We're Moving Our Blog...

That's right, fellow Art & Soul'ers... we're moving our blog. Being fans of new creative things, we wanted to update the look and feel of our blog. So we moved to a platform that can support everything social media has to offer these days. We'll be posting more often with fun and interesting information, keeping you up-to-date on everything Art & Soul. Come visit our new blog to see what's been going on and what's coming up!

What's Your New Year's Art Resolution?

Okay... I've given you a few weeks to settle in, clean up the house from holidays and family visits, put away the decorations, and gently glide into 2019. So what I really want to know is... what's YOUR New Year's art resolution?

Are you going to MAKE MORE ART? That certainly is at the top of the list for many Art & Soul'ers. We love to make. It's in our blood. And the more we spend time making, the better we feel! So what is it that you need to make more art? More supplies? More time? More knowledge? More workshops? We can help you with that!

Perhaps you're going to TRY SOMETHING NEW? Art & Soul'ers, as a tribe, tend to be the kind that love going outside their creative comfort zone to expand their artistic horizons. Is that your goal this year? What is it that you'd like to try? Watercolor. Zentangle. Bookmaking. Art dolls. Jewelry. Painting. Drawing. Journaling. Collage. Assemblage. We've got classes for that!

Maybe you've promised to STRAIGHTEN UP THE STUDIO? I know that after awhile I can't even think straight if all my wonderful art tools and projects are all over the place... piled on top of each other, out of reach, or lost in the mess. Cleaning up and re-organizing always brings about a fresh perspective on things. A clean slate from which to start anew. Is that on your list for the new year? What do you need to help you be better organized?

Or perhaps this year you're going to take a giant leap and SELL YOUR ART? Do you have lots of experience under your belt (your crafty tool belt, that is) and a whole arsenal of amazing items that you're just itching to share with the world? Good for you! Let us know what type of wonderful wares you'll be peddling in the art and craft world. We all succeed when we support each other!

Maybe you've decided to TEACH ART in some way or fashion? Whether locally at small venues, going on the road, or sharing your knowledge at retreats or even online... that's an exciting step to make in your life. We'd love to know what you're doing, and we're always looking for new teachers too (hint, hint)!

Whatever it is that you've decided to do for your art practice, we'd love to hear about it. And remember... it's a gift you are giving to yourself. And the art you're going to make.... well, that's a gift to the world. So keep making it. Keep showing up. And maybe I'll see you at our next retreat! And you can tell me all about what you're up to in person!

Happy New Year!
Hugs, Glenny xo

Goodnight, Virginia...

Wow! Look at all these amazing instructors we had at our Virginia Beach retreat for another uplifting, creative, soul-soothing week of mixed media workshops at one of our all-time favorite locations. So much talent in one room! Our time alongside the Chesapeake Bay was delightful as always, although it was also bittersweet... but we'll get to that in a minute. Let's talk about all the fun we had first...

As always, there were a fantastic array of classes on how to make mixed media jewelry, assemblage, dolls, painting, books, metal etching, sewing, collage and so much more at our event this year. The wide range of offerings brings in an even wider range of attendees, who are always up for going outside their comfort zone to learn something new. One of the things I absolutely love about our Art & Soul tribe!

Take those brave and willing students and combine them with dozens upon dozens of the most talented, patient and nurturing instructors and what you get is some gorgeous artwork. I absolutely love to see what each of the attendees creates, because every one of them brings their own personal tastes and experiences to the projects being taught. It's kind of mind blowing! And also very rewarding. It makes my heArt sing!

The overall vibe at Virginia Beach this year was filled with the usual camaraderie of friends and love for the sacred time we all take to feed our creative souls. But this time together was a bit more precious than in previous years. You see... the Virginia Beach Resort Hotel — that we've called home for a week each year — has been sold and will be completely refurbished. An endeavor that may take almost 2 years. At that time, it will become part of the Marriott franchise.

