Welcome to a month of WOW Wednesdays!

Happy Independence Day, and welcome to our latest, informational series here in Blog-land:. WOW Wednesdays!  We will be conducting a tour of our website by way of some interesting factoids about color, time, vision, and butterflies.  

Did you know that the human eye can discern more shades of green than any other color?  Perhaps that explains the simple joy we find in taking in the myriad hues of green in the Spring and early Summer.  So very many different greens, giving the earth the appearance of being enrobed in multi-toned velvets!  Not at all unlike the natural beauty that awaits you at Your Creative Connection -- Haw River 2018.  

The Haw River State Park is a naturalist's dream.  Great stands of native evergreens and deciduous trees provide the ideal setting for a period of creative discovery and reflection.   All of the beautifully verdant photos on our website were captured on location in 2017, within a week of when we will gather there in October (11-15) of this year.  Isn't it glorious?  The rear wall of our Studio space for the event is all windows that look out on that leafy splendor!  Space is limited, and we don't want you to miss a minute of what this experience holds.   Make your deposit today to secure your spot, and we look forward to welcoming you into our haven of creative exploration this fall.

Friday Feature: Spotlight on Penny L. Arrowood

Wrapping up our month of Friday Features, I am here to share some sneak peeks at my Studio Session as well as some additional information on a couple of the more unique features we have built in to the Your Creative Connection experience.  As Michelle so beautifully stated yesterday, the guiding principle behind all that we do at Your Creative Connection is to offer like-minded women a safe and nurturing space to “learn, discover, experiment, and create beautiful things.  What could be better than that?”  What could be better than that, indeed?  One of the many ways that we are providing such an experience is by offering creative opportunities that are just as accessible and illuminating to new-comers to mixed media art as to long-time denizens of the mixed media community.

My Studio Session will open with some colorful, creative exploration.  We will take a look at surface design by way of Seven Surefire Ways to Banish the Blank Page.  Often the most daunting part of new project is the getting started!  Facing a blank surface (be it journal, canvas, paper, or fabric) can intimidate even the most seasoned artist.  Regardless your primary approach to mixed media art, the morning session will provide multiple ways to loosen up and establish a direction for future creative endeavors.  Additionally, these techniques will work in tandem with the knowledge that our Creative Explorers have gleaned in their two previous Studio Sessions; the resulting papers will provide more material for inventive compositions as we move into the remainder of the day.

After a brief review of the work that has been produced in the past three days.  We will select work from each of the earlier Studio Sessions to include in the exhibit on Monday morning.  With the papers that remain, we will construct what I like to call The Vessel of Containment – Bespoke Bookbinding  to house your very own Your Creative Connection experience.  We will create a perfectly personalized record of all that you have learned throughout the event.  There will be room for personal reflection, notes, thoughts from your new creative cohorts, and more – however you choose to populate its pages it will be exquisitely your own:  chronicling your creative exploration and discovery during our time together.  I designed this project specifically for Your Creative Connection, and this is the only venue at which I will teach it this year.  I’m SO excited to share it.  Michelle, Jeanne, and I have already created one, and we've added to its pages as we developed the content for this exceptional event!  Each of our vessels will be on hand at our Opening Night Creative Social to entice and inspire as we begin our artful adventures.

We have thoroughly enjoyed sharing more about what we have in store for the Creative Explorers who join us in October (11-15, 2018) for the experience that is  Your Creative Connection.  If possible, we are now even more excited for all that the event holds -- for ourselves as well as each of the women who will join us.  We have worked hard to create an event unlike any other – from the structure of our Studio Sessions, to the inclusion of a show to highlight the work of our guests and Artist Instructors – we are each looking forward to sharing 3 Artists, 3 Days, 1 Surface, and a Show  (and all that comes with it) with YOU!  Feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.  Register today by making your deposit, and we look forward to welcoming you into the circle.

Thankful Thursday - My Circle of Women

I attended my 40th college reunion earlier this month, and was struck by how easily I was able to share stories, collaborate, and reminisce with many women I hadn't seen in 4 decades.  The shared experience of four years of college bonds us in ways outsiders will observe but never really understand, and it is that experience which guides our interactions with each other all these many years later.  Of course, we're all different, we've chosen divergent paths in both career and family, but our Wellesley experience is our commonality.  This is even true with alumnae from other decades, which can be even more extraordinary; knowing I have a bond with a 96-year old woman riding in the alumnae parade in the Model-T (that'll be me in 30 years!) is a very special feeling.  

