It's Been a Minute!

Hey, hi, and hello!

We look back with complete amazement at the fact that the world changed immediately after our inaugural Seaside Sessions event in 2020!? Our attendees heard news from home about folks clearing the shelves in the grocery stores, but it was hard to comprehend all that awaited us upon our return home. Thus ensued 2.5 years of distancing, isolation, and uncertainty.

Like most of you, our routines were no longer routine. Big changes were happening, and it was easy to feel lost and disconnected. We have treasured our online connections during this time of upheaval, and we revel in being able to share some very exciting news for the coming year.

Seaside Sessions is BACK! …bigger, better, and more breathtaking than before! As always, our events are first available to our Kaleidoscope Circle and Newsletter subscribers. If you are not currently one of these, it’s an easy fix to become one. Click the banner link, above, to subscribe to our (embarrassingly) low-volume Newsletter - so you’ll be in the know on all things Your Creative Connection related. To join our Kaleidoscope Circle, visit the Our Events tab and grab your spot today! Make plans now to join us in beautiful Surf City, NC March 22-26, 2023. It promises to be amazing, and we would love to welcome you to our haven by the sea. Note that space is limited; as of today, just 6 spots remain.

It feels GREAT to have something fun to look forward to, doesn’t it? We are happy to oblige. We look forward to more of that moving forward, and having YOU with us to join in the fun.

Until next time,
- Penny & Michelle

A Look at Seaside Sessions-Spring 2020 (pt. 3 of 3)

On our final day together, we created with a fury: there were massive numbers of prints made, stamps employed, beads created, stencils used, and a quite impressive round of books sewn. We did not waste a moment, and yet found the time for our Creative Explorers to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather (70 degrees, bright and sunny in March!?), and get in some beach time by slightly rearranging the day’s schedule.

We opened the day with Michelle sharing the wonders of gelatin printing with modern tools (GELLI and GelPress plates). She highlighted many ways to create unique and expressive prints with a variety of materials, including stamps from Art Foamies, texture plates, and stencils from ARTplorations. We pulled prints on an assortment of different papers. The ladies were encouraged to use the stamps they created the day before to further personalize their prints and the outcome made for all sorts of happy noises throughout the work area.

After all of that, we had worked up a good appetite! The ladies enjoyed a leisurely lunch and then had some free time to take in the local sights. Some visited the beach, some took a little time to recharge for the afternoon’s activities, and one had a little surprise up her sleeve.

Upon returning from their beach-y explorations, they settled in to an afternoon of book art with Penny. Once again, they employed stencils and Marabu Art Sprays to customize the papers that would become the covers for their wrap-around journal. While the covers dried, we turned our attention to the configuration of the inner pages. Working with Stonehenge paper from Legion Paper Company, we crafted signatures that included foldouts for two of the three, and an abbreviated inner page to add visual interest to the third. We finished them up by bringing all the components together with a button hole stitch. The ladies were elated with their creations, and Penny was giddy with their successes!

In order to fully take advantage of the final day, it was decided shortly after breakfast that we should “pot luck” for dinner — an idea that was quite happy-making for the hostesses who had over-provisioned for our gathering. One of our lovely ladies decided to upgrade this idea by taking on the role of Personal Chef for the household, and applied her creative skillset to the creation of a most memorable dinner for our last night. Returning from their beach romp with a gorgeous cut of salmon and some shrimp, Nikkea prepared an amazing repast for our farewell dinner!

Salmon marinated in lemon and white wine — alongside shrimp and mixed veggies in a lemon, white wine, honey, and butter sauce. Toasted rolls with a compound butter of garlic and seasonings. In short: SUPERB!

Salmon marinated in lemon and white wine — alongside shrimp and mixed veggies in a lemon, white wine, honey, and butter sauce. Toasted rolls with a compound butter of garlic and seasonings. In short: SUPERB!

Delightful, delicious, and de-lovely! We gathered for dinner as friends. We who, only two days before, had been (except for the trio traveling together) virtual strangers. Is that not the power of art? …the power of creating community? We feel that this represents completely what Your Creative Connection is all about: beyond an art retreat, it is an experience. More than making art, we gather to make learning and discovery a joy; we make friends and we make memories that will last long after our brief time shared.

…and then it was over. We are so grateful to all of our Creative Explorers for being fully present with us in this circle of creativity! We are already looking forward to next time. When might that be, you ask? Well, given the current state of things, we are hopeful that another event will happen this year. We want more than anything to welcome another group into our circle of creative connection before the end of the year. The best way to make sure you don’t miss out on the next one is to subscribe to our Newsletter. Subscribers receive the details of future events 7-10 days before they go live here and across our social media feeds.

