Ro Bruhns Art Journal Class......

What a sensational class !!!! I cannot think of a better way to have started the Art Retreat than doing an altered book class with our very own uber talented Ro Bruhn. We have such talent here in Australia.... This is my first page.... think I may have tried too many techniques on the one page here (he hee), but boy did I have fun putting this together. Ro taught us so many wonderful techniques, many of them recycling things from around the home to make stamps, create collage papers and more....
I was happier with my second page. Love using the serviettes in collage (and Ro supplied us with a huge variety of beautiful serviettes to use). Then lots of overlaying, stencilling, stamping, painting....
Page 3. The colours on this page reminded of a trip I had to Italy. Love the images which I cut up to give it a funkier look.
Page 4...... not finished yet as I want to include a photo of the lovely Ro on this page. Simple page this one, with just a wash of paint and some ink, a piece of another of Ro's beautiful nakpkins and some pieces of her collage papers. I will add some other images to these pages and maybe some doodling and words a bit later.
This is a lovely photo I took of my dear friends Dot and Shirley with Ro in our class. We girls had the BEST time in Ro's class. Ro is a very warm and generous soul. Unfortunately the photo taken of Ro and myself is a little blurred (but you've seen enough of me lately).

Thank you Ro for a wonderful class and to my friends Shirl and Dot for making this such a memorable weekend of art bliss.

More photos to come soon of my classes with the delightful Misty Mawn and Traci Bautista.....

Wishing you a beautiful Sunday......

Wow... Loved the Art Retreat ......

I had the most fantastic time at the Art Retreat run by Artistic Journey! Amazing tutors and surrounded by so many talented people!!!!
The Art Retreat began for me with a class with the wonderful Ro Bruhn... an altered book, fantastic fun! Unfortunately I dont have photos of my book as yet, but will post them as soon as I do so. If you get a chance to do a class with Ro jump at the chance, it was such fun and very inspirational. I will do a post on that class as soon as I take my photos.
On the Friday I had a class with Misty Mawn. I had been looking forward to this for ages as Misty's art was my introduction to mixed media... I was drawn to her wonderful backgrounds and the ethereal figures in her art. So much fun learning to do these backgrounds myself and then having a go at painting my own figures (lots of practice needed yet!). Misty is very quiet and unassuming and the most wonderful teacher.
Saturday was a journal class with Traci Bautista.... lots of fun techniques, vibrant colours, lots of doodling... sort of anything goes when making your own collage pages for your journal. Loved learning to put the journal together and making the fantastic fabric binding.
Sunday was spent with the wonderful Nina Bagley. I thoroughly enjoyed this class too (after much concern about not being able manage the "Nina Knot" and other intricacies of jewellery making). I need not have worried, Nina made the class such an enjoyable experience. Nina makes everyone feel very confident (and clever!!!) and we all achieved so much in this class.


This is a photo of the necklace I made in Nina's class. I was thrilled with it and I am sure to be wearing this often. As you can see.... I sort of managed the Nina Knots (I rather like the naive look of my knots...I think).
The colour here is a little washed out. The piece at the bottom is a piece of jade (you'd never believe it the colour it has come out in the photo!!). It is very special as I bought it at a flea market when I was on holiday in Rome, so it is lovely to now have it in a piece of jewellery that I have made. Nina helped with me with that beautiful little pearl at the bottom and the idea of using the ribbon.

Above is a photo (sorry its a bit blurry) of Nina and myself. Isnt she soooo cute. Nina is not a very tall person, 5'2" she tells me..... shows how short I am doesnt it.... all of 5' nothing. I'm glad I made her feel tall though. She is such a warm and generous soul. Nina was very sick with a flu virus throughout the weekend, but it didnt dampen her enthusiasm for her students.

I had just the best time in her class...hope she is coming back next year for the Art Retreat as I will definately be booking in for that class!!!!

I was up early one morning recently and took this photo of the sun rising (this is the view from my kitchen window). It was chilly and misty, but the sunrise was eerily beautiful. I am glad I raced in and got my trusty little camera to take this shot...I'm not normally up to see the sunrise.

Anyways, will finish this post now, but will have more of what I did with the other tutors posted soon for you to all see, plus some photos of my arty online friends that I got to meet in the flesh at this retreat.

Hope you have enjoyed my photos from my class with Nina...

Out of action......

Hi all, I have been out of action this week with a yukky cold/flu virus (just pleased I had it last week and not next week when I have my much anticipated Art Retreat !!!). But, alas, no art was created this week so you will have to make do with some art I created before I began my blog..... The above are three bird ATC's that were made as part of a swap hosted by the talented Jo Wholohan last year for one of our Yahoo groups. Each person made 3 bird themed ATC's per month and sent to each person on the list. It was a one of my favourite swaps and I received some beautiful ATC's through out the swap.
The above piece is one of the first felted pieces I made when I first bought my Clover hand felter. I made quite a few of these Funky Felted birds for friends and had lots of fun playing with my new tool..... mmmmm must get back into some felting.
Anyways, sorry no new art this week, but just wanted to make sure you had something new to look at if you visited my blog.
My dear friend Shirley, whom I met at my first Art Camp last year in Perth is coming over on Friday !!!! Shirl is doing the Art Retreat in Melbourne with Dot and I.... we girls are going to have FUN, FUN, FUN.
Next week I will get to meet Jo Wholohan, Debbi Baker and a few other bloggers I have met online and through Yahoo groups when we all get together for the Retreat so there will be lots of news coming soon.
Take care and hope you all have a wonderful week.

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