Portland Art & Soul... On The Red Carpet!

Our first event for the year in Portland was amazing! They're always special, but the air was alive with excitement and energy this year.

With a brand new theme, we started off our event with a glamorous opening night party – On the Red Carpet – which featured a live band and we tripped the light fantastic, as if we were the stars.

We had some exceptional dancers spinning around the floor.

A celebrity selfie station!

Lots of glitz and glam including feather boas, feather eyelashes, and sparkly hair extensions were all part of the fun.

Many of us sported sparkles throughout the week. Attendees even arranged to have our glitz girl Sarah return to add more glam to their locks! It was so much fun. Mine are still in place and I love the comments I get as I venture out into the non-arty world.

And speaking of arty worlds... Wow! We had close to 500 happy, smiling, adventurous attendees at this year's Art & Soul Portland. A big thanks to those who came from NZ, Australia, the Netherlands, England & Canada. What an amazing tribute to A&S!

And as always, the gorgeous mixed-media creations that were made just blew me away. Like these metallic mini journals made by students in Jen Crossley's workshops.

Lots of gorgeous fabric classes with interesting techniques for making one-of-a-kind garments, or...

Something to tell a personal tale with, like these beautiful Storyscapes made in Roxanne Evans Stout's workshop.

How about these gorgeous metal bangles! There are always plenty of jewelry classes at Art & Soul, in all categories of mixed media.

Like these uniquely colorful Alcohol Ink pendants from Jennifer Jackson MacLean's students!

And speaking of colorful, check out these gorgeous papers and journal pages made in Nicole Austin's She Three workshop.

And this mixed-media portrait from Kate Thompson's experimental painting class. There was definitely something for everyone and every level of artist here in Portland. It warmed my heart to watch our tremendously talented teachers guide our students, while gently pushing them outside their comfort zone to create magnificent works of art.

Our vendor night was packed! The most vendors we had in years. Teachers selling their own creations. Antiques and mixed-media objects galore. Fabrics and fibers and found objects and all kinds of stuff to make more stuff with. It was a creative's paradise. Our special thanks to One Love Vineyards for coming with wine tastings and sale of their new products.

And it was so great to see a renewed excitement over trades again! Just like the old days, we've gone back to simple gestures, exercising our individual artistic flair, and appreciation for one another's creativity and kindness. Makes my heart go pitter-pat.

And lets not forget all the other amazing extras at Portland... Massages again were popular! Our necks and backs needed relief from all that intense creative focus. We also cannot say enough about the hotel staff, always rising above and beyond to take care of our special needs and crazy requirements. And if you've ever been to one of our events, you know our requests are pretty crazy! And of course, our on-site store, Collage. Holy cow! A selection to rival any big chain. We're pretty lucky.  Thanks to Maria Raleigh and her great team for an amazing job. And of course my Marie and Karen. So for my outstanding support system and all the wonderful teachers and attendees... this award goes to you! Thanks for making Art & Soul a winner year after year after year!!

Until next time. See you in Colorado!

Glenny
xo

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

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!

Portland 2019 Registration Now Open!

A Colorful Palate with Jacqueline Newbold

Oh boy do we have some colorful classes for Art & Soul Portland 2019! We're thrilled to be able to offer you 155 mixed-media workshops, taught by 49 individually talented artists, over 8 days of complete and total creative bliss!!

Ruth Chandler's workshop Artiste Tool Bag & Tole

No matter what type of mixed media art you enjoy making, or what level you're at, we have something for everyone in Portland. Choose from workshops in collage, asssemblage, painting, doodling, drawing, journaling, bookmaking, sewing, fabric and fiber arts, jewelry making, metal working, sculpting, dollmaking and techniques so new that we don't even have names for them yet.... We've got all of it!

Nicole Austin's "She Three" Collage Portraits

And of course with all our events we have so much more than classes at all of our events including a fabulous Opening Night Party, an amazing on-site store, our pop-up Vendor Night shopping event, DIY play areas, and impromptu gatherings with your Art & Soul'mates! There's certainly nothing like some creative playtime with your tribe.

Portland Art & Soul

March 10-17, 2019

Portland Airport Sheraton Hotel

Portland, Oregon

 

Make felted birds & nests with LeBrie Rich in Welcome Spring!

 

So that's just a little taste of what we have in store, so go ahead and grab a beverage and a snack check out our Portland offerings! You can peruse them on our website in 3 ways... by workshops and their dates, your favorite instructors, and by photos of all our example projects. Once you register, don't forget to make your hotel reservations too. Happy browsing!

