Get Out From Behind Your Computer & Come Make Art With Us in Virginia Beach!

In this modern day and age of the interwebs, it's easy to take advantage of the creative offerings available that allow you to participate in the convenience of your own home. But there's nothing like being amongst your tribe of like-minded souls, having a teacher right in front of you to answer questions as they arise, walking around a classroom to see what others are doing, rummaging through mixed media treasures with your hands, and actually LOL'ing because you're having so much fun, feeling light and playful since all the distractions of home have fallen away.

THIS is what Art & Soul is for!

And so we thought we'd share a bit more of the unique offerings we have for our Virginia Beach Retreat, to entice you into joining us in-person!

The title of this workshop with Debbie Rijns says it all. It's called Awwww Sweet, and it gives you the chance to create a silver pendant from a child's drawing. Now, really.... how sweet is that?!

Got quilt skills? Well, after this amazing class with Judy Gula, you'll have a plethora of knowledge on how to make your very own special Batik Panel Art Quilt. Overcome your quilting fears and join Judy for this informative class. And if you're traveling by air, no worries... Bernina has graciously furnished us with extra sewing machines for you to use. How cool is that?!

Mama always said if you keep making that face it's going to stay that way! Well, not in this Luscious Layered Portraits workshop with Nicole Austin. You'll create juicy layers upon layers in your art journals that form the basis of these intriguing one-of-a-kind faces. No two will be alike!

Want to light up your life... or maybe your child's bedroom? Let Leslie Blackford be your guide as you make a night light using transparent polymer clay creations. Then learn to sculpt simple animals that adorn these Creative Character Lamps. What a bright idea!

And how about trying your hand at these adorable Felted Flower Rings you can make in this evening class taught by Susan Rossiter? Now that summer is here and all the flowers are blooming, it really makes sense to create a colorful adornment that lets you enjoy them all year long

So, as you can see, we've got lots to offer in Virginia Beach, and this isn't even scratching the surface! We have an amazing group of instructors who are all artists themselves, many of them published in the pages of your favorite mixed media magazines and authors of their own how-to books. We kick off the week with an opening night party and have lots of fun events, contests and gatherings throughout the week. We've got an on-site store that'll knock your socks off, and a Vendor Extravaganza featuring peddlers with hard to find goodies from ephemera to assemblage components and amazing original art by your very own instructors! We have pop-up parties, show-and-tell, make-and-takes, a designated play area, an amazing staff, all taking place at a hotel on the beach... and there's just so much more to experience in person!

Virginia Beach Art & Soul

October 2-8, 2017

Virginia Beach Resort Hotel

So visit our website and get more information about our Virginia Beach Event... our relaxing beachfront Hotel... the creative Workshops we have to offer... and our fabulous Instructors! Sign up today and give yourself the playtime you deserve, amidst like-minded souls... you'll make some amazing art and lasting friendships too.

We Felt It! Chad Alice Hagen is Coming to Portland!

The amazingly vibrant, vivacious and colorful felting aficionado Chad Alice Hagen — who has instructed workshops at our Virginia Beach retreat — is coming to teach at Portland Art & Soul in March of 2015! And we are tickled pink, and blue... and orange... and yellow.... and green, and purple, and.... wow!

Chad Alice Hagen has been happily and intensively exploring resist dyeing and surface design of hand felted wool since 1979.  Textiles, fiber, fabric, material, felt, cloth – these words are more exciting to her than “You have won the lottery!”  Starting from a textile history background, she has supported herself through her BA and MS from University of Wisconsin and MFA from Cranbrook by weaving rag rugs from thousands of pairs of corduroy pants.  Why?  Because of the color!!  When she discovered feltmaking and the way the wool felt absorbed color through dyeing in the late 1970’s, there was no turning back.

Chad Alice has written extensively on art and feltmaking and her artwork has appeared in and on the covers of Surface Design Journal, Fiberarts and Shuttle, Spindle & Dyepot Magazine. She also is the author of three books: The Fabulous Felt Scarf (2007), Fabulous Felt Hats (2005), and The Weekend Crafter: Feltmaking (2002) all published by Lark Books. She has taught hundreds of classes and workshops since 1979 throughout the United States and Canada, England, Ireland, Holland and Germany - from the early felted boots through hats and scarves and artworks.  Her large scale felt work can be found in major collections including the Mint Museum of Craft and Design in Charlotte, NC, The Knoxville Convention Center, TN, and the Minneapolis Institute of Art. B.F. Goodrich Corporation Collection. Chad Alice maintains a full-time felt and book studio in Asheville, North Carolina. Take a look at what she's teaching at Portland Art & Soul in 2015...

