Art & Soul 2013

I've just returned from Virginia Beach where I taught four workshops at Art & Soul, as well as making time to take a workshop myself.  What a fabulous time of inspiration, community and creativity!

The first class I taught was entitled "The Secret Life of Trees".  It was a mixed media class where I shared lots of techniques that can be used in many ways, but the focus in the class was to leave at the end of the day with a completed journal.  Everyone started off with a kit that I had put together.

Kit for Secret Life of Trees class

Even though everyone started off with the same kit, the books they created were all unique and amazingly beautiful.  I was particularly touched by the story told by Brigitte Chavaillaz who told me that it is a custom in her family to plant a tree when a new soul is born into the family.  Brigitte brought photographs of the tree she and her husband had planted for their new grandchild, and incorporated these into her book.  What a beautiful custom, which reminds me of the saying: "One generation plants the trees, and another gets the shade".

"The Secret Life of Trees" Journal

My talented class participants!

I also had fun teaching three other classes where we made books, used our cameras to photograph close-up, made color journals and learned new ways to use the iPad as a photo art studio.  What a great week!

I have to also share with you the project I created in the class I took with Stephanie Rubiano.  I've taken two previous classes with Stephanie, as I love her work and the way she teaches.  I created an Encaustic Light House in the class!

Encaustic Light Houses made in Stephanie Rubiano's class

Stephanie shares some of her student work from one of her classes on her blog if you want to see more of these cute little houses!I also bought one of Stephanie's new iPad covers at Art & Soul Vendor night (the place to be if you want to see wonderful art and antique ephemera together in one place).