.       One such painting was done by Rembrandt Van Rijn in 1661, and is entitled “The Resurrected Christ”. In this painting the viewer is face to face with a life size Christ who has risen from the dead.  Christ is boldly and with an expression of love and understanding facing his audi...