Mokume Pin Shaped Resist Felted Scarf 
Join Chad Alice for a fabulous workshop where you will make a full size fine merino scarf using needle-punch batts and learn an ancient Japanese resist stitching method called Mokume to create a bark-like design and texture.

Wrapped Resist Dyed Felted Journal
Create a perfect sized (4.5" W x 3.5"H x 1") marvelous hand bound Journal from your very own hand felted and resist dyed felt.

Resist Dyeing on Hand-Felted Wool
In this class you will first learn how to felt and full fine Australian Merino needle punch batts, and Dye Master Chad will show how to set up a safe and workable dye kitchen. Then, using hundreds of weird and fascinating resist tools, you will be guided into the world of resist dyeing on felt – very different from anything else!

Pretty amazing stuff! So check out what Chad Alice has to offer at our Portland Art & Soul event. Whether you love the process or are swooning over the textures you'll create... we know you felt something that will make you want to sign up! So happy for her to join our creative family!

For more information and to register for Portland Art & Soul, visit our website at www.artandsoulretreat.com today!

Focus on Fiber, Fabric and Fun! Follow Me...

Last week I shared all the classes for Portland 2015 Art & Soul. So this week I thought I'd focus on all the new fiber and fabric workshops we have to offer at that event! For years our mixed media classes offered a variety of avenues for expression... but lately we've gotten a lot of requests for sewing and weaving and quilting... oh, my! So we've incorporated tons of classes that involve all types of cloth, thread, ribbon, stitch, and so much more. Not only that, but we're going to have a dedicated sewing room equipped with machines, so you may not even have to bring yours!

Here's just a sample of what's in store for Portland 2015...

Lorri Scott's Affirmation Scarf workshop uses a technique she's nicknamed "wayward threads" that elicits the absolutely gorgeous result you see above. Mixing it up with additional mixed media techniques makes this class a must!

Want to try your hand at felting? Maybe you've read about it in many of the fiber magazines or seen an intriguing blog post about this technique online, and you've always wanted to try it. Then check out LeBrie Rich's class where you'll learn to create wet felted round beads and cane beads (reminds me of sushi!)

Want to challenge yourself in the art of felting? Then check out LeBrie's Felted Slippers workshop. Adorbs!

Jamie Fingal wants to help you Fly Your Own Flag in this fun fabric class. You'll get to create 3 prayer flags using quilt patching techniques and freeform stitching until your heart's content!

What do they say? A stitch in time, saves 9. Well in Leslie Jennison's workshop, a few stitches will bring you Sheer Bliss! In it, you'll release your inner ya-ya. You'll be working with a variety of sheers to create a surface worth stitching, which can then be used for a wide variety of projects. Wheeee!

Maybe you'll let Jill Berry and Lorri Scott take you down The Garden Path to create this meandering mixed media WHEREable scarf! Not only will you get to utilize items from nature to colorize and dye your fabrics, but you'll use journaling, mapmaking and embroidery techniques to embellish your adornment. Sounds like heaven!

And speaking of nature, how about turning seagrass into fabric you can weave with? Students will learn the ancient craft of twining in this unique workshop by Donna Crispin to make a Seagrass Basket! Now that's mixed media with Mother Nature.

Perhaps you'll take a walk on the wild side with Jamie Fingal and Leslie Jenison in their Twist and Shout - Painting & Quilting workshop. On day one, you'll create a collaborative free form painting on fabric with your fellow students. On day two, you'll get a section of the finished cloth to incorporate into a quilted design piece! And get this... all you need to bring are a pair of scissors and an apron! It can't get any easier than that.

Portland Art & Soul 2015

March 2-8, 2015

Sheraton Airport Hotel

So I hope you enjoyed our little sneaky peek of these inspiring classes we'll have to offer in Spring of 2015. Don't forget, we have an early sign-up special going on now... so don't miss out on registering for your favorite Portland workshops today!