Circle Journal and PPF

  Today I have a day off of work and I have scheduled my day around Paint Party Friday.  I am spending the day painting and checking in on all the wonderful artists that play along. 

But first I wanted to show you something.  Last year at Artfest my dorm mates and I decided to start a circle journal so that we could stay connected through the year in between Artfest. I had participated in circle journals in my scrapbooking days, and I thought what a great idea to do this with artists.   

There were ten of us involved.  Everyone had to make or buy a journal, or provide enough pages for all 10 of us to complete one page. Next, you decide your theme and complete one page of the journal.  Then you send your journal to the next person in line and they complete a page based on your theme.  You circle through all the participants and when you get it back, you have a wonderful journal filled with beautiful artwork.   

I actually got mine back at Artfest.  All the women who participated in the journal and attended this years Artfest got together in the common area of the dorm and got to see everyone's completed journals.  They were all so beautiful and unique.  

My theme was "Life is better when."  And here are the pages:




Nelly Eisenhower

 



Bev Wegrich

 



Shonna Bucaroff

 


Nancy Brister




Barb Brister




Linda Freeman




Deborah Perpetua




Jonna Barnett




Heidi McElroy (My Aunt)





Heather Foust (My Mom)

Sorry about the scans on a few pieces.  Some have some 3-D embellishments on them that my cheap scanner couldn't handle.  But you can see how beautiful they all are. 

This was such a blast. During some busy times over the year, this was the only thing that kept me connected to art.  It is a wonderful treasure.

  We are doing it again this year (as soon as I take the time to organize it again!) 

 

Artfest Recap and Perspective

It is so hard to put into words the wonderful experience that I had at Artfest.  This was my second year attending and I couldn't imagine that the second time around could be better than the first, but it was absolutely wonderful.

There is something so magical about being around people who truely get you and they aren't even your family! 

Heading into Artfest, I was a little uninterested in flying across country, sad about leaving my hubby and family and apprehensive about taking off work (of course I was reminded of the bad timing of Artfest when I got back to work.) 

But, this is where I needed to be.  I needed to get my battery recharged.  Soak up the creativity and remind myself of where I want and need to be. I think this time, I have gained a clearer perspective of what I need to be doing and who/what I need in my life.  I can see clearly what makes me happy and what doesn't make me happy. 

Cha-cha-cha changes, turn and face the strange!!!!

Oops, excuse me....So here is Artfest (and a side trip to Seattle) in a few pictures.  They don't even do any justice to the wonderfulness of the whole experience, but....

 

This is the sign you see when you come into the fort.  Artfest....YAY!



This is the view from the top of the hill. 



Here are the dorms.  Mine is on the far left.  Dorm life is actually quite fun!

My Mom, Jesse Reno, Me and My Aunt Heidi

Me and my soul sista Shonna.

My Aunt Heidi, Shonna, Lynne Perrella, Me and My Mom.  The work is from Lynne's class.

This is from the bonfire on the beach.  Very, very cold that night.

Fun work from Roxanne Pagette's class.  Mixed Media Portraits is the name of the class.  There were so many great ideas in this class, I can't wait to get playing. 

This is the owl I made in Michelle Allen's Dangling Dudelings class.  Totally loved this class!!!  Will definitely be working with paper clay again.

Another one of the Dudelings made in Michelle's class.

My Aunt Heidi, Me and My Mom on the Ferry.

Pike Place Market.  Super fun place.

Colorful produce stand in Pike Place Market.

View from the "not so much" sculpture park in Seattle.  See the Space Needle in the background.

Artfest 2012 March 28th-April 1st! Can't wait for next year!!!!

P.S. Check out all the lovelies at Paint Party Friday!

Paint Party Friday and April Fools Day!

Today is week three of Kristin and Eva's Paint Party Friday.  I am loving this gathering every Friday. 

I woke today to a cruel April Fools Day joke by Mother Nature.  As, I sit and look out the window we are getting snow showers!  It is April!  But on an up note, it is the most wonderful kind of snow.  It isn't laying on the streets, it is just covering the lawn and should be gone by the afternoon.  It is actually quite beautiful.  My only problem is that to snow it needs to be a certain temperature and that means it is COLD outside.  Oh well, what better weather to stay in an paint.....

This is what I did last week on Paint Party Friday. 

Someone asked me what kind of watercolors I am using.  I use the Winsor & Newton pan watercolors along with Caran 'd Ache Neocolor II watercolor crayons.  Occasionally I will use a watercolor pencil that I do not know who makes them.  Mix them all together add a little white paint pen and voila!

Hope you can make it to the Paint Party to see some really wonderful artist.