Until next time, be safe and be kind and be good to one another — and never miss an opportunity to add a little beauty to your day!

~ PLA & MDP

A Look at Seaside Sessions-Spring 2020 (pt. 2 of 3)

As the day began on March 12th, our attendees were rarin’ to go. Following a lovely breakfast, we got the creativity underway. The first Creative Session was with Penny. By lunchtime, our intrepid explorers would have not one but TWO completed concertina books in hand. One with stenciled covers, and the other (with lengthened paper, due to learning how to hinge to add length) with paper wrapped boards. The excitement level was high, and the enthusiasm contagious as they got down to work.

For the stenciled covers, each Creative Explorer utilized a variety of stencils and Marabu Art Sprays to design her own unique book boards. Once again, each began with the exact same materials — the results were so splendidly their own. Everyone was quite pleased with their creations — and their instructor was over the moon! Following a lovely and lively luncheon, they returned to the work tables to resume their Creative Explorations with an afternoon of Creating Personal Iconography stamps and Tyvek beadmaking with Michelle. The results were just as spectacularly successful and unique as from the morning session.

After a day full of creativity and inspiration, we were all ready for a nice dinner. We retired to the nearby and hospitable Ocean Isle Fish Company Restaurant to rest and refuel for an evening of Open Studio time. We were well attended to by the lovey Jared, and returned to the house sated and ready for an evening of friendly relaxation as we put to use the variety of things we learned during the day.

With our final day rapidly approaching, we were excited for what it held in addition to becoming increasingly concerned for the happenings beyond our safe haven. After checking in with the folks at home, our merry band headed to bed to face Friday well-rested and ready for more artistic exploration.

We’ll be back tomorrow with a look at the final day of Seaside Sessions - Spring 2020. Until then, be safe and be kind and be inspired to make a little beauty every day.

~ PLA & MDP

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A Look at Seaside Sessions-Spring 2020 (pt. 1 of 3)

One week ago, today, we welcomed a group of enthusiastic Creative Explorers to our first event of 2020. We convened in a beautiful waterfront home on the canal in Ocean Isle Beach, NC for 3 days of creativity, community, and camaraderie. We couldn’t have been more pleased with the results!

After arriving and tending to the less creative tasks (unloading a passel of art supplies, tasty treats, and making 7 beds), we put our eyes toward adding a few personalized touches to the space that would contain our artistic adventures once our guests arrived.

…and arrive they did! By the early evening of Wednesday, March 11th, we had a house full of creative cohorts ready to dive into our time of collaborative learning and making. After taking a few moments to get better acquainted with one another, we enjoyed a meal of pizza accompanied by wine and followed with freshly baked brownies.

Not wanting to waste a moment of our time together, we had an evening of creativity at the ready for our guests. Each was provided with two plain “everyday ornaments,” a complete array of Marabu Alcohol Inks, and an assortment of tools and paint markers. Following a brief demonstration of various application and layering techniques, they personalized their ornaments in the manner of their choosing. As we departed for the night, their inked beauties were left to dry. The big reveal would take place the following morning.

Our Creative Explorers came down to breakfast to discover their creations aglow in the early morning light — suspended from silvery ribbons in the living room window. What a beautiful beginning to our event! We are always amazed at the complete individuality and variety that results from providing a group of creatives with identical materials — the outcome of our Opening Night was no exception!

Our recap of all things Seaside Sessions - Spring 2020 will continue tomorrow as we revisit our first full day of creative discovery. Until then, be safe and be kind and try to add a little beauty to your day!

~ PLA & MDP

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Looking Back, Looking Ahead, and Looking Around

It’s hard to believe that our Art in the Parks Series is halfway through (!) We have had SO much fun meeting and making with our Creative Explorers. We thought that you might like a little look at what you have missed, so far…

There is plenty more discovery in store, as we prepare to welcome more folks to the March and April events. This series was designed to make including creative exploration a little easier, for new explorers and seasoned hands. Virtually all of our offerings can be carried along and applied to your other artistic endeavors. Make plans now to join in the fun!

Art in the Parks in March will feature Michelle’s magnificent mark-making mastery — you won’t want to miss it!

Art in the Parks in March will feature Michelle’s magnificent mark-making mastery — you won’t want to miss it!

