Art and Soul . . . Year two!

Art and Soul Retreats

Well another year, another Art and Soul experience and I have to say that this year

was all the more awesome!  I took two wonderful classes over a four day period and I enjoyed

each one as much as the other.

Each class was a totally different experience.

This year they held it in my own home town,

Virginia Beach, VA

so of course I had to attend!

It first begun with a Needle Felted mini-journal class

with Liz Kettle,

she was amazing!

I haven't stopped reading her book "Threads the Basics and Beyond"

 since I returned home.  

If you get the chance to take a class with her,

don't miss the opportunity.

 Loved the felting machine

 Liz Kettle

 Me and my specs

 Had to doodle on the watercolor pages

My finished book!

Liz began by demonstrating needle felting on a sponge, by hand,

which is the way I have always learned.  We then were able to use the new 

Simplicity Needle Felting machines

and it made the experience so much easier.

Every person in class was able to stitch on the felting machines,

it was so much fun.

I loved adding each and every embellishment to my book cover.

You know I am a fiber artist first, so playing with

all of the fibers made me a very happy and creative girl.

Sitting across from me was a girl I knew as familiar, and

finally realized that we had attended the

Serendipity Art Retreat together last fall.

Heather Smith was such a love!

This art world of ours is very small

and I love how we continue to re-connect with each other.

She also was signed up to take my next class,

with Jesse Reno!

Yet another incredible experience.

I signed up for a two day workshop with

Jesse Reno called Freedom to Create.

I have always heard his class was incredible,

but hearing it and experiencing it

are two totally different things.

 Creative exercise with Jesse

 My little Owlie

( I was thinking of Juliette Crane)

My four finished pieces

 The amazing Jesse guiding us along

 I could watch him paint all day

 His finished class demo

I was very excited to re-connect with

Mindy Lacefield

a precious friend of mine.

We got to paint beside each other for two days

 and the

blessing was all mine.

Watching her in her zone is all inspiring to me.

I am excited to be taking her 

"Paint your Story" e- course

starting in a month,

I encourage you to check it out.

 Mindy Lacefield right by my side

I love this woman!!!

Anytime I can attend something artistic,

 I truly consider it a gift.

It is a time where I can re-connect with myself,

be playful and learn a new technique.

I fill my eyes with the work of others and I

am inspired by their creativity.

Learning and playing are good for the soul.

When I can step away from the demands

of real life,

if only for a moment in time,

connect with friends,

be with like minded people and

create art,

listen to someone else's philosophy

about creating art,

I consider it a very good thing.

I returned home inspired and motivated

to do good work.

It was wonderful, enlightening, inspiring

and a very happy experience.

Hmmm . . . I wonder who I will

study with next year?

Jesse's beginning of painting

done with his hands

Sheer Awesomeness