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.

Portland Opening Party A Smash Hit!

 

Well, Portland Art & Soul is in full swing. We had a fabulous time at the opening night party... seeing new students and alumni and everybody getting to schmooze with each other and many of our class instructors at the Meet-n-Greet. It was a perfect opportunity to showcase their classes and talent! This was a fabulous start to a great week! Here are a few of them who stood still long enough for a photo op!!

Andrew Dyrdahl

Erin Keck

Kari McKnight & Jen Crossley

Ingrid Dijkers

Jean VanBrederode

Liz Kettle

Jill Berry

...and Mark Crossley with my Katie-girl!

Thanks to all who came out to celebrate and kick off our week-long event. I can't wait to see what all of you create while you're here!

Glenny

xoxo

Home Sweet Home...in Virginia!

Someone once said that "Home is Where the Art As"... oh wait... that was me! But we mixed media artists seem to adore the imagery that comes to mind when we think of home. Nesting, comfort, family, a soft place to fall. And so it seems to turn up in the things we create. And speaking of creating... I was perusing through our workshops for the Virginia 2013 Art & Soul and noticed what a diverse array of classes we had with a home theme. There's still spots open, so check out our awesome offerings...

Take this mini Birdhouse Pendant class by Jen Crossley for example (no, really... I mean take the class!) where you'll learn how to make this unique mini etched bird house using the technique of metal etching in a very simple way as you create a mini bird house pendant with a hinged door! Adorbs.

Check out this Enamel Book Pendant workshop taught by Jean VanBrederode and Lynne Supprock! The sweetest little home-sweet-home-turned-pendant you've ever seen! You'll create your very own brightly colored enamel book, amply stacked with plenty of pages. You'll learn how to use templates on copper, then saw, punch, sand, and add some rich colored enamel inside and out! Your necklace will be the talk of the town(house)!

Come and spend a day with Stephanie Rubiano creating your own dimensional “homebody” made from fabric panels and encaustic wax medium on a cradled hardboard. You will learn some new techniques in creating your own fabrics and ways to use photographs in your encaustic work. Also covered will be some basic principles in working in wax, including layering, fusing, carving, and back-filling to name a few.

...or you can take Stephanie's innovative Encaustic Light Houses workshop where you'll oversee the marriage of textiles and encaustic wax medium. Learn how to create fabric with your favorite images and form stiff wall panels, ready to be adorned with stitch work and your best bits and baubles to create a wonderful little house to set on a shelf or mantelpiece. The best part is placing an electric votive inside the house …sit back and watch the light glow and flicker through the waxed walls!

What a lovely, homey selection of workshops if I may say so. I hope you enjoyed our little "house tour" and have been inspired by the classes we have to offer. There are so many to choose from in such different categories... we hope it's not too difficult to make your selections. March just can't get here soon enough!

For more information and to register for our Virginia Beach Art & Soul event... visit our website at artandsoulretreat.com