ArtFest

I attended a great art retreat last weekend in Port Townsend, Washington called ArtFest. It was my first time attending this particular retreat and it was amazing. We immersed ourselves in art, without having to worry about laundry, cooking, children and the 'real' world. I met so many fabulously interesting women who, like me, are in a stage of their lives where they are wondering exactly who to be now that the children are grown. As well as so many confident, great artists that generously shared their knowledge, skills and friendship with me.




I took three great classes and learned something from all of them. From Nina Bagley, I took a class called "Wee Book". We made a tiny book from copper, fabric and paper to hold small treasures. What fun! I'll post a picture of it soon.

Then I took "Nature Imprinted" from Dorit Elisha. We learned to make gelatin prints of natural materials. An easy, fun process that has great potential for me. Here is a quickie collage I made in class using the prints:

My final class was with Mary Beth Shaw "Exploring the Abstract". This class was my favorite. I really feel that I stretched out and moved beyond 'craft' into 'art'. Mary Beth was so encouraging and supportive. She demonstrated several, new to me, techniques that I love! I will be exploring this medium a lot more in the very near future. Stay tuned!