Here are my new local class listings… I hope you will join me for some fun!

Wire and Metal Jewelry Basics
Sunday, November 16, 2014, 1-4 pm
at the Suffolk Art Gallery

Button Stash Necklace
Sun., December 7, 2014, 1-4 pm
at Rawls Museum Arts
in Courtland, Va.

Bring your Grandma’s button collection and learn to make a beautiful crochet necklace. You will learn simple crochet and proper finishing techniques while using your own treasured buttons for a one-of-a-kind heirloom necklace.

Bring approximately 200 of your favorite buttons – all other supplies and tools will be provided. Your button collection can be multi-colored or a single hue – each will turn out beautifully.

Rawls Arts  is located at 22376 Linden Street in Courtland, Va. — 757-653-0754

Street Style Graffiti Journal
Sunday, April 26, 2015, 1-4 pm
for the Suffolk Art League

Calling all Poets, Writers, Artists and Journalers! Looking for the perfect journal to hold your most creative thoughts? Each student will make a unique, bold and colorful 6” x 8” journal perfect for sketching, art journaling or writing. We will use heavy paper for pages, stencils and spray paint for street style images throughout, canvas for covers and fibers for texture.

Most supplies included. Students should bring basic tools including scissors, pencil and ruler. A bone folder or spoon will be helpful for folding pages. If you have stray spray paints (any color), please consider donating them to the class. If you are sensitive to paint fumes, bring a mask. We will be painting outside, rain or shine. Please wear old shoes

Suffolk Art League is located in the Suffolk Art Gallery at 118 Bosley Ave. in Suffolk, Va. — 757-925-0448

Beginner’s Torch Soldering: Beautiful Bezels
Sunday, May 3, 2015, 1-4 pm
at the Suffolk Art Gallery

Learn the basics of torch soldering, cutting, filing and hammering copper to make beautiful round bezels that perfectly showcase your photos or artwork! Accessible materials and a simple process will make for sure-fire success! Fill them with resin to form a glass-like bubble for beautiful, personalized pendants to wear or give.

Students must bring: a butane torch, 1 full can of butane, tin snips, needle nose pliers, scissors, safety glasses, a cookie sheet and a fire brick or yard brick. Wearing safety glasses is mandatory.  Optional: small images about 1” in size. Photos or sized down versions of your artwork  work well.

Note: *All measures will be taken to create adequate ventilation as much as possible. If you have extreme sensitivities to soldering products or smelly stuff, consider this carefully before registering.

Suffolk Art Gallery is located at 118 Bosley Ave. in Suffolk, Va. — 757-514-7284

Art & Soul Retreat
Virginia Beach Resort Hotel, Virginia Beach, VA

Susan K and me

Art and Soul is a creative retreat held each year in Portland, Kansas City, and luckily for us… Virginia Beach! The organizers bring in world-class instructors and schedule dozens of amazing classes for artists to choose from. This year I got to take 2 sold-out classes from Susan Lenart Kazmer, an internationally recognized mixed-media jewelry artist and teacher.

I enjoyed both classes, and I especially enjoyed Susan’s teaching style,
her generosity and her energy.

The jury is still out… Hot Enameling vs. Cold Enameling

I can’t decide which class I enjoyed the most. While using the kiln or a propane torch to add a glass surface to metal was really fun and empowering, I also enjoyed using resin and various colorants on metal to form cold enameled pieces. Each has its own unique beauty and each has its benefits. The hot enameling dries to a hard, glass surface immediately when cooled while the cold enameling takes less equipment and can be done easily and inexpensively at home. Both methods create luscious layers of color, pattern and texture on metal.

My favorite part of both classes was using the torch to ball the ends of copper and brass wire to form a more beautiful wire wrap and a more professional looking finished piece of jewelry.

Jill, Sandy, Pinky

More than anything else, Art and Soul is a place to meet like-minded folks, make new friends, connect with old friends and have fun. We make art and we learn from amazing teachers from all over the world. We get out of our comfort zones, stretch our creative selves and laugh until all hours of the night…

It’s a once-a-year
creative party!

See you next year
Art and Soul….