The hotel was beloved by so many of us. It was old, quirky and, eventually became in need of renovation, but it was also a quaint beach resort. A little hideaway small enough that we didn’t overlap with many guests and pretty much had the entire facility to ourselves. The staff became family to us and took excellent care of Art & Soul. Even with much of the hotel in a state of inevitable pre-closing repairs and limited staff (as their jobs would be over at the end of our stay), we all had a remarkable event. We relished our time together and grew in so many ways that week. I cannot even begin to thank all of those who joined us for that cherished time together.

Boy, not only will we miss the hotel, but how about this gorgeous view? But it's time to say goodnight, Virginia... at least for now. Once the new hotel is up and running, whether they will be willing or able to accommodate Art & Soul is an unknown. But fret not! We have done our homework and found another seaside location for you in Ocean City, Maryland...

That's right! We are so fortunate to have contracted the next 2 years with the Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort Hotel. They are so excited to have Art & Soul, and have already connected us with The Ocean City Center for the Arts, who will be hosting an open house one night during the retreat next October. It's really a remarkable location and I hope that many of you can join us there! We are currently working on the final details, class information and schedule and hope to have our inaugural Maryland retreat live on the website mid-November. If you want to stay up-to-the-minute on all the details, be sure to get on our mailing list so you can receive our newsletters.

And once again, a huge hug of gratitude to each and every one of you who joined us in Virginia recently, or any other year for that matter. We know your time is precious and that you choose to spend it with us speaks volumes! We look forward to seeing you in Portland, Colorado Springs and Ocean City in 2019!

Glenny
xo

photos courtesy of Lynne Suprock, Jen Crossley, Jacqueline Sullivan, Virginia Beach Resort Hotel & Princess Royale Oceanfront Resort Hotel.

Announcing our 2019 Theme... Red Carpet!

Lights... Camera... Action! We are so excited to introduce our Art & Soul theme for 2019... Red Carpet! Can't you just see the flashbulbs popping as you walk down the runway dressed from head to toe in glitz and glam? All that fancy fun is what inspired this new theme. Well, that and group I belong to had a New Year's Eve party last year with a Hollywood theme.... and it was a fabulous time. So, no worries... I've done the dress rehearsal for us. It's gonna be grand!

This year's theme was created by Michelle Bernard, who also just happens to be Art & Soul's in-house Graphic Designer and a mixed media artist herself. She was able to take our idea and turn it into an exciting yet sophisticated representation of our theme. Michelle's process starts with extracting everything possible from me about the what and why I like the chosen theme. Then she does lots of research on the subject, followed by brainstorming and sketching out of ideas...

I'd say she hit the nail on the head. And it's so sweet to know that in this digital age — where everything's created on the computer — that there is some old fashioned drawing going on out there. Thanks, Michelle!

So, of course you know that we're going to have a smashing opening night party! I can't wait to see how you all play the part of red carpet celebrities in your best event attire. Heck, who are we kidding... I'm expecting ball gowns in class! The whole week long! Bring your whole wardrobe and your confident, self-assured, awesomely amazing selves. You are all stars in my book!

Glenny xo

Don't Forget The Groceries!

We're so excited to boast that LeBrie Rich — one of our very own amazingly talented instructors — currently has an exhibition of felted works! Grocery, is LeBrie's series of life-size branded food products, such as Fritos, Ritz Crackers, and Reese’s, that were lovingly felted and stitched with painstaking attention to detail. The almost irresistibly soft texture of wool felt and the many hours of labor clearly spent on each piece invite you to slow down and (re)consider your connection to these familiar products. This particular body of work is both a tribute to and a critique of not only the foods that have shaped our lives and our memories, but also their branding. Through her careful rendering, each piece becomes a precious, tactile totem of our throwaway culture and an opportunity to reflect on our relationship to it.

Grocery

Felted Artworks by LeBrie Rich

on exhibit now through October 28, 2018
Wolff Gallery • 2804 SE Ankeny St • Portland, OR 97214

 
So if you are in the Portland area, do yourself a favor and go check out LeBrie's Exhibit... it's the most adorable gallery show I've ever seen! And in the meantime, to find out more about her exhibit, processes and inspiration, here's a great article about the work.

