Virginia Art and Soul Retreat Artists
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Lisa Call & Scott David Plumlee Lisa Call is a jewelry designer who has been creating and crafting in an array of mediums all her life.  She left the corporate tech world to raise her girls and find time for other interests.  Wirework, metal, and beads are her main passions, and she has spent the last five years focusing on metalsmithing, wirework, beading, and Precious Metal Clay (as a PMC Certified Artisan).  You can see her website at www.LisaMarieCall.com Scott David Plumlee has been inspiring a new generation of chain jewelers over the past decade, leading 100+ workshops nationwide. Scott has recently published his first book Handcrafting Chain & Bead Jewelry to much acclaim, and is in progress of a five-book series. A world traveler and jack-of-all-trades, Plumlee has studied ancient cultures and their craft designs while trekking throughout 32 countries on four continents. 1138 Silver PMC Byzantine Chain Bracelet- Friday [RETURN TO TOP]

Sally Jean Alexander Sally Jean is a self-taught mixed media artist/jewelry designer who has been creating art all her life...from hand-painted sneakers to Raku pottery. After leaving a career in real estate, she began creating her vintage art collage charms in 1998 using her signature antique papers, vintage photographs, and found objects. Her jewelry and artwork can be found at boutiques and galleries across the country and online. She has been featured in Oregon Home Magazine, Quilting Arts magazine, Mary Englebreit’s Home Companion, and the West Linn Tidings. Her philosophy, do what you love; she does! www.sallyjean.com. 1100 Soldering for Virgins: The Whole Sha-Bang- Thursday 1101 Little Pink Houses- Friday 1102 The Girls Got Gothic- Sunday 1103 Bottle-icious Brooch- Monday [RETURN TO TOP]

Doris Arndt Known for her whimsical style, Doris Arndt has shared her love of books and other media throughout the country, teaching workshops  for over 15 years.   Her non-traditional approach and innovative bindings have earned her loyal student followings.  Her work has been seen in the Studio, Somerset Studio, The Rubber Stamper, Rubberstampmadness and in several books as well as on the Carol Duvall show and at shows nationwide.  She attended the University of Louisville and has been a freelance artist for over 30 years. She shares her home with her patient husband, three cats and a dog.  Life is good.  http://dorisarndt.com/   Email  thphantom@aol.com   1104 Brown Bag It, Baby- Thursday Eve 1106 Beaded Goddess Necklace- Friday Eve [RETURN TO TOP]

Keely Barham Keely was an art director for over 11 years. Since then, she has designed and sold polymer clay jewelry and has runs her own fabric arts business, Fabric Frog Designs. She incorporates painting faux finishes and trompe l’oeil as a part of her fabric creations. Her work has been published in Somerset Studio, Belle Armoire, and Rubberstampmadness and she participated in the book “Art Doll Chronicles.” www.itsmysite.com/fabricfrogdesigns. 1107 Crazy Quilt Panel Purse- Thursday 1108 Freeform Peyote Pouch- Friday 1109 Fabric Persona Journal- Sunday [RETURN TO TOP]

Traci Bautista Traci is creative director of treiC Designs, a mixed media artist, designer and author. She creates vibrantly colored handmade journals, REVAMPED clothing, custom handbags and collage paintings that are layered with rich textures of stained papers, painted sewn fabric, “girlie glam” ink drawings and free style lettering. Traci travels across the country and internationally to offer workshops on handmade artist’s books and mixed media. She designs, [kōL LäJ], an eclectic line of hand painted paper aRt! kits. Her artwork has been featured in various magazines, books and on HGTV & DIY. Traci is the author of, Collage Unleashed, and writes a column called Creativity Unleashed in Somerset Studio Magazine. To learn more about her artwork, events and creative musings visit www.treicdesigns.com or her blog [creativityUNLEASHED] http://kollaj.typepad.com. 1110 Doodles & Letters- Thursday Eve 1111 Girlie Glam Canvas Book- Friday 1112 Monoprints & Drizzles- Sunday 1113 Graffiti Idea Book- Sunday Eve [RETURN TO TOP]