My circle of women challenges me, nurtures me, and keeps me grounded.  I am privileged to count among my circle women of diverse ages, races, backgrounds, and geographic locations.  And, thanks to Facebook, that circle is even wider than ever.  I love having the ability to communicate ideas, share successes, ask and answer questions, and have a window into the lives of the women I know.  Of course, face to face conversation is best (and a glass or two of Prosecco doesn't hurt), but catching up with a friend in South Africa on my computer is very cool indeed.

The Your Creative Connection unique mixed media experience will give our Creative Explorers the chance to widen their own circle of women while they learn, discover, experiment, and create beautiful things.  What could be better than that?  If you're intrigued by this notion, click on over to read about what we have in store for October 11 through 15th, then register.  We look forward to welcoming you into our circle of women!  

Until next time,

MDP

Friday Feature: Spotlight on Michelle Davis Petelinz

My Studio Session will focus on a variety of ways to create surface texture and pattern with paint and ink.  In my own mixed media work, many of my texture and pattern discoveries come about from my asking questions:  "What if I combined...?", or "How can I create...?"  Intricate, multi-layered, and multi-hued patterns resonate with me, and I often include them in my paper, paint, and clay work.  I am excited to share what I've discovered with our Creative Explorers, and I can't wait to see what they will create during our time together.  Penny, Jeanne and I have been working on our content for Studio Sessions, and below is a peek at what I've created so far in preparation for mine, including embellished monoprints, tape transfers, hot glue and foam stamped prints, 3-D elements, and painted papers.  

Here's what I've got planned: 
Creating texture and pattern with custom tools:  I've found that to make my work truly my own, I had to create my own, custom-designed stamps and texture tools.  I will show you how to design foam stamps, hot glue stamps, texture plates, paper combs and masks, 3-D elements, and whatever else we can dream up to put your own, unique stamp on your work (pun intended); we'll let our imaginations soar!  

Getting the most from your Gelli prints:  using your new custom tools and a variety of techniques, we'll create fantastic monoprints on our luscious Stonehenge paper.  We'll be layering, transferring, embellishing, and adding natural elements to our prints for use as stand alone works, or as components of larger pieces.  If you've never used a Gelli plate, you're in for a treat (it's truly engrossing), and if you've worked with one before, this Studio Session will offer you new ways to use an old favorite.

Exploring composition:  once we've designed, created, and experimented with our new tools, it'll be time to put them to use in your compositions.  Tips and tricks for effective compositions abound, whether you're looking to enhance your paintings, to create 2-D or 3-D mixed media work, or to complete the pieces you'll display in the Your Creative Connection show.   Oh yes, there's going to be a show...and next Friday, Penny will complete our June "Friday Features" series with a look at her Studio Session content and more details about the show.  Stay tuned.   

If you haven't done so yet, Register now, to be sure you'll be able to join in the fun.  

MDP

Thankful Thursday - Pets, Poetry, and Human Kindness

For as long as I can recall, there has been a dog in my life…  As a child, we often had more than one.  During my late teens and early 20s, I was often the “god mother” of a friend or family member’s dog(s) when I was not able to have my own.  There has been the odd cat (or three), a handful of gold fish/betas, and the errant rodent (hamster, gerbil, etc.) over the years; my heart has always gravitated toward the canine, though…  Last week was a particularly difficult one, as I said good by to my latest canine campanion – the lovely Wito left this world on 6/12/18.  She adopted us over 11 years ago, and it seems a great deal more still in this place since she took her leave.

RIP Lady Wito Marie Arrowood -- You were dearly loved and will be sorely missed

Grief has an inimitable way of staunching the flow of creativity.  It mutes the stimulation of the larger world – blocking things, as though in a cocoon – sounds are muffled, colors dimmed, and joys diminished.  I find that turning to the creative works of others is both comforting and inspiring at such times.  A long-time admirer of the poet Mary Oliver, I immediately recalled this gem in the days that followed Wito’s last.

As grateful as I am for the privilege of having had this dearest of dogs in my life for over a decade, and for the means with which I have found solace in her absence, I am fully amazed and so mightily thankful for the kindness of my various circles of humans.  My spirits have been repeatedly lifted in the past week by words of comfort from friends far and near.  I have said often that I am so, so very lucky.

A sentiment to treasure from a precious friend (the art and words of Brian Andreas): comfort and inspiration, hand in hand.

It seems that Life holds no shortage of reminders of this fact.

…and that only gives me all the more for which to be thankful!