In seeking ways to encourage community building, we have established a virtual gathering place on Facebook — we call it The Virtual Circle, and it’s a great way to take part in the creative discussion (even if you are too far away to join us for our monthly events)! Join us! We are stoking the creative fires there with regular weekly content, such as: Wondering Wednesday, Thinking Thursday, and Seven for Saturday. This week’s Wondering Wednesday included a poll wherein we wondered what folks considered the biggest road block to creativity in their day-to-day. This conversation is ongoing, so come visit us in The Virtual Circle — take a look around, and visit with your fellow Creative Explorers. We’ll see you there!

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Until next time,
~PLA



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Making Space to Create

Mine is a custom-built studio in the daylight basement of my home. Designed and built by my husband who is also an artist, it is where I spend most of my time when I am not teaching art to children and people with disabilities. Before that, it was our guest bedroom. Before that, it was in a corner of our apartment’s master bedroom—a desk, a chair, a lamp, and a 3-drawer cabinet (I don’t know HOW I managed to create what I did in that space!). Whether yours is a spare room, in your garage, in a shared space with other artists, or your kitchen table…it doesn’t really matter where you create—it matters that you make space TO create. I truly believe the world would be a better place if everyone made space in their lives to create. We know that art can soothe and alleviate stress (which is why the adult coloring book craze was a success), and it can also open new areas of discovery, give a sense of accomplishment, and yes, make the world a more beautiful place. And, as one study found, creating art rewards your brain.

We here at Your Creative Connection have made providing welcoming spaces for women to create our mission. Something special happens when a group of women get together to create, either independently, or in collaboration. The laughter, the creative sparks, and the camaraderie are infectious. This is what we strive to present, to mixed media artists as well as those who are simply curious about a project or technique they’ve seen and wish to try.

Our Arts in the Parks series continues in February with: Notan: The Japanese Art of Light and Dark. Our creative space will be the Halifax Community Center in Raleigh, on Saturday the 16th. We hope you’ll join us to explore this elegant, and intriguing design method. Seats are limited, and registration is open now. Click here to reserve your seat, and to learn about the other creative events in the Art in the Parks series.

I hope you will make space in your life to create—the world and your brain will thank you for it!

Until next time,

MDP

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New Year, New Creative Opportunities

The advent of a New Year brings with it hopes, dreams, and plans to live a better life. If your plans for 2019 include the desire for more creativity in your world, we humbly suggest that we have wonderful ways for you do so, in the company of others who desire the same. Our Art in the Parks series of creative experiences offers everyone—not only those who call themselves artists—the opportunity to immerse themselves in a variety of creative pursuits. If you’ve been wishing there was a way to try out a technique without the expense of purchasing all of the supplies and equipment, we’ve solved that for you. If you’ve been wanting to explore new ways to express yourself, we’ll provide that, too. If you’ve been thinking of venturing into a new area of endeavor, and have always fancied yourself a creative soul, then our Art in the Parks series could be exactly what you’ve been searching for! We have assembled projects and techniques which we hope will pique your interest and get your creative juices flowing. But, if you need help in the creative juice area, we, or your fellow creative explorers will gladly assist—it’s all about making creative connections (that is our name, after all!). Take a look at what we have to offer for your creative enjoyment over the coming months here in Raleigh, NC.
All events run from 1pm to 4pm, tickets are $50 each, all supplies, light refreshments, and surprises included:

Saturday February 16th: Notan: The Japanese Art of Light and Dark
Halifax Community Center
Notan is a Japanese design concept involving the play and placement of light and dark elements as they are placed next to the other in the composition of art and imagery. Explore this simple yet visually stunning artform with us and discover its secrets (it’s not nearly as mind-bending as it looks!).

Saturday, March 23rd: Make Your Mark: Ready, Get Set, Stamp!
Sertoma Art Center
Making your work uniquely yours can be a challenge, and it’s often difficult to find the perfect image to make a project truly sing. Why not create your own? Join us to experience the “Zen of carving”, and try your hand at other methods of stamp-making using a variety of materials, many of which you may already have on hand.

Saturday, April 27th: Folded Book Magic: From Flat to Fabulous
Hill Street Community Center
Whether you like to write poetry, compile lists, sketch on the go, or have a beautiful place to store your photos, this even is for you! We will construct a lovely concertina book with customized covers that will be a perfect reflection of you and your creative voice. You will leave with a completed book and all of the know-how needed to build your own library of folded tomes.

Are your creative wheels turning? Do you see projects which speak to your creative soul? Great! Spaces are limited, so be sure to register early. And, because more is truly merrier, grab a friend, or your whole group; we’d love for you all to join us.

See you there, and Happy New Year!