Traci Bunkers I'm a passionate & quirky self-employed mixed-media/fiber artist who makes all kinds of cool stuff. I love rusty things, glitter glue, old books to cut up and cheap cameras. I'm smiling when my hands are dirty with paint or when I've MacGyvered a camera. It means I'm doing what I love--making art and doing things with my hands. Lucky for me, I do what I love for a living. I am a mixed-media/fiber artist with my fingers in many media including photography and book arts. I am an avid visual journaler, believing it helps to get it all out on the page's the good, the bad and the ugly. I am also obsessed with non-traditional & alternative photography such as pinhole, polaroid and toy cameras. Aside from selling spinning fibers and yarns that I dye and create through my one-woman business Bonkers Handmade Originals, I also create an artzine called Tub Legs, have a line of rubber stamps, design knitwear for yarn companies and magazines and am a knitting, spinning and crochet technical editor. I have been teaching classes at various gatherings and conferences across the US for over 16 years. My visual journal pages and artwork have been featured in many books, including  The Creative Entrepreneur: A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real by Sonora Beam, True Vision: Authentic Art Journaling by L. K. Ludwig, 1,000 Artist Journal Pages: Personal Pages and  Inspirations by Dawn Sokol, Kaleidoscope: Ideas And Projects to Spark Your Creativity by Suzanne Simanaitis, and The Complete Guide to Altered Imagery by Karen Michel. Check out my website at  www.TraciBunkers.com 1115 Uber Self-Portraits- Thursday 1116 Printing Blocks MacGyver Style- Thursday Eve 1117 Mucho Gusto Grande Carving- Friday Eve 1118 Confessions of a Daily Journaler- Saturday 1119 The Prepared Journal or Artist's Book- Monday [RETURN TO TOP]

Zana Clark Zana Clark is Stamp Zia, a nationally known, award-winning multimedia artist whose current line of art rubber stamps is turning stampers across the country into artists. Her work has been featured in numerous rubber stamping periodicals, books and on HGTV’s Decorating with Style series.  Her unique teaching style, paired with her original Zia stamps, continue to create quite a rubber flutter with fellow stamp lovers and artisans. Zana’s Art and Soul mission is to challenge you to discover through watercolor, a fresh passion for this exciting media and create larger, more spectacular pieces of stamp art, using her innovative techniques. 1120 Zia's Soul Map- Thursday 1121 Zia's Underwater Nature Spheres- Thursday Eve 1122 Zia's Painted Prose Panels- Friday [RETURN TO TOP]

Juliana Coles Personal Mythology: I began my creative journey at an early age by keeping a sketchbook as soon as my tiny hand could hold a stylus. I have maintained a practice of writing my inner thoughts in a journal since the age of 11, and have combined the two, in some form or another since I was 14. I developed a solid foundation for my expression by receiving my BFA from the Academy of Art College in San Francisco with a minor in English and Dance. My path as an artist has brought me awards and grants. Based on my artistic expression, I developed Extreme Journaling as a tool for healing and self dialogue in 1992 for the Epilepsy Society, and I have taught and refined my unique and pioneering process that combines journal writing with art making in the safe container of a book ever since. I offer workshops and retreats internationally, including my recent Visual Journaling retreat in Greece ( http://destinyvoyages.com/ for info). Please view my work at http://www.captainsblog.typepad.com/ 1123 Circus, Circus Big Book of Postcards- Saturday 1124 Reconstruction Era: Rebuilding the Self Through Shadow (2 Days)- Sunday/Monday 1125 Extreme Journalism: Into the Shadowy Mist- Sunday Eve [RETURN TO TOP]

Michael deMeng My work is about transformations.  It is about the transformation of the common into the sacred.    Discarded materials find new and unexpected uses in my work; they are reassembled and conjoined with unlikely components, a form of rebirth from the ashes into new life and new meaning.   These assemblages are metaphors for the evolutions and  revolutions of existence:  from life to death to rebirth, from new to old to renewed, from construction to destruction to reconstruction.  These forms are examinations of the world in perpetual flux, where meaning and function are ever-changing.  www.michaeldemeng.com  1126 Transparency Collage-ssemblage- Saturday 1127 Morpheus Box: A Transformation Chamber- Sunday 1128 Creative Outlets- Monday [RETURN TO TOP]

Lisa Engelbrecht Lisa Engelbrecht is a lettering and multi- media artist and instructor in calligraphy and taught for years at Cerritos College in California . Lisa teaches workshops and classes internationally specializing in lettering on fabric, experimental lettering and the creative process. Lisa has been on the faculty of six international lettering conferences and teaches at collage, quilting and alternative arts conferences nationwide. In 2006 Lisa introduced new multi- media classes at the International Quilt Show in Houston, Texas and will return in 2008. She is interested not only in classical letterforms but also alternative surfaces for lettering and current street influences on modern calligraphy. She is a frequent contributor to Somerset Studios and her work on fabric was featured on the covers of Legacies and Quilting Arts magazines. Lisa is also a freelance lettering artist for American Greetings. AND she is the author of the book from Rockport Publishing, Modern Mark Making, from Classic Calligraphy to Hip Lettering.( published this summer!) Lisa's work can be seen in the June 2008 issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion. Her classes are fast, fun and totally stress free! http:///www.lisaengelbrecht.com  1129 Hand-Lettered Collage Quilt- Sunday 1130 Cross My Heart--Hand-Lettered Heart Pillows- Monday [RETURN TO TOP]

