I had a glorious day in the studio....

I have had a great day in my studio today. Lots of inquisitive visitors and young artists just itching to get their hands in my sticky gooey gel mediums and paints and papers. Today We worked in the collage process. I felt exhilarated when the young artist Jen declared "She wanted her own studio!" and loved this afternoon of Process...not know where she would end up at the end of the afternoon. She was delightfully surprised to see how her first collage came to life and was nothing like she thought it would be when finished. We worked for three hours and I stayed another couple hours to work on some small collages for my sympathy cards. I think you can see how we spent the day working with canvas, gesso and acrylics to create backgrounds. The we moved onto stamping on sheer illuminating tissue colors ...this does take some practice and in time one can become quite agile in creating layers. I had a couple families come in for requests for summer afternoon lessons and I explained the Family nigh adventures on Wednesday nights. I have a small doll workshop next Thursday afternoon and will be checking my calendar to set up a follow up lesson.

I have been on line looking into "hurt"sales with Interweave Publications. I get lost in all the talent out there and even though I can only afford a couple I get jazzed when I dive into a book ...seeking new tools and techniques to layer my own process. After a long time in consideration....get ready...I am getting a list of workshops I am offering in the studio for this Fall. Some will be scheduled for a full Saturday of exercises and some you will finish with a small sample to go home and share and develop your own styles and strengths into larger pieces of work. Yes I am planning to continue my Family night at the Grill Deli Art experiences but hopefully I will offer an evening workshop for those who might need a helping hand in babysitting. My goal is to seriously model how to make ART every day in one way or another...small bay steps...journals...simple books... dolls...possible gifts for the upcoming Holidays and finally maybe some screen prints. I will post these opportunities soon and once they fill...well we will just see how this goes. I am learning each day ...something I want to include in my own processes. If only I did not have to sleep.

Where did the week fly off to? Tomorrow is the Final Friday Art Walk in downtown Newark ...Newark has Gone to the Dogs! is the theme with lots of four legged friends joining in on the celebrations. I will be open with Miss Rosie so come on down and see Marilyn Stocker's students exhibit of water media "potpourri" from 5 to 8 pm. Have a great evening! Imagine and Live in Peace, Mary Helen Fernandez Stewart