And now that you know what an impressive artist LeBrie is, check out what she has in store for you this Spring at Art & Soul Portland....

Your Perfect Felted Handbag - Sunday - March 17 

Felted Slippers - Thursday - March 14 

Welcome Spring! - Sat Eve - March 16

LeBrie Rich is an artist and educator living in Portland, Oregon. She is the proprietress of PenFelt, a line of felted accessories and objects that are available in select craft galleries nationally. Her work has been featured in a variety of publications, for print and web, including The New York Times and 1000 Artisan Textiles by Lark Press. Her work has also been shown in diverse settings, including museums, storefront windows and art vending machines. LeBrie has been teaching feltmaking for 10 years and loves to introduce people the miraculous and fun process of transforming raw wool into felt! To find out more about LeBrie, her workshops and all our classes at Art & Soul, visit our website!

Virginia Teacher Spotlight: Susan Lenart Kazmer

We are always beyond blessed and excited to have Susan Lenart Kazmer teaching at our events! Her work is built on years of researching cultures, repairing ethnographic adornment, art school, training in the craft of metallurgy, a strong fashion background, and time spent in the commercial jewelry field. This has made her work — that she likes to refer to as Expressive Adornment — a unique voice in the industry. Susan’s gorgeous jewelry includes talismans, prayer boxes, amulets and repurposing everyday items in a magical way for the fashion, museum, gallery and commercial world for over 20 years. Her work has been in numerous traveling exhibits including the Smithsonian Museum and the Art Institute of New York. Now that's pretty impressive! Here's what she has in store for us in Virginia Beach this year...

Caging Hollow Forms
In this 6 hour hands on workshop, you'll explore the cage form in sterling silver as small wearable relics by creating your own unique hollow form pendant. You'll learn or refresh your skills on proper metalworking techniques for soldering, shaping and clean up, while you delve into the process of combining filigree bezel wire, round silver wire and sheet metal. By the end of class you'll have a finished jewelry component complete with a leather adornment.

Building Bezels: Soldering & Setting Druze and Hollow Forms
In this full day workshop, you will build and strengthen soldering skills using fundamental metalworking techniques to build a box bezel from sterling silver. Susan will guide you on how to set a druze stone within that bezel. You'll also learn practical metal cleanup and polishing techniques like brazing, filing, sanding and finishing to create a small wearable piece with leather and attachments.

Wire Caging with Druzy Stone
In this 6 hour smithing class learn to anneal, solder, pick, shape, draw a bead and all skills necessary to build a unique cage-like bezel to encase a druzy stone... using an open form technique created from forged wire. This particular bezel allows you to view all sides of the object that you are encasing. Students will finish one pendant in the morning and the afternoon will have an opportunity to forge and braze a wire neck form. You'll  leave with a complete neck form and pendant.

Industrial Bangle Bracelet
In this informative 3-hour morning class you'll learn to build a unique bracelet in Susan's style and complete your own bangle bracelet, adding charms or druze stones to accentuate. Susan uses this technique as a core structure to her personal jewelry and fashion assignments. Expand your vocabulary in jewelry and learn to hand hammer, anneal and patina 14 gauge wire to create a bracelet with comfort, durability, and sophistication. Draw a bead for closure and learn to flatten the bead to create a gorgeous industrial look.

Wire Links: Forging with Ancient Techniques
In this 3-hour afternoon workshop students will learn the usefulness of an age old technique reminiscent of our ancestors long ago. Using 10 gauge bronze wire, you'll learn the correct methods for hand hammering and annealing wire for malleability and ease of creating structures. Your link bracelet will have a gorgeous, rustic look and feel and can be used as the start of a Talismans charm bracelet or for housing amulets, fringe or personal mementos.