Daniel Essig Daniel Essig is a  studio artist and instructor living in Asheville, North Carolina. Daniel teaches book arts workshops at book centers, craft schools and colleges. He is a recipient of the North Carolina Artist Fellowship Grant. Dan exhibits his work nationally and is in numerous private and public collections recently his work has been collected by the Smithsonian Renwick Museum and The Charolette Smith Collection of Miniature Books  at University of Iowa Libraries. Many of Daniel’s sculptural pieces are featured in The Penland Book of Handmade Books.    For more information on Daniel, visit his website:  www.danielessig.com 1131 Mica Cover: Herring-Bone Binding- Friday Eve 1132 Back to Back- Saturday 1133 Windows & Closures- Sunday 1134 Double Longstitch Book- Sunday Eve 1135 Mica Album- Monday [RETURN TO TOP]

Anne Grgich Born in Harbor City, California in 1961, Anne Grgich began making spontaneous art at the age of fifteen, mostly by clandestinely painting in her family’s books, or making junk constructions. She first introduced collage into her work around 1988, but took it to a higher level in 1997 during a period of illness. During her convalescence she worked in bed, making paintings on file cards and CD’s and organizing collages from material she had collected. When she had recovered, later that year she began to produce collage paintings — images of people encountered over time in the street and in mind journeys that manifest themselves and recombine, according to her mood, in the process of creation. Recently, she has described her faces and people as ‘manifestations of conglomerated persona, in a way acting out these characters’. In a way they are a displacement for action in the world out there; fragments of experience, thought and interaction brought together to produce new possibilities out of contemplation. As she puts it, ‘bundling images, separating them’, then looking for ‘interrelating pieces to build meaning and feeling’. Seen separately these faces are individually commanding, but seen together, they form not so much a series of portraits as a group of living presences. excerpted from " Life pulsating, troubled, exalting —work by Anne Marie Grgich" by Colin Rhodes from Museum Création Franche, March 2005, Issue #24by Colin Rhodes Anne Grgich Contact: Website: www.annegrgich.com Email: angelicagrgich@gmail.com 1136 Landscapes of the Mind- Saturday 1137 Painterly Portrait Books- Monday [RETURN TO TOP]

Sherri Haab Sherri Haab is a best selling craft author with over 20 published books to her credit, with several titles selling over a million copies each. Award winning titles include: The Incredible Clay Book, (Klutz ), The Art of Metal Clay, Metal Clay and Mixed Media Jewelry, The Art of Resin Jewelry, Beaded Macramé Jewelry and Designer Style Jewelry (Watson Guptill). She is a certified metal clay instructor, leading numerous PMC craft and jewelry making workshops nationwide. She also develops new craft products including her patented "Image Transfer Solution". Sherri has recently released 2 DVD's (Metal Clay and Resin) and has appeared on several television programs (HGTV, DIY and PBS). She lives with her family in Springville, Utah.    1139 Image Transfer PMC Jewelry- Saturday 1140 PMC Charms--Textures and Molds- Sunday 1141 Macrame Mermaid Necklace- Sunday Eve [RETURN TO TOP]

Jan Harris Since childhood, art has always been an important part of Jan's life.  She has pursued her art education at various universities in across the West, as well as participating in numerous specialized workshops.   Initially focusing in watercolor and collage, Jan began to experiment with three dimensional art and fell in love with the shine of metal, the glitter of glass and the mellowness of natural materials such as gourds.  Her current work reflects the synergy that results from the combination of these eclectic materials. Jan has been instructing art classes for the past 12 years in Idaho, Oregon and Washington and her work has been featured in galleries and shows in several Westerns states, as well as publications, including Somerset Studio, Transparent Art and Haute Handbag.  Jan is a member of the Mosaic Art Alliance and Portland Art Collective and is represented by the Sixth Street Gallery in Vancouver, WA.  Jan's blog: http://purplebirdart.blogspot.com  Email:purplebirdart@q.com 1142 Beachcomber Bracelet- Sunday Eve [RETURN TO TOP]

