She is a friend of mine...and getting waxed

Sometimes I know, after building someone up in your mind after only having an internet friendship and then finally getting to meet face to face is slightly strange or unexpected.

Their voice is unfamiliar...well, what were you expecting, you question yourself? I don't know, I guess the same voice in my head that reads all of the online script and text...silly , I know.

And when you finally get to meet in person,what do they look like?...a little taller?thinner? I suppose...in online photos you only get pieces of people like a jigsaw, and your mind puts them together how it wants...You recognize the smile but in a face to face meeting you get the added benefit of  a hug!

Sue Simpson, myself and Crystal Neubaur

 So without further ado, I had the incredible pleasure of meeting some beautiful and talented artists at the Encaustic camp recently and Crystal Neubauer...she was who I, in particular, traveled from Central Oregon to Salem, Oregon to meet in person....she is a friend of mine...

When I heard  Crystal was going to be here in Oregon from her usual dwellings on the shores of Illinois, I jumped at the chance of meeting this very special friend face to face, after knowing her through my internet art groups...

It was a wonderful meeting her and spending time...and as a bonus I got to meet Sue Simpson as well, who was also in the same art group from many years ago...

And although this year I wasn't able to be at the Encaustic Camp it looked so inviting and full of creative energy I will be planning on being there next year...Crystal was one of the teachers and has a nice write up about it here.

I also got to meet these delightful and talented ladies...

Patricia Baldwin Seggebruch

...as well as a few more I didn't get snaps of! Quite a treat for me to say the least! 

I even got to try my hand at encaustics and I I think I'm hooked...I

 love layering, colors and textures so I am thinking encaustics is an art form that is here to stay with me!

Mary Beth Shaw

Lucky me...

I've been a really lucky girl...I don't usually win anything but I recently won something that's really fantastic and something I had been wanting!

I was the lucky winner of the newly released book  by artist Kerin Gale ...Oh yeah!

In her book, Kerin takes a relative "new-comer" called epoxy clay, to the mixed-media sandbox and introduces all of us artists to this incredible, versatile medium to sculpt and create with. 

I for one can't wait to get my hands on some and start having fun!

Here's what the website says about the clay "Apoxie^_® Clay is the ultimate permanent, self-hardening, synthetic clay. that combines the features & benefits of sculpting clay with those of epoxies. This product offers enhanced detail properties, plasticity, accuracy and handling features make this clay very user friendly." ...

Sounds pretty good right? Just wait until you see what Kerin does with this product in her book...amazing!

Immediately, my mind started filling up with ideas that I want to try it out on!!

Thank you so much Kerin for all the wonderful inspiration and I will be posting more as I create it...

A beautiful Summer day awaits! Hope you all enjoy it 8)

personal thoughts...

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." ~ Marcel Proust

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I never stop being amazed...

I never stop being inspired by all the talented bloggers and artists in the blogosphere...it just amazes me...

You stumble upon artists like Susanna Bauer and I know I will never look at rocks or leaves the same again...

Then you have the blog Upon a Fold that recently featured the beautiful sport-coat tulip...uh, that's a big Wow to the design fairies!!!Spectacular presentation...




...and last but not least was inspired and amazed this week by Christisn Faur...This will blow your socks off, well it did mine anyway...

Words

Since childhood, Christian Faur found pleasure in opening a new box of crayons, all neatly stacked with their colourful tips and the distinct smell of wax. Unlike most other children, Faure never got over crayons.

Today this artist from Granville, Tennessee copies photos by stacking different coloured crayons in sequence and enclosing them in a wooden frame. He starts by scanning a photo and breaking the image down into smaller colour blocks.

From close up, you only see the seemingly random crayons, but from farther away the result is truly awe inspiring.

I hope this inspires you to look at things from different design perspectives and find potential even in the familiar and often overlooked items! Have a creative day XXOO