POSTAL MAGIC...THE YEAR OF THE POSTCARD

One of the things that I will always remember about the pandemic in which we have found ourselves is the magic of creating postal art in the form of postcards to send in order to stay connected when in-person visits were not happening.

Recently, on Instagram, I spotted this note about the "year of the postcard" and realized that I was definitely not alone in my embracing of this means of communicating.

For years now a part of the Mixed Media Playtime workshops has been that each participant draws a name of one of the others and sends that person a postcard they have created in the workshop. I have a huge collection of these postcards and cherish them as connection to current and past students.

 

THE CLOCK IS TICKING AND...

 

It won't be long now

The summer festival season is soooooooooo close. By the time you read this that pile of woodchips will already have been spread on the grounds inside the gate in preparation for the big opening day--Friday, July 2.

Are we all ready? Well, I'm sure that as usual many of the artists are still not quite committed to saying that, but one thing is for sure...they always are by the time those gates open.

So, starting Friday you will have 66 days--until September 5th to come enjoy the sights and sounds and have a great time.  I'll be along the right side wall at Gallery Wall 8!

CREATIVE JUICES

 

As I ready for another of the Sunday Studio Mixed Media Playtime workshops I find myself thinking about creativity and just what it means.

So often folks say they are not creative when what I see is any number of ways that they ARE in fact creative.So very many creative people pass through our lives every day.

One of the most creative people I encountered as a child was my ballet teacher, Catherine Joyce. It just seemed that everything she touched had a creative edge to it. Not only did she teach ballet, but she choreographed our programs, she designed beautiful costumes (one of my all time favorites was the fuchsia costume I was honored to wear as a gangly ten year old.) In addition, she made dainty porcelain figurines of dancers. She just seemed to have an abundance of creativity. 

But I digress. Sure, Catherine Joyce was extremely creative, but the fact is we are all creative and should nurture this in whatever form it takes small or large. Maybe you are a creative cook, a beautiful dresser, a whiz at decorating your home....the list could go on and on. Everyone is creative in at least one way and by acknowledging and setting aside time for our creativity life can be more fulfilling and more meaningful.

As the sports saying goes, "Just do it!" Get those creative juices flowing.

THEN... AND NOW

then

now

Way back in the dark ages--2008 to be exact--Suzette Rosenthal and I were co-teaching for the Sawdust Art Festival spring and autumn workshops. These were long days--two of them--that required a day of setting up and tearing down at each end. 

At some point we looked at each other and asked if there was perhaps an easier way. Thus was born the Mixed Media Playtime Sunday Studio Workshop plan. We moved the whole operation (and that includes a multitude of fodder and tools) to my home studio. It  worked well for us and was sooo much easier physically. And when Suzette moved to Broomfield, Colorado I just went on with the program.

Over the years so many wonderful folks have attended these workshops. Always the camaraderie is delightful and the "play" yields a multitude of artwork, friendships, and so much more.

I have to thank Sherry Mitchell for the picture from the past and for reminding me of all the joys that have followed me through these years.

Blessings galore!!

TAKING TIME TO PLAY

 

Taking the time to play, maybe especially after the events of the past year or so, seems part of a therapeutic caring for self regimen to me. I hope all of you reading this are doing the same.

I found I have an abundance of scraps--using alcohol inks, acrylics, deli paper clean up sheets, and so much more. So the invitation to play was right there ...and I grabbed hold.

Since opting to participate in the summer's Sawdust Art Festival once again this year, I could also use some new greeting card stock. Perfect combo!

Not having a booth per se this year will seem strange, but my brain is busy seeking fun ways to utilize the 11 foot Gallery Wall. Stay tuned to see all the new and different from so many artists who have been creating during the long hiatus.

And, meanwhile, take the time to play yourself. So worth it.

GREMLINS

It's just been one of those weeks for electronic gremlins, but at least the Sawdust Art Festival lottery day had no gremlins messing with my roll.  #58 was picked and so the first hurdle has been passed. Next stop--Booth Pick Day on May 18th.

I am hoping to get what I want and be able to move forward into yet another summer festival.

But, back to those gremlins: Hard to believe. First, my tablet died right in the middle of an exciting Kindle book. Next, my phone would not send or receive calls on Monday until I rebooted the whole thing. That night, I powered off when going to bed. Then, sometime in the night...ping! What?? So phone was back on. This morning, going to check emails..."send receive error" for the entire morning. Egads! Hopefully, that has all ended. No more gremlins!!!

Sent out the first newsletter of the year and hoping for workshop signups. I don't have a large listing of contacts as if people didn't reply to the last one, they were removed. So we shall see where this goes. The blog lives on.

So a little good, a little not so much....what more could a gal ask for in a week? I just keep thinking of that phrase about keeping a sunshine kind of mind. I'm all for it!

 

WORKING AWAY

 

Just to catch you all up: I am working away on (at last) a newsletter. Since things are beginning to happen in our vaccinated milieu, it seemed about time to get that up and running again. 

Way back when, I cancelled the newsletter system I was using and asked all who were receiving it to get back to me if they wanted to continue to be on my list of sendees. The response was not exactly overwhelming, but that seemed a good thing because there's no point in sending to folks who won't open it, right?

At any rate, I now have contacts uploaded and will work on getting out all the news updates this week so please watch for the newsletter in your e-mailbox.

Things are looking up so stay safe and stay happy.