Chrissie Hines I am a late blooming artist and have found that I also enjoy sharing my ideas and teaching to support this artistic passion I have discovered. I live and love that saying, “art is too much fun to be restricted to those who are good at it”. I especially like trying new products or using old products in a new way. My classes are always fun and include a lot of techniques with time to "play". I am teaching book classes at the Maryland Hall for the  Creative Arts as well as my local stamp store and  sell my things  locally in Galesville. No web site yet but you can contact me at afoolishmaven@aol.com 1143 Chris Cloth Journal- Sunday Eve 1144 Taylors Timepiece- Monday [RETURN TO TOP]

Tracie Lyn and Marylin Huskamp This mother and daughter-in-law team has been close friends for over fifteen years. They not only share a love for Marylin's oldest son, but also are both passionate about art. Tracie Lyn Huskamp holds a B.F.A. in Graphic Design with an emphasis in Fine Art. She works as a freelance Product Designer/Illustrator. Her passion for mixed media and collage fuels the fires of her creative spirit, and continues to lead her on a wondrous journey of artistic and self-discovery. Always striving for the perfect balance and integration of elements and processes in every piece, Tracie enjoys making art that is thoughtful, intricate, and beautiful. Tracie's mixed media work has received both regional and national recognition. Her art has appeared on the cover of Somerset Studios, along with feature articles in Cloth, Paper, Scissors Magazine, Stampington's Artful Blogger, Stampington"s Life Images, and Quilting Arts Gifts Issue Special Publications. She has contributed to a number of artist's books such as 1000 Artist Journal Pages by Dawn Sokol, True Vision by L.K. Ludwig, The Creative Entrepreneur by Lisa Sonora Beam, and more.  Her new book published through Rockport/Quarry is due to hit retail stores in September 2009. Marylin Huskamp is a self-taught artist, who has a love of mixed media and fibers. She has worked with these mediums in various ways for over 40 years. Her passion began when she started making dolls. It has since evolved into composing beautiful works of art. She is constantly experimenting to find new and interesting ways to achieve greater depth in her pieces. Marylin's fiber work has received national recognition. Her art has appeared in Somerset Belle Armoire, Altered Couture, Haute Handbag, Cloth Paper Scissors, and Fibre & Stitch. She is a proud contributor to the book Shared Vision by L.K. Ludwig. 1145 Fiber Fusion Journal House- Sunday 1146 Nature Preserved Journal- Monday [RETURN TO TOP]

Stephanie Lee A modern day expeditioner, I practice my own version of archeology, scanning the terrain for intriguing bits and pieces that present themselves. I am most inspired by nature and its melodic effects on the human spirit with my intention being to offer a simple, yet organic, approach to viewers in my work. Passionate about repurposing everyday objects, I am committed to reinventing normal into something eclectic, expressive, lighthearted and potentially spiritually stimulating all at once. Having traveled all over the United States and internationally to offer creative instruction, I find respite in my home studio in the valleys of Southern Oregon where I work from home -continually influenced by the view out my studio windows, witty comments from my young daughters, and the ebb and flow of creative energy. My own book featuring my found object jewelry titled "Semiprecious Salvage" arrived in bookstores February 2008. Blog: www.stephanielee.typepad.com Website: www.stephanieleestudios.com 1147 Art Excavation--Plaster Meets Wax- Saturday 1148 Chain Gang- Sunday 1149 Plaster Pages- Sunday Eve 1150 Junk Drawer Metalsmithing- Monday [RETURN TO TOP]

Susan Lenart-Kazmer Trained conceptually at the Art Institute of Chicago, I create elaborate one of a kind pieces for adornment, deep with spiritual and historical meaning. I consider myself a contemporary builder of Talismans jewelry. My work is drawn from my own personal real life experiences. My work is about real life and real people.  In the past, I have explored as many different styles in designing as in marketing. I moved freely from retail to wholesale, mass-production to creating pieces to exhibit in museums and at the American Craft Council.  I have embraced and learned from it all, however joyful or painful. I consider all of these experiences enriching and a vital contribution to my present body of work. As an educator, I consider myself a teacher of creativity. To me, creativity is the process of stretching the mind to create a solution when all the doors are shut. It is the creative process that leads the artist to the solution. Being an artist is about solving problems by coming up with solutions. I like to pull individuality from my students and give others permission to build or work with anything, in combination with metals. In my retreats students learn a lot of technique, build personal Talismans and relics from whatever culture we are among ….be it Mexico, Turkey or Oregon. My recent accomplishment was to compile 20 years of my own research on cold joining and attaching metals in my book called, Making Connections- A Handbook for Jewelers and Mixed Media Artists. I am also co-founder of an on line jewelry supply and education site www.objectsandelements.com       1151 Prayer Box Series- Thursday 1152 Transparents--New Works in Pages, Paper and Plastics (2 parts)- Thursday Eve/Friday 1153 Uncommon Objects--in Tassels and Fringe- Friday Eve 1154 Objects & Elements: Creating Talisman Jewelry- Saturday [RETURN TO TOP]

