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: 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.

Colorado Art & Soul... Two Weeks From Today!

Oh, joy of joys! My dream realized — an Art & Soul event in Colorado — is happening two weeks from today! I truly and sincerely can't believe it's actually here already. I'm so excited and I hope you are too! One of the very special things about having our retreat in Colorado Springs, well... it's not just the absolutely gorgeous location, it's also that this area allows our event to become a fully immersive experience.

Art & Soul Colorado Springs, CO

May 29 - June 3, 2018

at the Hotel Eleganté

Of course we have a fabulous lineup of mixed media workshops in all your favorite categories... collage, assemblage, painting, sculpting, bookmaking, journaling, jewerly, fabric & fiber arts, Zentangle... but there's so much more!

The Hotel Eleganté itself is glorious. The rooms are large and comfortable with plenty of space to lay out your supplies for nighttime art-making and impromptu get-togethers. In addition to an inviting full service restaurant and lounge, they have an outdoor patio with an amazing view, a Sweet Shop that includes a bakery, ice cream parlor and a Starbucks. They've got indoor and outdoor pools, jacuzzi, a full-service spa and more.

Then there's our kickoff party, the well-stocked on-site store, our unique Vendor Night Extravaganza (open to the public for all you locals!), pop-up parties, restaurants to gather with friends and share your experiences. It's a non-stop gathering of your tribe from morning to night, and it's so much fun to be around like minded souls. 

In your down-time, there's so much to see and do in Colorado Springs. You can go hiking, zip-lining, kayaking, and horseback riding. Visit a castle, historic towns and villages, old west museums, or go see a rodeo. There's even railroad tours of the mountains and surrounding areas. And really there's so much more! If your week isn't filled with classes and even if it is, there's tons of reasons to explore the area.

And our Colorado location brings with it some unique local opportunities. We'll be working with Cottonwood Center for the Arts — a two story arts complex inside a refurbished office building in downtown Colorado Springs. They'll be hosting a First Friday Art Show, featuring gallery shows and open studios for you to explore and meet local artists. We're also working with the Textiles West Innovation Lab who'll be facilitating Peggy Dlugos' Eco Dying class. This center has the capability of allowing students to utilize all kinds of space, amenities and specialized equipment used in the art of fabric printing.

So, as you can see, there's a whole lot of reasons to join Art & Soul in Colorado Springs. If you haven't signed up for classes yet, some of your favorite workshops are still available. You can check out our Colorado Retreat online or contact us directly with any last minute questions you may have. We're looking forward to seeing you there and making this a permanent location in our retreat lineup!

© some images courtesy of The Hotel Eleganté, Cottonwood Center for the Arts

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!

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.

A Great New Class... We Ain't Lion!

Need to fill your Friday afternoon in Minneapolis? Well... Erin Keck has a brand new class she's offering... Trash To Treasures - Creating Vintage Collage Jewelry. In this half-day workshop, you'll learn how to take scraps of broken vintage jewelry along with other embellishments and turn them into unique modern-day statement pieces. You can bring jewelry bits and bobs of your own, or Erin will have a treasure chest of junky jewels to sift through.

Trash To Treasures

Creating Vintage Collage Jewelry

Minneapolis Art & Soul

Friday, April 28th, 1:30-4:30

Come join us for this fun, laid-back and informative workshop! You'll leave with your own personal wearable art piece that's unlike any other. For more information on Minneapolis Art & Soul, visit our website and check out all we have to offer...

Virginia Classes Are Up! Registration Is OPEN!

Susan Lenart Kazmer's Altered Surface Talisman Jewelry

Will you come join us next Fall for our Art & Soul Mixed Media Retreat in Virginia Beach? Hooray! We'll be so happy to have you. As always we've got dozens of full day and evening workshops in collage, assemblage, jewelry, drawing, painting, journaling, sculpting, fabric, fiber & stitching, bookmaking, and so much more... all geared to stretch your creativity. We've got amazing 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 and gatherings throughout the week. We've got an on-site store that's to dye for, 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!