Ancient Artifacts: Casting Resin
In this 3-hour evening class, you'll focus on new works in jewelry using resin as it has never been presented before... in casting! Students will sand, scratch, and scraffitto their way into creating unique objects and ancient artifacts in jewelry in combination with metal... learning new techniques and application for scratching, crackling, engraving, transferring of imagery, making marks and coloring surface with foils and tints. Each student will leave with a beautiful pendant and a journal full of ideas and a whole new direction to focus your work.

All Things Resin
In this full day class, you'll explore the vast possibilities resins have to offer in jewelry when you combine it with metal bezels, objects and organic materials. This hands on workshop offers many foundational techniques from filling hollow bezel forms with photos, text, foil and layering of materials. Learn proper mixing, application, combining and pouring layers, safety tips and a whole lot more. New techniques to take your jewelry making to the next level!

Virginia Beach Art & Soul

October 1-6, 2018

Virginia Beach Resort Hotel  

So, as you can see, Susan is one extremely talented lady. In addition, her playful spirit and willingness to share make her one of our most popular instructors, and her classes those that fill up fast. So if you haven't signed up for one of her extraordinary workshops, hop on over to our website and claim your spot today!

Susan Lenart Kazmer authored her first book Making Connections: A Handbook of Cold Joins for Jewelers and Mixed-Media Artists in 2008. She also authored the book Resin Alchemy, which was on Amazon’s 2013 best seller list. It includes a pioneering ten-year body of work combining metal and ICE Resin®, a jeweler’s grade resin she developed and brought to market. Susan She recently built the successful commercial line of components called Industrial Chic. Susan’s innovative new work has been seen in the March 2014 issue of U.S. ELLE magazine as she re-enters the fashion world and on the runway in New York and on her website at susanlenartkazmer.com.

Virginia Teacher Spotlight: Susan Shaffer

We're so excited to have Susan Shaffer — the owner of Joyful Arts Studio — teaching at our Virginia Beach retreat. She firmly believes that art transformed her life, allowing her to reveal herself to the world. Susan also believes that creativity is within each of us and it's her goal to help others discover how to find it and use it. She wants others to have the same opportunity she did, and to explore their own creativity to find which art form they most enjoy. Susan is a nationally exhibited and decorated artist and is passionate about the power behind the creative process. She hopes to inspire wellness through art within each of her students. Here's what Susan has in store for you at Virginia Beach...

Perfection Is Overrated
Join Susan for a day of fun therapeutic art exercises as she talks through ways to overcome that pesky perfectionism, which can negatively affect our art and life. She'll encourage you to concentrate on the creative process and how it feeds your soul. In class, you'll have fun sloshing around in paint with brushes, fingers, plastic gift cards, water spray, lace, onion bags and who knows what else! You'll create layers and layers of acrylic paint using lots of surprising techniques. We'll leave the perfectionist behind as we practice painting without rules! Everyone will leave with their own unique, one-of-a-kind painting, reflecting their own personality.

Creating Your Way To Joy
In this class you'll experience a day of fun that's all about letting go, giving up control, laughing, collaborating, camaraderie and learning to follow your intuition. Like Susan's Perfection class, you'll be sloshing around in acrylic paint with brushes, your fingers, plastic gift cards, water spray, lace, onion bags and lots of other items for unique and interesting techniques. This loose style of painting will force you to go with your gut instinct, and you'll have a blast creating a work of art that is distinctly you!

Cardinal In The Snow, Watercolor Batik
In this workshop, you'll get to discover the combination of watercolor and hot wax resist on rice paper. You will paint a vibrant red cardinal hunkered down in a snow covered Juniper tree, using multiple layers of watercolor paint and hot wax. You may also try your hand at using watercolor crayons and pastel pencils too. Susan will gently guide you through all the tips, tricks and techniques to creating this wintery masterpiece and you will be thrilled with the end result!

We're so excited that Susan is here to not only teach you creative techniques but to make sure your heart and soul are involved in the process. No matter what level of art experience you have, you will surely be uplifted and changed after one of her classes! For more information on Susan Shaffer, her classes and our Virginia retreat, visit our website...