Leighanna Light Leighanna Light is an art instructor &  a figurative assemblage artist known for her whimsical style & unique use of found objects.   Her background is in fine arts & photography, but she considers herself self taught when it comes to the assemblage work that she now creates.  She has been instructing art workshops  for the past 10 years, teaching  workshops locally & internationally. Leighanna is represented by galleries & museums across the country & work has  been published in numerous books & magazines including The Studio, Art Doll Quarterly & Somerset Studio. “I love to create, to hunt for things to create with & to share my creativity with others.  It’s what I live for,  it’s my oxygen.” Leighanna grew up in a small town in upstate New York. She has spent most of the past 18 years in Albuquerque, New Mexico with her best friend Sam.   Visit Leighanna at:  http://lklight.blogspot.com 1155 Jumbo Wooden Treasure Deck- Thursday 1156 Vintage Metal Treasure Deck- Friday 1157 A Place to Nest--The Birdhouse- Sunday [RETURN TO TOP]

Keith Lo Bue Keith Lo Bue is a jeweler, sculptor and teacher who has work in many major collections, including the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, DC and the Museum of Arts & Design in New York.  His work has been exhibited all around the US and in Germany, Australia, New Zealand, France, Ireland and England. Books featuring Lo Bue's work include One of a Kind: American Art Jewelry Today (US), 1000 Rings (Lark), The Art & Craft of Collage (UK), and Schmuck '98 (Germany), Metalsmith, American Craft and Ornament magazines (US), and the Virtual Gallery of Contemporary Jewellery CD-ROM (UK). His workshop entitled PRECIOUS LITTLE has been presented to enthusiastic reviews at Haystack, Penland and dozens of other art and craft institutions across the United States, Canada and Australia. Lo Bue lives and works in Sydney, Australia. 1158 Tools of the Trade- Friday 1159 Getting Attached--Rivet Making Revealed- Friday Eve 1160 Precious Little: Poetics of the Found-Object (2 Days)- Saturday/Sunday 1161 Weathering & Distressing Techniques- Monday [RETURN TO TOP]

LK Ludwig Passionate about creating rich visual journal pages and intriguing artist books, LK Ludwig has authored four books: Mixed Media Nature Journals  , True Vision: Authentic Art Journaling , Collaborative Artist Journals, and Creative Wildfire: An Introduction to Art Journaling Basics and Beyond.   LK is a firm believer that by working with what we know and using accessible art materials- a digital camera, a printer, and basic art supplies- we can create wonderful, meaningful artwork. With studio spaces that are in the middle of her family's life (the entry way of their home and an island in the kitchen of their river cottage), with small children, an artist-husband, and a puppy underfoot, LK works each day, inspired by what she sees through her camera lens and with her heart.  LK lives in Pennsylvania and  loves traveling throughout the U.S. teaching classes on art journaling, bookbinding, artist books, and doll-making.  Visit her blog at gryphonsfeather.typepad.com. 1162 Master Metal Mesh- Saturday 1163 True Vision Preview (2 Days)- Sunday/Monday [RETURN TO TOP]

Barbara McGuire Barbara A. McGuire is a nationally acknowledged author and artist whose diverse talents include works in polymer clay, painting and jewelry design. She has written 10 books on design and instruction and has developed stamps, templates and molds for artists working in polymer and metal clays. Barbara has appeared as a regular guest of the popular Carol Duvall show. Her work reflects a strong influence of traditional design incorporating innovative materials and collected artifacts. She lives in Buford, Georgia and teaches throughout the country at shows, stores, via internet and in her home studio. barbara@barbaramcguire.com www.barbaramcguire.com 1164 Folk Art Angels- Thur. afternoon 1165 Beeswax ATC- Thursday Eve 1166 Mokume w/Gold Leaf- Friday Eve [RETURN TO TOP]