Keeler Winery at Portland Vendor Night...

We are thrilled to have Keeler Estate Vineyards with us once again for private wine tasting and sales during our Vendor Night shopping event. Located in Amity, Oregon, Keeler is a truly magical place consisting of a thriving biodynamic vineyard, gardens, forest, lakes, streams, and acres of gorgeous landscaping. Their fruits grow in the sedimentary, shallow soils of an ancient ocean bed and are kissed by the sun and blessed with the cooling afternoon ocean winds during the warm ripening season. Their wines are an exquisite reflection of the ecosystem they are grown in and the Keeler's love of and dedication to the beauty of nature and all of it's processes.

Also at our Vendor Night event, we're going to have a special Highland-inspired surprise for those who attend. We can't tell you what it is, but you'll definitely want to come and stay for awhile!

 Art & Soul Portland —Vendor Night

Friday, February 16, 2018
6:00 - 9:00 pm
Sheraton Airport Hotel

As always, our Vendor Night shopping event is an eclectic selection of flea market style found objects, vintage findings, mixed media art supplies, fabrics, jewelry, collage items, ephemera, and finished art by your favorite instructors and local talent. There's something for everyone! And of course it's free for registered attendees and is open to the public for a fee of $5 at the door, so be sure and tell your friends to come browse this one night only pop-up shopportunity. 

See you soon!

Glenny

xoxo

Brazing Bold... With Susan Lenart Kazmer

Well, if it weren't hard enough to choose which Susan Lenart Kazmer workshop to take at our Portland 2018 Art & Soul event, we've gone and added another amazing class to our roster... Brazing Bold - Resin & Silver Talismans Jewelry.

In this afternoon workshop, you'll get to hand-forge a silver bezel, learning practical metalworking skills in brazing, filing, sanding and finishing. Then, you'll get to build up multiple layers of resin, using interesting techniques and applications for scratching, crackling, engraving, transferring of imagery, mark-making and surface coloring. And even in that abridged description, we're literally not even scratching the surface!

Whether you are new to jewelry-making, or it's already part of your creative world, you won't even need to bring or invest in too many supplies because Susan will graciously be supplying bricks to braze on, torches, extra butane, soldering material, a flexible shaft, drill bits, sandpaper, and she'll even have extra tools in the classroom. Susan is all about helping you learn in the easiest and most fun way possible!

Portland 2018 Art & Soul

Brazing Bold - Resin & Silver Talismans Jewelry

Wednesday, February 14, 2018

1:30pm - 4:30pm

So go ahead and check out this latest addition to Susan's classes. And if you haven't taken a look at all our offerings for Portland Art & Soul, you can see them all out on our website.

Last Chance for Portland Early Bird Pricing!

We know the one about how the early bird catches the worm... but how about the one where the early bird catches the best Art & Soul classes, taught by their favorite instructors, and at a special discount, but only available through this Friday, June 30th?!

Well, we just wanted to give a little reminder about how you can save $15-$20 on all full-day classes and $10 off your registration fee! That's just $135-$140 for daytime workshops and $40 to register. When June ends class prices will be at their regular price of $150-$160 and registration will be $50. We love to encourage you to make your selections early as classes fill up quickly, but hey... we'd love for you to save a little dough so you can buy more supplies too!

 

Art & Soul Portland 2018

February 11-18, 2018

Portland Airport Sheridan Hotel

Did you know that Art & Soul is the longest running mixed media art retreat in the United States, and we're still going strong for a reason. There's nothing like being amongst like-minded souls, learning new techniques, creating amazing things, and making memories that last a lifetime. So, check out our Portand offerings, register today, and save yourself a bit of hard-earned cash! You can look through our workshops in 3 ways... by workshop dates, your favorite instructors, and by photos of all our example projects. Once you register, don't forget to make your hotel reservations too. The Sheraton has given us an unbeatable rate that includes lots of extras. Can't wait to see which classes you pick!

Portland Registration is Open!

Fabric Angel Book with Kate Thompson

We have lots of exciting classes for Art & Soul Portland 2018 and registration is now open! We're thrilled to offer such a unique selection of workshops for our attendees. No matter what type of mixed media art you enjoy making, or would like to learn how to make... there is something for everyone in Portland.