Virginia Beach Art & Soul

October 1-6, 2018

Virginia Beach Resort Hotel  

In addition to having nearly 30 years of experience as an art instructor, Susan is a former health care informatics professional, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Fine Art/Studio Art, with a concentration in Watercolor, a bachelor’s in Business Management with a concentration in Information Systems and a minor in Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship from Wilson College.

Virginia Teacher Spotlight: Lisa Chin

We're so happy to have Lisa Chin as a member of our Art & Soul Virginia Beach family! Lisa has been an artist and maker — of one kind or another — for her entire life. She has a bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Art from the University of Utah and has explored many art forms through both formal training and self-taught opportunities. After being introduced to fabric dyeing in 2005, she quickly became obsessed with surface design and discovered a multitude of fun and interesting ways to accomplish her visions. And at Virginia Beach, she's going to show you how to bump up your game when it comes to custom mark-making on surfaces! Take a look at what she has to offer this October...

Basic Stamp Carving
In this Monday evening workshop, you'll learn the secrets of stamp carving, which will allow you to create one of kind stamps for use in all of your paper and fabric art. Knowing how to carve your own stamps is a skill you'll be able to use forever. There is nothing better than being able to use your own images in your artwork again and again!

Hand Carving Repeat Patterns
Motifs arranged in a regular pattern are often used as a background, filler, or the main focus in our art, collage and other mixed media projects. In this full day class, you'll take your stamp carving to the next level by learning to draw and then carve a repeat pattern stamp to be used on paper, fabric or clay. Lisa will guide you through all the nuances of making your patterns look consistent for absolutely stunning results.

Mixed Media Travel Dumpling
For those who have sewing experience, in this all-day workshop you'll create a mixed media travel dumpling (is that just not the cutest and most appropriate name for this kind of mini travel bag?!). You'll start by collaging your favorite paper ephemera using stamps, stencils, paint and markers to create a lovely piece of "fabric". Then you'll sew your collages to create your very own dumpling. The finished bag will be a one-of-a-kind mixed media masterpiece and it's the perfect size to store your miscellaneous art supplies, or any other small items you need to corral on your travels. So adore-able!

 
SunLess Printing
Creating sun printed fabric is an easy and beautiful surface design technique, but has it’s limits. In this Thursday evening workshop, Lisa will show you an easy way to “sun print” in any type of weather, and at any time of day. The results are just as fabulous, and you'll gain one more rainy day activity!

So, as you can see, Lisa has some great workshops to offer at this year's Virginia Beach event. What I love about the classes she's offering is that for every single one of them, not only can you use what you've made over and over in your artwork, but you can take what you've learned to create an unlimited array of mark-making tools for yourself. The possibilities are endless! And that's what we love about our Art & Soul workshops... they're not just a one time thing. You can take this knowlege home with you and take your art to the next level. So, go ahead and check out Lisa's classes... and for more information about our Virginia Beach retreat, visit our website...

Virginia Beach Art & Soul

October 1-6, 2018

Virginia Beach Resort Hotel  

 
Lisa has been a guest on Quilting Arts TV, taught classes on Craft University, had her art published in several books and written many articles for magazines such as Quilting Arts and Modern Patchwork.

Highland Fling... What's Your Thing?

If you've ever been to an Art & Soul retreat, you know that every year we have a specific theme for our retreats, and for 2018 it's Highland Fling! We love to carry that theme throughout each event in lots of creative ways... our event programs, class tickets, opening night party, dressing up, trades, and even some of our classes and vendors feature projects and products based on that year's theme. We really go full tilt! Or should I say... full kilt!

There were so many reasons to choose the Highland Fling theme.... ummm... being Outlander fanatics was probably high on the list. We love the struggles and triumphs of this land and it's people, the amazing costumes from that time period, and the lush landscape of Scotland. But it's so much more than that too. Scotland is rife with a magic and lore all it's own, which is why shows like Outlander are even made. From the gorgeous stone castles, the significance of tartan garb, kilts and clans, to myths of mystical fairies, legends of giant sea creatures, and how an indiginous thistle plant could stop an entire invasion, well... there's so much to love about this highland country.

