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

Are You Calling Me Chicken?

My love affair with animals started at a very young age.  I spent the summers with my grandparents on their ranch in South Dakota. They raised Hereford cattle and owned a couple thousand acres. Oh, how I wish I had that land now! Grandpa was the original "horse whisperer" and was considered the local vet. He had an amazing relationship with all creatures. Ranchers and farmers who lived miles apart depended on each other for various areas of expertise. I grew up traveling to visit sick cattle, pigs, horses, cats.... you name it, we took care of it. So, I was on a horse as soon as I could walk and sit up by myself. I still have my first pair of cowboy boots.

Rojo was my rooster.  I didn't realize it then, but it was a bit unusual for a rooster to follow a youngster around the ranch. He lived for a few years, and always seemed to remember me when I returned for the summer. Fortunately, I never learned if he eventually became dinner.

Portland, like many urban cities has a love affair with chickens. Unfortunately, people don't realize that along with the upside of wonderful fresh eggs, the required daily maintenance and care can be quite challenging. In addition, chickens can be loud and irritating to neighbors. Healthy chickens may lay eggs up to seven years – but that is a lucky average, and they can live as long as 20 years!! That's quite a commitment.

I live in the country and actually have the perfect set up for them. However, I really didn’t want the responsibility of a coop.... especially in the Oregon rain. To put it bluntly, I’m not certain I can visualize myself going out twice a day in the pouring rain to clean up chicken poop! So... no chickens.

Clockwise from top: Eggwina, Hennifer Lopez, Ethel & Lucy

Eggwina

Then one day, I received a call from a friend who needed to re-home his 4 girls. I totally surprised myself when I said “yes” to an adoption! And after a month and a few hundreds of dollars later, my free chickens are a part of the family.

Are they laying eggs? ...you ask. Uh... no, not really. I’m happy if I get one a day. The chicken whisperer says it’s just too darn hot these days, so we shall see when the rains start. In the meantime they delight me daily with their antics. Ethel has totally bonded with me and will sit on my lap. If she sees me inside the house, she pecks on the glass door wanting attention.

Hennifer Lopez

The Polish Frizzles are hilarious, but the poor things cannot see because of the feathers in their faces. They are sort of like those wind-up toys that run into the wall, bounce back and hit it again. I can’t let them out to roam during the day with the others because they get lost. I’ve played chicken search-and-round-up a number of times. Eggwina was totally in coyote territory last time I found her.  Not sure how she survived that adventure. Fortunately, I have an ample enclosed area for daily scrounging.

The dogs were curious, but now guard them. Fritz, the cat, thinks he’s a mighty bird hunter. He will stealthily approach, make a quick dash and when they screech, it scares the crap out of him and he runs the other way.  Daily entertainment at the cottage!

We shall see how the winter goes. I tell myself that hiking to the coop is good exercise. I am too unsteady on my feet and really need a sturdy handrail along the trail. And my dang wrist can’t even open a jar of peanut butter let alone carry a full bucket of water. So I’m trying to find a handyman to install a watering system that won’t freeze and is easy for me to operate, and who can also put up a handrail. A little easier said than done. So those are my main winter concerns for the girls, from my current chicken to-do list.

Other than that...what could be better than free chickens???

Glenny,
xo

Meet Our Team!

It takes a village... isn't that what they say? Well, when it comes to Art & Soul it's a tiny village, but when that group is considered more than just employees, you've struck gold. I'm so very lucky that all the people that work with me are friends and confidants. Not only do they help to keep Art & Soul running smoothly, but they help me keep my sanity! There isn't too much better than that when you're running a business. So, if you don't already know us, here's a little bit about the people behind the scenes at Art & Soul...

Glenny Moir - Event Owner & Producer

If you've ever been to an Art & Soul retreat, then you probably already know me. Being an independent woman business owner, I'm kind of everywhere... all the time! How did I get to this place?  Well, I'm actually no stranger to event planning. Prior to A&S, more than 20 years of weddings, anniversaries, bar and bat mitzvah’s, theme parties and festivals kept me busy, busy, busy. During that time, I sought an outlet for my artistic endeavors and discovered a few small venues for creative learning. When I realized that I could take my passion for creativity and education, and create a large-scale event for mixed media… Art & Soul Retreats was born!