Until next time,
 ~ PLA

Friday Feature: Spotlight on Jeanne Faith d'Orleans

As announced last week, each remaining Friday in the month of June will feature one of our Artist Instructors and the Studio Session that they are offering at our October Experience.  Our Friday Feature Series is the perfect showcase for the concept that informed the structure of this distinctive event:  3 Artists, 3 Days, 1 surface, and a Show!  While each of our Artist Instructors brings a different approach to her mixed media endeavors, they will each be presenting their methodology on the incomparable Stonehenge paper. Jeanne beautifully blends light washes of color with fiber elements to tell her own, unique story – rich with many layers of luscious color and texture.

Whether entertaining guests in her home, nestled among the greenery of a yard surrounded by trees and plants, or addressing small and large groups in professional training events:  our Guest Artist Instructor, Jeanne, is an excellent communicator!  She has a natural ability to put folks at ease and comfortable people are most often quite happy people.  She has a passion for creativity that has spanned a variety of interests in her youth and throughout her adulthood.  We are thrilled to have her on our team for the Haw River Mixed Media Experience in October, 2018.

In her Studio Session, Jeanne will lead Creative Explorers in exercises designed to incorporate assorted fiber content (fabrics, roving, and threads) and notions in their creative, mixed media expressions.  Bringing her love of nature to the table, Jeanne will inspire the inclusion of organic elements to evoke a sense of place as well as bringing dimension and texture to the work.  In answer to the declaration “Oh, I don’t sew…”  she responds “You don’t have to!”  She will share stitch-free (and stress-free) methods for incorporating more fiber in your work – and is a firm believer that we can all do many things we think we can’t if we come at them from a different angle.  She looks forward to spending the day in the studio, coming up with new ways to combine paint, thread & fiber, fabric, and paper in imaginative and innovative ways.  Have questions for Jeanne or about this creative adventure?  Contact us any time – we look forward to hearing from you!

Next week, we’ll see what Michelle has in store for our Creative Explorers.

Introducing Friday Features!

Hey!  Hi & Hello…  As noted last week there has been much going on behind the scenes of late, in the Your Creative Connection environs.  All of that loveliness has reached it peak, and we look forward to doling out heaping helpings of creative inspiration and temptations throughout the rest of June.  Each of the remaining Fridays this month, we will feature a different Artist Instructor for our Mixed Media Art Experience at Haw River State Park in October.  You’ll be treated to all new photos of our Studio Session samples for the retreat as well as a closer look at the Artists themselves.  While new information is regularly being added to the website, our Friday Features will be highlighted in their own Blog posts with plenty of links to put you in touch with any and all extra information. 

Newsletter subscribers can also look forward to an exclusive special offer during the 2nd half of June.  What’s that?  You don’t get our very incredible and not at all intrusive Newsletter e-mails?  You can remedy that, post haste, if you sign up today!  Subscribers get first dibs on all things Your Creative Connection up to 10 days ahead of public announcements.  Your e-mail address is always safe with us and will never  be used without your permission.

Have a great weekend.  We’ll see you back here, soon!

Thankful Thursday - Natural Beauties, Take Two

" Nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive, and even spiritual satisfaction."  ~E. O. Wilson

Penny's blog post last week got me to thinking about my own appreciation for the beauty of nature.  At this time of year, here in North Carolina, everything is in full, glorious bloom.  The intense heat of July and August haven't yet caused flowers to wilt, and the great amount of rain in recent weeks has accelerated the process of growth and bloom.  We're thankful the dreariness of the rainy days has given way to the brilliance of sunny days filled with the visual splendor and fantastic aromas of the newly blooming flowers and trees.  On our deck, we have many of my favorites:  gardenias, mandevillas, impatiens, and hibiscus, as you can see here.

I am particularly proud of my potted gardenia tree.  Unwilling to abandon it to the frost at the end of its growing season last year, I brought it indoors.  Although I had never attempted to do so before, I hoped to be able to care for it until it was time to put it outside again.  I confess that my resolve almost faltered as I watched it steadily lose about half of its leaves (!), and begin to look very sad.  We put it out on the deck in early April, and watched hopefully as it slowly perked up (fertilizer helped), produced more leaves, and many, many buds.  And yes, I did a little happy dance on the day the first bud opened to reveal its lovely white petals and its divine scent (that's the first blossom in the upper left photo)! I appreciate both the resurgence of the tree, and the reminder that perseverance, care, and a generous dose of hope can work wonders.