Linda and Opie O'Brien Opie and Linda O'Brien are mixed-media artists, authors and workshop instructors, who enjoy pushing the envelope in myriad ways, using organic, recycled and found materials because they seem to have a voice that must be heard, a story that must be told, and a life that would otherwise be too soon forgotten. They consider themselves "caretakers of the mundane and the ordinary" and their unique offerings include jewelry, dada dolls & recyclabots, assemblage, books, collage, masks and more. They teach art workshops nationally and internationally based on techniques in their books: Who’s Your Dada-Redefining the Doll through Mixed Media and Metal Craft Discovery Workshop. They like to fan the flames of creativity and believe there’s an artist inside everyone and that sometimes all you need is a place to begin. Their work has been featured in over 27 books including Larks 500 Handmade Dolls and 500 Handmade Books and in magazines including Cloth Paper Scissors, Studios, Art Doll Quarterly, Belle Armoire, Somerset Studio, Legacy, Handcrafted and The Craft Report, in addition to art galleries, museum gift shops and both group and solo shows. Opie, an artist and musician, attended SVA in N.Y.C., while Linda is self-taught. New York City transplants, they now live in Ohio on Lake Erie with their cat Angelus and his cat Angel. http://www.burntofferings.com or http://burntofferings.typepad.com For more information about the artists, visit their website and blog at:     1167 Gourd & Metal Jewelry: an Alchemical Marriage of Media- Thursday 1168 Who's Your DADA?: Series 2-Figurative Assemblages- Friday 1170 Fe Fi Faux and Then Some!!!- Saturday 1171 Simply "ear" Resistible 2- Sunday [RETURN TO TOP]

Scott David Plumlee Scott David Plumlee has been inspiring a new generation of chain jewelers over the past decade, leading 150 workshops nationwide. Plumlee is the author of Handcrafting Chain and Bead Jewelry, retailing over 35,000 copies since 2007.  His second book, Chain and Bead Jewelry: Creative Connections will release in July 2009.  Scott is a world traveler who finds his inspiration from the exploration of ancient craft designs while trekking throughout thirty-two countries on four continents.  He currently resides in the enchanted foothills of Taos, NM. Author Statement: Handcrafting chain jewelry allows me to explore my curiosity of the natural world in the study of geometry and geology to combine metal and mineral. I have been making chain jewelry for the past thirteen years and progressively energized because it is a continuous scenario of problems to be solved. Employing creativity to turn the intangible images in my mind from sketchbook into sterling silver wire creations that are comfortable to wear and stunning to behold. I challenge myself to create innovative chain designs by utilizing curiosity as a guide and creativity as a catalyst to find new solutions to the age-old question of how to combine silver and gemstones. Over the past decade, I have found that the path of least resistance in creating new designs is simply to be aware of the possibilities within the happy accident and explore my imagination with reckless abandonment. Handcrafting chain jewelry is not merely a lifelong passion; to me it is a vehicle to teach a new generation of artists and a platform to publish a series of tutorial books. Email: sdp@davidchain.com     Website: www.davidchain.com 1174 Three Flower Earrings- Thursday Eve 1175 Triangle Pendant- Friday Eve [RETURN TO TOP]

Stephanie Rubiano Stephanie Jones Rubiano is a native Austinite who graduated magna cum laude from Texas A&M at Galveston with a Bachelors of Science in Marine Biology.  She worked as an environmental scientist for a major drilling company in Houston, TX for five years after that.  Therefore, it stands to reason that she has now chosen art as her career path.  She is a mixed-media artist who creates dimensional works within shadow boxes using a variety of uncommon objects.  Her love of nature and fascination with Victorian photography is apparent through her combination of antique photographs and real butterfly or moth wings.  Bits of text illustrate her irreverence for straight-laced Victorian society and lend a whimsical air to her pieces.  Stephanie’s inner science geek is assuaged by her writing the scientific name of each butterfly or moth specimen on the back of the box next to her signature.  Stephanie teaches sold-out workshops at national art retreats and has had work in past mediums shown in galleries and boutiques across the United States.  She is an emerging artist on the art festival scene.  In October of 2008 she participated in her first nationally-ranked art festival, the Bayou City Art Festival in Houston, TX and placed 2nd overall out of 300 national artists.  Her work has graced the covers of magazines and books, as well as been the subject of articles and how-to projects. She can be contacted at www.stephanierubiano.com. 1172 Perching Pixies- Thursday 1173 Bedazzling Butterfly Boxes- Friday [RETURN TO TOP]

