CREATE Mixed Media Retreat

Last week I had a chance to relax & renew my own art skills at the CREATE Mixed Media Retreat in Somerset, NJ.  This event is sponsored by Cloth, Paper, Scissors Magazine.  This is the second year I have attended and I have enjoyed both experiences!  It's truly a gathering of like-minded women, it's always fun to feel like you are among your tribe!  This retreat allows me to create art and learn new techniques that I can share with my students.  I will share with you the classes I took, the awesome teachers that I had the opportunity to work with and a few picture of what I created!  I would encourage you to follow the links that I have included to the teacher's blogs!  

Two of the classes I participated in were taught by a New York artist, Julie Fei- Fan Balzer.   Check out a post she wrote about her experience at CREATE NJ, CLICK HERE (you can see ME in the very first photo with the purple shirt).  The 2 classes I took with Julie were Painted & Printed Paper and Stamp Carving 101.  I am excited that I created 2 stamps that I will use at school!  

Here are some photos:

The above paper was created in Painted & Printed Paper

Here are some stamps I created out of craft foam (w/adhesive back), so easy - a great way
for students to create their own stamps!

The stamps, you see below, were carved from SPEEDBALL Speedy Carve Blocks and traditional SPEEDBALL Linoleum carving tools.  I made them in Stamp Caving 101!

The two stamps that I created!

 Here is a screen shot from Julie's blog, Balzer Designs:

Don't I look like I am having FUN?

I also took a class with Joanne Sharpe she is the Marker & Lettering QUEEN!  You can find her blog, WHIMSPIRATIONS here.  This class was called Perfect Pens & Perfect Pages.  We learned about ALL different kinds of markers and how they react with different papers! Here is a page from Joanne's sample journal! 

Example from Joanne Sharp's journal

Finally, I took a class with Jane LaFazio a fiber artist from California.  You can find Jane's blog HERE! This class was called Felt Like Stitching.   
Here are some photos:

Examples of Jane's work,  beautiful pumpkins created out of felt!

Here is my little fishy!  It will make a perfect pin!

We worked with wool felt that was purchased from Purl SoHo, I have never see so many beautiful colors of felt.  

Check it out!  I hope you have enjoyed this tour of my experience at the CREATE Mixed Media Retreat!  Now go out an CREATE something for yourself!

Celebrating Art TOP TEN Winner, Congratulations Hannah!

This Spring we participated in the Celebrating Art contest.  Artwork was submitted digitally, work selected as finalists will be published in a full color, hardcover book.  We submitted 197 pieces of artwork and had 137 pieces selected as finalist - YAHOO!!!  This is the 4th time we participated in this contest.  Any school that has 15 entries accepted to be published, receives a free Celebrating Art Book for the classroom.  This book is one of the most popular in my ART bookshelf ~ students from all grades love to look through it because they find artwork that students at Mount Prospect School have created, they find artwork that their sisters & brothers have created and artwork that their friends have created~very cool!

Hannah , 2nd Grade student at Mount Prospect School just received news that she is a Top Ten Winner in the Celebrating Art Contest, in the K - 3 grade category.  Hannah will have her work specially featured in the book and receive an additional prize!!!

Congratulations to all 140 Mount Prospect students that will have their artwork included in the Celebrating Art Spring 2013 book and 3 cheers for Hannah for making the TOP TEN!  Keep up the GREAT work!  There will be another contest this Fall so decide which piece you will enter!  Permission forms will be going out in October.