Make polymer clay Bird Peeps with Lisa Rinner

Want to try your hand at felting, sewing a garment, dyeing fabric, painting in watercolors, acrylics or pencils? We've got that! Interested in making books and journals out of fabric or paper, 3-dimensional assemblage, and fabulous jewelry techniques in enamel, clay, metal or resin? We have those too! How about sculpting with clay, collaging with magazine pages, or literally trying your hand at drawing, doodling, or lettering the alphabet? Well, we have workshops in all of that and so much more!

Susan Lenart Kazmer's Talisman Jewelry

Did you know that 2018 will be our 15th year in Portland! I actually started producing weekend art events in 1998, Art & Soul Retreats became a phenomenon all its own in February 2003. I hope you can join us to celebrate this milestone.

Felt the Perfect Handbag in LeBrie Rich's workshop

Registration will open May 26, 2017. We are once again offering special discounts for early registration. Classes will be $135 for one month only, until June 30, 2017. At that time, they will raise to $150. Make your selections EARLY as many classes will fill rapidly.

Discover Gel Transfers with Heather Kindt

Art & Soul Portland 2018

February 11-18, 2018

Portland Airport Sheridan Hotel

This was just a little taste of what we have in store, so go ahead and grab a beverage and a snack check out our Portand offerings! You can peruse them on our website in 3 ways... by workshop dates, your favorite instructors, and by photos of all our example projects. Once you register, don't forget to make your hotel reservations too. The Sheraton has given us an unbeatable rate that includes lots of extras. Happy browsing!

Play, Plunder & Pirates In Portland!

Ahoy, Landlubbers! Well what can I say? We just wrapped up an amazing Art & Soul event in Portland!

The energy was at an all-time high and everybody seemed to embrace the spirit of play and adventure even more than usual this year.

There's just something about getting out of the house, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, putting chores on hold for a few days, and dipping your toes (and fingers, of course) in the creative waters here at our mixed media retreats!

And speaking of waters... although it wasn't necessary to make anyone walk the plank, we did have our usual round of suspects!

Who managed to stay out of and get into trouble in ways we never even thought possible! (wink).

Our Treasure Island theme for this year was absolutely infectious! From pirate themed goody bags, filled with lots of plunder and booty...

...to our guest of honor Jack Sparrow, being admired by some lovely lasses during our opening night festivities...

....to the hotel staff and our resident bartender who even joined in on the fun, creating signature drinks for the attendees. Aaarrrrgggh! Avast ye seadogs.... I'll be servin' up the grog and makin' sure no scallywags get three sheets to the wind!

A whole bunch of art was made.

We found our inner spirit.

We embraced our inner weirdness.

And we learned lots of new, interesting stuff, made kindred connections, and some really creative projects that will live on beyond our time here.

So I'd like to give a big giant thanks-so-much to all who attended! With special appreciation to my team... Marie Kennedy, Karen Rosselli, and Phoenix Sagen for helping out in every way possible so I could get some much needed behind-the-scenes stuff taken care of. My gals did a fabulous job. I can't even imagine an event without them!

And a happy welcome to Maria and Collage as our onsite store. She's always there with a smile and a fountain of knowledge about art supplies of all kinds. She had great demos and make-n-takes throughout the retreat and it added a special touch to our event.

Well, I gotta go... Minneapolis starts in a week and boy do I have stuff to get done!

Hope to see you there!
Glenny
xoxo

Portland Classes Are Up!

Doris Arndt, The Wee Potion Book Necklace

We are so very excited to let you know that classes for Art & Soul Portland 2017 next Spring are now online. Yay! As always we've got dozens of full day and evening workshops to stretch your creativity, lots of fun events, an on-site store that's to dye for, a Pop-up Art Bazaar for all your hard to find knick knacks and amazing original art, and so much more!

Jenny Doh, Free Motion Stitched & Watercolored Art Dolls

We've put a preview of our classes online... you can check them out here. Whether you're into collage, assemblage, journaling, drawing, bookmaking, painting, sewing, sculpting, jewelry, dolls, or you just want to stretch your creative imagination and try something new... well, we've got lots to choose from!

Kelly Kilmer, Serenity Bundles

Registration goes live on May 15th and we have a very special EARLY BIRD OFFER for you! If you sign up by July 30, 2016, all of your full day workshops will be $135 and your registration fee will be $35! That's a $15 savings on both! It all adds up.... or should we say... subtracts!

Portland Art & Soul

April 3-9, 2016

Portland Airport Sheraton Hotel

So grab a beverage and a snack, then visit our website and get all the juicy details about our Portland Event... our gracious host Hotel... the creative Workshops we have to offer... and our fabulous Instructors.

Happy browsing!