Melanie Shockley Although I presently own and operate Fandangle Bead Store in Richmond, Virginia, i started my artistic adventure 30 years ago as an artist who worked in a variety of mediums with clay winning out in the end. My clay exploration included sculpture, functional/decorative pottery and raku beads but since the year 2000, precious metal clay (PMC) has become my passion and it ultimately led me into jewelry design and (surprisingly) into opening a bead store though my first love will always be "making stuff" in my studio. The common thread in all of my designs, whether sculptural, functional, or jewelry is the simple organic nature of the pieces I make. Less is more. I strive to achieve an understated approach to any element I work with in order to maintain and honor the simplicity of the material itself. In the case of my found object and PMC jewelry designs, I employ combinations of earthly elements such as semi-precious stones, precious metal clay components, freshwater pearls, vintage beads, brass and oxidized sterling silver chains, and last but not least, found objects in partnership to create one-of-a-kind high mileage designs that can be worn with jeans or a "little black dress". www.Fandangle-Beads.com email: zukpers@aol.com 1176 "My Precioussss..." (Introduction to Precious Metal Clay)- Thursday 1177 Bodacious Beads- Saturday [RETURN TO TOP]

Albie Smith I live in the beautiful historic town of Jacksonville in Southern Oregon.    Twenty years ago I was painting a lot and then took a paper making class and really fell in love.  For years I was sloshing around in the pulp, experimenting, taking classes and teaching workshops.  Making handmade paper led to making books.  Color, texture and pattern on paper continue to enthrall me.  It is in the form of the book that I find the marriage of paper and the surface design processes I love. I have taught at Art Fest and Art & Soul for many years and am available to teach workshops in artist’s studios and at other venues. albiepapersmith@gmail.com http://albie-smith.blogspot.com/ 1178 Opulent Patterns & the Cross Structure Book- Thursday 1179 Sculpture or Book- Friday 1180 Bound Art- Sunday [RETURN TO TOP]

Carla Sonheim Carla Sonheim is a "painter of girls, mother of boys" and keeps busy with galleries, shows, an online store and workshop teaching.  One of her students writes, "Carla just shines and is so gentle and  generous that you will work hard all day and come out energised and inspired.  Most importantly though, [her] class was a touchstone in my artistic journey, giving me the courage to stop resisting, and open  myself to my creative voice."  Carla has taught at Artfest, Art & Soul, The Art Nest and ArtUnraveled. Email: carla@carlasonheim.com 1182 Rags to Stitches- Friday 1183 Drawing Blast- Friday Eve [RETURN TO TOP]

Beryl Taylor Beryl Taylor arrived in the USA in 2002 from England, having graduated in City and Guilds Creative Embroidery. Whilst in Britain she had spent many years exhibiting her work with a textile group called "Threadmill”.  She also taught  many workshops in mixed media collage. Since arriving in the USA, Beryl has continued to teach workshops, has had her work published in many national and international magazines, and has continued to exhibit her work both in the USA and throughout the world. She has recently had her first book published with Quilting Arts Publications, titled "Mixed Media Explorations”.  Beryl can be contacted at berylptaylor@aol.com 1184 Making Fabric Paper- Sunday 1185 Mini-Quilt Wall Hanging- Monday [RETURN TO TOP]

Cathy Taylor Cathy Taylor is an award winning mixed media artist and international workshop instructor.  Her mixed media artwork is a celebration of the patterns, textures, and color found in the natural environment and reflects the essence and vitality of a subject.  Cathy is known for her ability to interpret a subject in a variety of styles.  From her colorful, detailed alphabetical designs including the Florida “shell-a-bet” to her whimsical collages and multi-dimensional abstracts, Cathy’s work is represented in museums, nature centers, corporate collections, and private collections throughout the U.S. and abroad.  Cathy’s work is featured in fine art galleries including the Main Street Art Gallery in Blowing Rock, NC.  She is a popular workshop instructor offering classes including, “No Mistakes Water Media”, “Monotype Printmaking”, “Mixed Media Collage”, and “Special Effects in Water Media”, and “Anthologies”…creating collages with “rescue” books..  She has studied with well known artists including Mary Todd Beam, Carole Barnes, and Frank Webb, and was the 2000 winner of the Robert Rauschenberg award. Her work was represented by a licensing agent in N.Y. City who secured rights for a fine art print of a collage to be distributed nationwide. She has written the newspaper column “Art Directions” and her articles and art have been featured in Cloth, Paper, Scissors, a nationally distributed art magazine.  Cathy is a featured artist on ArtAcademylive.com and has created two DVD’s; Adventures in Mixed Media Collage, and Watercolor Collage. She is a member of The High Country Watercolor Society-(President), The National Watercolor Society, The International Society of Experimental Artists- (award winner) and The National Collage Society- (award winner). Ctaylorart@hotmail.com www.ctaylorart.citymax.com 1186 Mixed Media Collage- Thursday 1187 Special Effects in Water Media- Friday 1188 Anthologies: Creating Collages with "Rescue" Books- Saturday [RETURN TO TOP]

