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...