So what we want to know is... What's your thing with this Highland Fling? Are you an Outlander fan? What do you love about Scotland? Have you ever visited the country? And if you've been to any of our retreats this year, how did you express your Highland self? We'd love to hear your stories!

Virginia Teacher Spotlight: Libby Williamson

Growing up with creative, artsy parents, Libby Williamson’s childhood was a world of fabric scraps and yarn, pins and needles, paint, Elmer’s Glue, and a whole lot of Scotch Tape. At any given time, there was always needlework projects in the works, time spent fashioning doll clothes from remnants, embroidering on anything that could hold a stitch, and learning the art of patchwork quilting. As an art major in college, Libby focused on printmaking but still found time for knitting and fiber arts. Her printmaking background led to a passion in surface design on fabric, which is reflected in her current work. She is a proud hoarder of all things “fiber” and thrives in a world of stitch and sew.

What that means for us is that Libby is one diversely creative soul, with a unique mix of classes to offer our Virginia attendees this year. Having such an inventive childhood, combined with formal training in the arts, she is constantly thinking outside the box, which you can see by what she's planning to teach at our Virginia Beach Art & Soul Retreat this fall. Check it out!

Paint-Collage-Stitch-Magic
In this full day class of Libby's you'll explore a variety of painting techniques as you create a stash of luscious papers that are enhanced with delightful textures and patterns. You'll work on unique substrates such as... deli food wrap, vintage ledger pages, old maps, phone book sheets, and a wide selection of paper ephemera, altering them with gelatin plate printing, stamping and stenciling. Then you'll use your custom papers to create collages onto fabric. You'll get to enhance those magical images and bring them to life with the addition of free-motion machine sewing. Your finished piece can be made into a journal cover or hung as wall art.

Tea Bag Revival
Oh, the sadly neglected, used tea bag... fret not! It will be resurrected for all it's glory in this full day workshop! When dried and emptied, tea bags become the foundation for a precious piece of art that you get to create. Each tea bag will be enhanced with a collage of hand-dyed fabrics and specialty papers. And with the added detail of free-motion machine and hand stitching, it will unify your collection of tiny tea bags. You'll leave class with a wondrous miniature art quilt!

Paint Brush Palooza
In this Tuesday evening class, you will deconstruct a paint brush and then perform a make-over with a riot of color and texture. Yarns, ribbons, shredded fabrics, wire & beads, ephemera, and found objects will replace boring bristles, transforming the brush into a whimsical showpiece. Hidden treasures can be added to complement your personal style.

 
Vintage Bedspring Christmas Tree
If you're looking for a fun evening mixed-media workshop, this is the one! Using a rusty, vintage mattress coil as the foundation, you'll transform an unlikely substrate into a magical, whimsical Christmas treasure. Easy, wonky, bead wrapping will convert sparkly beads and baubles into ornaments, and an old fashioned star tops the tree with a feathered friend along for the ride.

So, as you can see, Libby has a quite an array of unique workshops to offer at this year's Virginia Beach event. For more information about her classes and our Virginia Beach retreat, visit our website...

Virginia Beach Art & Soul

October 1-6, 2018

Virginia Beach Resort Hotel  

Libby Williamson's current focus is in the making of art quilts using layers of hand-painted and dyed fabrics, appliquéd layers of free-motion stitched components and embedded found objects. She teaches art quilting and sewing to students of all ages in her studio in Orange, CA and at destination retreats. In her world, not much can trump paint caked beneath her fingernails, needles and thread, and a bowl of vanilla ice cream. You can find out more about Libby Williamson by visiting her blog.

Here We Go Again... Colorado Springs 2019!

Erin Keck's workshop, Adornments with Found Objects

Well, our inaugural Art & Soul Retreat in Colorado Springs was a smashing success! Not only was it a dream of mine finally fully realized, but for the attendees it was a much needed respite in the gorgeous Rocky Mountains. Our teachers flourished in this creative town. And our temporary home for the week —The Hotel Eleganté — was just as happy to have us, as we were to be there. It definitely showed in the way we and our students were taken care of. So, we're going to do it again!