Diana Trout Diana Trout studied at Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the University of the Arts, where she majored in Painting. Diana shows her whimsical mixed media paintings and watercolors and her bookarts throughout the Philadelphia are, both solo and with Mamacita (the Philadelphia-based art coop for women). Diana is currently writing a book on Visual Journaling for North Light.  Expected publication date: September 2009. Diana's work will be included in True Visions; LK Ludwig, July 2008. In addition her writing and art has been published in the following magazines: Dog Eared Magazine, Play Zine, Art on the Loose, Artitude Zine, Bound and Lettered & Art and Life. She has self-published two art/literature zines:  Springfed and Something I Forgot.  In 2008, Trout began teaching on the national circuit at Art & Soul, Hampton. She has been teaching children and adults from her studio, art centers and public libraries for 15 years,  Diana has taught workshops and classes covering all aspects of fine arts including journaling, book arts, painting and drawing. Diana can be contacted through her website www.DianaTrout.com   1189 Make Your Mark! Journaling- Thursday 1190 Acrylic Painting with Glazes- Friday 1191 Beautiful Paper Quilts- Saturday [RETURN TO TOP]

Joyce Vance Joyce Vance is a mixed media artist in Birmingham, Alabama who creates with just about anything she can get her hands on, but focuses on works in paper and fabric. She has more than ten years of experience with dyeing fibers and fabric. Her work has been featured in Somerset and Cloth Paper Scissors magazines, as well as in Somerset Gallery and Bernie Berlin’s book, Artists’ Trading Cards. Joyce exhibited at the 2006 juried Artwalk in Birmingham, Alabama and is featured in an upcoming episode of HGTV’s “That’s Clever,” where she demonstrates her fabric portrait collages and makes an artist’s trading card. Joyce’s studio is the heart of her home, allowing her to make art in the company of her four children and husband of almost twenty years, Bob. The little Vance’s creativity provides lots of playful inspiration. Harry & Hermione, Joyce’s two spoiled Maine Coon cats, are artists in their own right. They enjoy scattering pieces of paper and ribbon around the studio and are particularly interested in watching their mom wind skeins of yarn and other fibers. 1192 Dyeing to Collage- Saturday [RETURN TO TOP]

Kathy Wasilewski Kathy is a mixed-media artist who has enjoyed dabbling in artwork since a young girl.  Her passion for the paper arts led her to creating handmade books, collage art and assemblage, each with a unique blend of vintage memories and ancient cultures in a soft and elegant style.   Kathy is a member of the International Society of Altered Book Artists (ISABA) and is well-known for her past publication of the THE BOOK ARTIST, a quarterly megazine which introduced new tips and techniques to the altered book and collage enthusiast. For the past 2 years, she has served on the Design Team for Altered Arts Magazine and as the Altered Book Editor and writer for Correspondence Arts Magazine.  Her collage work has also been featured in Somerset Studios, and her assemblage work can be found in the Human Artefakts exhibition exhibiting throughout the U.S. and Europe.   Kathy resides in Richmond, Virginia with her husband, Bill, and 2 pet beagles.  More of her work can be viewed through her website at www.alteredantiquity.com. 1193 Tin Souls- Sunday Eve 1194 "Clearly Visible" Journal- Monday [RETURN TO TOP]

Jane Wynn Jane Wynn was born in Baltimore, Maryland on a cold day in December, 1969.  She grew up making art as her focus and passion. As a graduate from the University of Maryland Baltimore County in 1995, with a Bachelors of Fine Art,she continued on with her education and received her Masters of Fine Art at Towson University in 1997 with a degree in Interrelated Media. In 2000 having just completed her degree, she began to teach art at Towson University and theCommunity Colleges of Baltimore County. Teaching has been a passion, and in 2002 both she and Thomas began to venture off to teach at workshops all over the country. Since this time, they have traveled quite a bit and have met many wonderful students and fellow teachers along the way. 1195 Strange Surfaces- Thursday 1196 Captured- Friday [RETURN TO TOP]