I enjoy scouting for the most sought-after instructors as well as discovering up-and-coming artists and art trends that attendees find inspiring. In fact, several popular mixed media artists of today got their start teaching at Art & Soul Retreats. Besides the delight in running such an event, I love to watch the attendees push beyond their comfort zone and create something magnificent. The smiles on their faces as they walk from the workshops — projects held high — is all I needs to remind me that I'm on the right path. Today Art & Soul the longest running mixed media retreat in the country.

I live in Boring, Oregon (no, it’s not boring) with my furry, four-legged friends and just a few closets full of art supplies.

Marie Kennedy - Assistant

Having evolved creatively over the years, Marie has dabbled in everything from quilting and scrapbooking to collage and art dolls. Her official involvement with Art & Soul as my Assistant, began in 2009. She has become my right hand (and oftentimes left as well). Her never-ending enthusiasm for the success of Art & Soul was only part of what led her to be working side-by-side with me today. Marie is a great problem solver and someone who enjoys the challenges brought to her each day. She hopes that everyone who attends Art & Soul is able to fill their soul with friendship and love for the art process. I totally rely on her skills and judgement and cannot thank her enough for all that she does.

Marie lives in Novato, California with her husband, John. Her days are spent watching her darling granddaughter, Callie, and trying to teach her how to use all the art supplies.

Danial Powers - Social Media Coordinator

 

Danial has just joined our team as our Social Media Coordinator. As many of you know, I am clueless when it comes to promotion on all Social Media venues. When I started A&S, we didn’t even have Blogs....and I remember Leslie Riley telling me that I had to come into the internet century. I eventually did, kicking and fighting all the way.

Danial moved to the Pacific Northwest in 2000 from Michigan. She lives near Seattle with her husband, son, and three cats. By day, Danial has worked as the Director of Admissions at DigiPen Institute of Technology, a small college located in Redmond Washington, for the last eight years. Previously, she worked in the marketing department of Puget Sound Energy (PSE) promoting PSE’s energy efficiency programs.

Outside of regular work hours, Danial is a mixed-media artist. Her work was featured on the covers of body image zine Love Me, Love My Belly #001 (Porkbelly Press, 2014), and My Own Strange Beast (Porkbelly Press, 2017). Danial discovered Art and Soul in 2016 and has been attending the Portland retreat every year since.

Michelle Bernard - Graphic Artist

Michelle Bernard was already a longtime attendee of Art & Soul when we asked her to design the 2009 Rock & Roll themed logo. I liked the design so much, I brought her on as our permanent Graphic Artist. Michelle’s unique perspective and approach to advertising and promotion have helped to keep our attendees excited and engaged. When she’s not designing for Art & Soul, Michelle loves working in all facets of mixed media including painting, collage, assemblage, jewelry, sculpting, sewing, art dolls and anything else that gets her creative juices flowing.

As the former Art Director of Ranger Crafts, not only has she co-taught a few of our opening night classes in Virginia, but her exposure to innovative art products has helped bring her own mixed media works to a whole new level. Having started out doing craft shows and selling her creations online, Michelle now shows her work in multiple galleries and retail establishments. And she loves to let everyone know where it all began... at Art & Soul!

Michelle lives in the quaint Victorian seashore town of Ocean Grove, New Jersey with her 2 kitties and a house full of art supplies and found objects.

Stitch Meditations... Ohm My!

I grew up in a household where we never stopped working (on something… anything!) until bedtime. Therefore, to this day… I cannot just “sit” and attempt to relax. My mind continues to keep going and going and going… and not necessarily in a productive manner.

But then I found out Liz Kettle taught a class called Stitch Meditation, which was a method of relaxation and hand sewing; working small. It reminded me of watching my grandmother embroider a kitchen towel, only free form style, using exotic threads and fabrics.

Because of the workshop’s Zen-like popularity, Liz then developed a Stitch Meditation Kit that had everything you need to begin the journey. It included a curated collection of enough complimentary fabrics and threads to keep you relaxed and engaged for 30 days. I purchased one and my life has changed! My mind now has a creative purpose, and the incessant late night chit chatter has quieted down. Ahhhhhh, peace.