Watercolor Travel Journaling with Helen Shafer Garcia

That's right... Art & Soul will be going back to Colorado Springs in 2019! And not only that, but we've gathered up dozens of talented instructors, with fantastic mixed media classes to offer, and we've already put them online for you!

A beautiful Spool Journal from Ingrid Dijkers

We have 86 full day and evening classes to choose from in painting, drawing, doodling, journaling, bookmaking, collage, assemblage, sculpting, jewelry, fabric, fiber arts, sewing and more! Then there's the 26 talented and professional instructors teaching them! Plus we're offering you an Early Bird Special... sign up before September 1st and you'll get 50% off the registration fee. Usually $50 per retreat, you'll only pay $25. Just a little incentive to register now, before your favorite classes fill up.

Fabric Collage Prayer flags you can make with Liz Kettle

So, if you joined us the first time, we hope you'll come again. And if you didn't get to create in Colorado Springs yet, we hope you'll consider attending our next mixed media retreat in the Rockies. The camaraderie and excitement that you get to experience at our in-person retreats... well, we think you'll really love it!

Art & Soul Colorado 2019

May 28 - June 2, 2019

at The Hotel Elegante

Colorado Springs, CO

We know summer days and weekends can get pretty busy, so take a little break... grab yourself a cool beverage... and browse our website to pick your favorite workshops. You can browse our selections by class descriptions, by individual instructors, and even by example project photos. Sign up today to get in on our Early Bird special. Happy Browsing!

Virginia Teacher Spotlight: Jean VanBrederode

 

Well, our roster of attentive, caring, nurturing instructors would not be complete without Jean VanBrederode, who literally shines in these categories! As a longtime Art & Soul teacher, Jean is our resident enamel expert. She's taken the art to a whole new level by turning it into creative mixed media jewlery. And she's taken many of our students under her gorgeous (enameled) wings. With her exuberant nature, excitement about her craft and attentive guidance, Jean's classes are always a joy in the discovery of making. And keep in mind... Beginners are her specialty!

Jean VanBrederode was trained as a teacher, but art has always been a part of her life. She feels fortunate to have found an art form — enameling, along with mixed-media jewelry — that brings excitement into her life each and every day. Her work is always changing, always a surprise. Having been seduced, empowered, enriched, & invigorated by metals & glass, she happily dedicates herself to creating and teaching others the joys of enameling!

Bee Keeper
This class was inspired by a workshop with enamelist Ken Bova at the John C. Campbell Folk School last summer. Throughout the day, you'll learn basic simple metal sawing techniques as well as how to create a variety of extraordinary colors on copper using only liquid enamels. You'll learn application techniques along with torch firing skills. All of this and you will leave with a finished Bee Keeper Necklace!

Enameled Bib Necklace
A combination of enameling techniques merge beautifully in Jean's Enameled Bib Necklace workshop. In this full day class, you will learn basic torch fire techniques and how to work with basic mesh enamel, liquid enamel, sgraffito (scratching patterns in enamel), wet packing, and necklace assembly skills. And you will leave this workshop with a finished enameled bib necklace (you'll probably walk out of class proudly wearing it!).

Branching Out
Some things are just better in Black & White, right?! This workshop's Branching Out enameled pendant combines metalworking techniques along with enameling and jewelry design to create a stunning black and white tree pendant. In this class you'll learn how to create an enameled copper design using a torch, vitreous enamels, and liquid enamels as well as how to master the ancient art of sgraffito (scratching into enamel). And like all of Jean's workshops, you will leave with a finished necklace that's just so much fun to show off.

So whether you're a newbie or a novice at enameling or mixed-media jewelry in general, in Jean VanBrederode's workshops you will learn how to create a one-of-a-kind enameled pendant necklaces that will have people asking, “Where did you get that?” and you'll be able to proudly say, “I made it myself!” For more information about Jean's classes and our Virginia Beach retreat, visit our website...