Beautiful Fabulous Scarves by Kathie George

Registration just went live and we have a very special EARLY BIRD OFFER for you! If you sign up by April 1st, your registration fee will only be $35 and all of your full day workshops will be just $135. That's a $15 savings on both! So be sure and take advantage of this special discount, and getting in on your favorite classes before they fill up.

Journal Fodder Junkies with David Molder & Eric Scott

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 friendships too.

Virginia Art & Soul'ers - Got Time for a Quickie?

But I Can't Throw My Scraps Away! with Suzi Dennis

Hey Virginia Beach attendees — and those who are contemplating attending our southeastern Art & Soul Retreat —  have we got an exciting new program for you!

Several of our instructors have developed short sample classes so they can introduce you to their fabulous tips and techniques.  The classes are less than an hour in length... they include all the supplies you'll need... and these mini workshops cost only $25!!  How cool is that?

In addition, if you sign up for one of these classes before Sept 1, 2015, you'll also receive a voucher for a free beverage of your choice.  Here's just a sampling of these special classes...

Bird Dreams with Helen Shafer Garcia

Imagery Bunting with Catherine Anderson

Heavenly Image Transfers with Ingrid Dijkers

Enameled Earring with Jean VanBrederode

Alcohol Ink Blossoms with Cathy Taylor

And that's just a few of the amazing mini workshops we have to offer. So if you've ever wanted to try out a new technique, or see what one of our amazing instructors had to offer, now's your chance to do it in a short, jam-packed session! Check out our website for a complete listing of all our Virginia Beach quickie classes and sign up today! Space is limited.

Art & Soul Virginia Beach, VA

September 28 - October 4, 2015

Virginia Beach Resort Hotel

So if you haven't signed up yet, come join us for an amazingly inspiring mixed media art retreat, in an amazingly inspiring location. For more information and to register for our Virginia Beach 2015 event, visit our website www.ArtAndSoulRetreat.com

One Week Left... to Save on Portland 2016 Classes!

Just wanted to pop by and let you know that there's only one week left to take advantage of our Early Bird Special for 2016 Portland Art & Soul! As a sweet summer treat, we kicked off registration with an awesome sale!! If you sign up during this early bird special, Event Registration will be $35 (instead of $50) and all Full Day Classes will be $135 (instead of $150)! And I wanted to remind you that July 31st is the last day to get these special savings, so take advantage of this discount offer to make sure you get the classes and teachers that you wanted!

So check out the incredible lineup of classes we have in store for Portland 2016! With all types of mixed media disciplines like collage, assemblage, journaling, bookmaking, painting, sculpting, fabric and fiber arts, digital manipulation, jewelry and so much more... we have something for everyone!

Art & Soul Portland 2016

February 29th - March 6th

Register Here!

Don't delay! Sign up today! The last day to save with our Early Bird Special is July 31st!

Brand New Location.... Art & Soul is Headed For Minneapolis!

Give 'Em The Bird - Doris Arndt

We are so very excited to announce our newest location for Art & Soul Mixed Media Retreats… drumroll, please… at the Crowne Plaza Hotel & Suites – Mall of America! Our dream of hosting an event in the Minneapolis area has finally come true. Now you can play all day and shop til you drop, in one amazing place. 

Mindy Lacefield's - Bookboard Journal workshop

You can get a sneak peek at the workshops we're offering on our website now, and registration will begin August 15th. And, we have a special offer for those of you who sign up early! Between August 15th and November 1st, we'll have reduced pricing for full day classes and 30% off your registration fee!

Light Up My Heart Bracelet - Julie Haymaker Thompson

So check out the amazing teachers and creative classes we have to offer in our brand new Midwest location! With mixed media categories like painting, journaling, sculpting, collage, assemblage, fabric, fiber arts, art doll making, jewelry, and so much more... you'll have lots to choose from at this brand new event!

Art & Soul Minneapolis

May 23-29, 2016

Crowne Plaza Hotel & Suites - MSP Airport - Mall of America! 

Liz Kettle's - No More Blank Pages - Visual Journaling class

So grab a drink and a tasty snack and wander around our website.... you can view our class offerings by workshop dates, talented instructors, or by project sample photos. Happy browsing!