You see... I love getting creative and enjoy activities like painting, but I find that I will not take the time to set up the space unless I know I can dedicate a number of hours to the project. With Stitch Meditation, I can pull out fabric, thread and needle and begin the tactile relaxation instantaneously. It’s small…. in a good way. A large project would overwhelm me. So this is just the right size to work with wherever I am, it keeps my busy mind occupied and I am so thrilled to be creating daily! Thanks, Liz!!

To find out more about Liz Kettle and see her detailed video on Stitch Meditation, visit her website www.textileevolution.com. And for more information on her Stitch Meditation Kit and the fabulous fabrics and goodies included, check out her online shop. Whatever you do, make some time for play today... and every day!

Glenny
xoxo

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

Virginia Beach... One Colorful Event!

Wow, wow, wowie, wow! What a colorful event Virginia Beach Art & Soul was! Everywhere I turned there was bold color and striking patterns in all kinds of mixed media projects created in our amazing workshops. Like this gorgeous enamel pendant made by one of Jean Van Brederode's students... it looks like it was made by Mother Nature herself!

These Alcohol Ink backgrounds created in Cathy Taylor's class just blew me away. And, in case you didn't already know, she IS the Queen of Alcohol Inks. She has so many techniques that produce so many different results, it's always a pleasure to peek in and see what her students are creating.

And how about these magnificent copper bracelets made in Eva Sherman's class! They look like they're painted with Alcohol Inks, but they're actually painted with fire! A beautiful and sophisticated cuff with texture and color made from a flame. Wow!

We love seeing happy students showing off their colorful projects, like this hand made journal from Doris Arndt & Judy Gula's Printed and Bound workshop.

How about layers and layers and layers of color and patterns to create a basis for some awesome sea creature paintings, made in Kitty Miller's class. Such richness and depth!

 

Our on site store, hosted by Judy Gula of Artistic Artifacts is always a colorful place to stop in and shop in. She so graciously carries everything you could possibly need (and more) for the many different workshops we offer. It's a partnership made in mixed-media heaven!

And of course, we absolutely adore our colorful attendees... dressing the part... as unique and creative as the events we host... they are the epitome of the fun, lightheartedness and whimsy we strive to embody at all our retreats!!

In addition to all the wonderful work that comes out of Art & Soul, we really appreciate where it's all made... and take full advantage of the very, very, very spacious classrooms at Virginia Beach! It creates the perfect environment to stretch your mind, and your legs... and to spread out all your goodies, set up workstations and have all the room you need to create until your heart's content.

As always our professional, nurturing instructors enjoyed guiding our students through every facet of the creative process. Our teachers absolutely love sharing their knowledge with you, and it shows. They've been so inspirational for so many people, it just warms my heart.

And what's an Art & Soul retreat without a little showing off... like your new hooters... from Erin Keck's workshop of the same name, of course. What were you thinking?

These ladies were so proud to show off their tunics made in Ruth Chandler's sewing class, made with vintage fabrics. It was a fabulous way to take the old and make it new again! We are thrilled to be able to offer unbelievable sewing classes, thanks to Bernina providing us with all the machines we need.

And our Virginia Beach retreat would not be complete without Mother Nature showing off! We were so lucky to catch a glipse of these dolphins playing and feeding right off shore during our week on the Chesapeake Bay! What a delight to watch.

So, in case you couldn't tell by now, we had a great time in Virginia. We LOVE the beach! The opening party continues to be a smash hit. Big thanks to Sally Roesler and Beadniks for hosting an open house – complete with special music provided by Dennis Webb. Our students continue to astound me with their adventurous spirits and fearlessness when it comes to trying something new. Our instructors have become family and as they nurture you I watch in awe at the creativity they bring out in all of you! Our Vendor Night, our hotel staff, our rooms with balconies to soak in this amazing shoreline... I am blessed to be a part of it all. So thank you, thank you, thank you... from the bottom of my heart... and soul.

Glenny
xoxo