Virginia Beach Art & Soul

October 1-6, 2018

Virginia Beach Resort Hotel

Jean VanBrederode's work has been featured in 500 Art Necklaces, Steampunk Magazine, Belle Armoire Jewelry, Cloth Paper Scissors, and Green Craft Magazines. When she's not teaching workshops or hosting other instructors at her Charmed I’m Sure Studio in south-central Pennsylvania, she is tending to her Etsy shops – Enamel Warehouse, and Charmed I’m Sure Studio.

Virginia Teacher Spotlight: Eric Scott

We love having Eric Scott teaching at our events! He is one half of the Journal Fodder Junkies, and he's dedicated to helping people discover their artistic potential and cultivate their creativity. He is a mixed media artist, an educator, and an author. He provides workshops, presentations, and seminars all across North America on the visual journal and mixed media art.

For Eric, the visual journal is vital to his mixed media art. As a place to explore and experiment, to document and reflect... he sees the journal as a testing ground for ideas, techniques, and imagery. All of these ideas and notions ferment in the journal before they begin making their way into separate pieces of art. Eric is an expert guide into the unknown, and he'll make you feel comfortable and free there! Check out what he has planned for you at Art & Soul Virginia this year...

Luminous Liquid Layers
In this full day workshop, you'll be pushing your creativity as you delve into the world of liquid acrylics. You'll explore a multitude of exciting techniques as you paint, drip, scrape, splatter, and stamp. Sure, that may sound like the basics, but you’ll also learn to use a wide range of unconventional tools and materials to create exciting textures and luminous layers. You can even throw in some of your favorite images and personal ephemera to add a mixed media flair to your work, or you can simply focus on building your painting skills. Either way, you’ll learn to open yourself to a new painting process as you build texture, embrace color, and develop rich layers. You'll definitely get to see how easy it is to develop dynamic images as you work, and you'll walk away with vivid pieces of art ready to hang on the wall.

Monster Maker Workshop
Eric's 3-hour evening class will help you unleash your mad scientist. You'll bring a variety of creatures of the imagination to life in this fun mixed media workshop! You will learn how to conceptualize and create cute & cuddly, or scary & menacing monsters with pencil, ink, paint, and collage. Build your creations from stock parts or invent your own. Customize your monsters with a variety of details, textures, and accessories, and walk away with your own menagerie of little beasts. Evil laugh is optional. Muah-ha-ha-ha!


Stencil Savvy
Stencils have become increasingly popular over the past few years, and we all look forward to the latest releases by our favorite mixed-media artists. But what if we could design and make our own? What if we could use our art, our handwriting, and our photographs to make personally meaningful stencils?

In this hands-on evening workshop, you’ll see just how easy it is to create your own distinctive stencils and templates. You’ll start the day by working with simple shapes and designs, and wrap up with using more complex artwork and photographs. You will leave with a variety of unique stencils and templates ready to be used in all of your mixed-media endeavors. That's pretty awesome!


So whether you love journaling, stamping, painting, drawing, stenciling, or just want to be brave and try something new, Eric has something for everyone. The great part is that everything you learn can translate to your own mixed media practice. What a great way to uplevel your art! For more information about Eric's classes and our Virginia Beach retreat, visit our website...

Virginia Beach Art & Soul

October 1-6, 2018

Virginia Beach Resort Hotel

As a former public school art educator, Eric Scott frequently travels and provides workshops on the power of art and the visual journal to schools and education organizations. In 2005 he officially teamed up with friend and artistic accomplice David Modler to present at a variety of venues, conferences, and retreats on visual journaling and the importance of authenticity in art education. Eric is coauthor of the bestselling books, The Journal Junkies Workshop (2010) and Journal Fodder 365 (2012), both released by North Light Books. He lives in Purcellville, Virginia with his wife and their menagerie of animals. You can find out more about Eric by visiting the Journal Fodder Junkies website.