Nature reminds us to pause, take it all in, and appreciate the beauty which surrounds us, and I'm thankful for that which greets me just outside my door.

I hope you'll take a moment appreciate your natural surroundings--you may be surprised at what catches your eye!

Until next time,

MDP

Thankful Thursday - Natural Beauties

Lately I find that the natural world is informing my creative work more and more.  While I cannot clearly express the ‘why’ of this, I am immensely grateful for these ongoing occurrences.  It is interesting to me that there doesn’t seem to be a singular theme to this trend – it’s not only references to trees, or water, or birds – it’s the whole of it:  the grimy inconveniences and unfortunate turns of the weather along with the Magritte-esque skies and Monet-like moments among the lily pads.

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I just love the reflection of the trees and sky in the water, here...

Whether I am capturing the essence of a place, as in my Oceansong series, or jotting a quick Haiku to remember a moment:  it is increasingly the beauties of nature that appear – again and again.  One might argue that perhaps I am a bit more aware and therefore more receptive to these cues; however, it seems ‘bigger’ than that (?)  Whatever the impetus, I am loving the outcome!

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Oceansong I -- an ode to the colors and songs of the sea

My latest workshop offering also takes a turn on the carousel of loveliness provided by the profundity of this time of year.  Print Naturally is a fun-filled look at nature printing with the GELLI Plate (a synthetic gelatin plate for monoprinting).  I absolutely love the riotous merging of Spring into Summer – everything is so fresh and lush and GREEN.  Trees, vines, shrubbery, and agricultural endeavors blend harmoniously into the most amazing assortment of hues – it can be somewhat overwhelming!?  Later in the Summer, everything gets so bedraggled from the heat and battering of summer storms.  But now, NOW things are at their verdant peak!  *sw00n!*

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Print Naturally -- a workshop that focuses on capturing the beauties of nature

An added bonus to the Your Creative Connection experience is the copious beauty of the locations for each of our events.  All of the photos on our website were taken at the Haw River State Park, where we will convene for four glorious days of creative exploration in October.  The play of light through the trees, the gentle breeze whispering its secrets to the Long Leaf Pines, and the twinkle of stars in a clear night sky…  We can hardly wait to revel in this hide-away of natural inspiration with you!  Registration is quick and easy – you can reserve your seat today with the payment of your deposit ($150).  Please note:  today (05/31) is the last day to take advantage of our 3-payment option.  Take a look around, and please contact us with any questions or concerns.

Until next time!
 ~PLA

Thankful Thursday - The Power of Sharing Your Story

Quite often at art festivals and exhibits, people ask me about the inspiration for a piece they're viewing, or how I became an artist.  I welcome these questions because they allow me to share a bit of my personal story.  Sharing my story opens a window into my life and permits my listeners to imagine themselves seeing the world through my eyes for a moment.  This can become a powerful connection.  While I'm describing my artist practice, techniques, or what inspired me to create a specific piece, I love it when what I've said sparks another question, an observation, or an "aha moment" in the conversation.  Years ago, when I was just beginning to sell my work, I remember reading an article which pointed out that collectors purchase not only the piece of art, but also the artist's story.  And, that oftentimes, the artist's story is what ultimately gets the collector to purchase the work.  This was an eye-opener for me.  I know this to be true of my own art collection; when I look at a piece, I often recall the event, the artist, and something of the connection we shared when I acquired it.  I hope my collectors do the same with work I've created that they've chosen to live with.

The sharing of stories and gaining insight goes both ways, of course.  This is one of my favorite examples:  During a busy art festival, a woman returned to my booth several times, always drawn to the same piece.  When I asked her what questions she had, she said she didn't have any, but wondered aloud why she was drawn to that piece.  I told her it was one of my favorites too, because of the color palette.  She agreed, saying she loved it as well.  I pointed out that I often worked in variations on that theme, finding myself returning to it again and again, not really knowing or examining why.  She paused, then said:  Well, do you think it's because it represents Earth and sky?  And, though it now seems obvious, I was stunned; you could almost hear the gears clicking into place:  YES, it does, and that's why it resonated with us both! We smiled in shared recognition, she bought the piece, and I hope she remembers our connection when she looks at it.  

I'm thankful to be able to share my work and my story with the world, and I look forward to doing that with Penny, Jeanne, and you, our Creative Explorers in October at our Retreat.  When creative women gather, the sharing of stories, laughter, experiences, and insights creates a special magic.  Wouldn't you like to take part in this powerful connection?  We'd love for you to join us so we can hear your stories....Register today! 
Until next time....

MDP