How to Train Your Dragon... and Other Animal Stories!

Have you seen this awesome Dragon! class taught by two of my favorite instructors Ty and Marcia Schultz at Art & Soul Virginia? It's a chance for you to breathe life into your very own mythical creature as you learn to create the basic form that supports your dragon and decorate it any way you wish! Ty and Marcia will be by your side to guide your sculptural side and share secrets of the prop-building trade. It's an evening that will have you breathing fire... in a good way!



Take a look at this fun little video as Ty explains what you'll get to accomplish in this unique evening workshop! 

And in case Dragons aren't your thing, maybe you have other hangups? Perfect! Then check out Ty and Marcia's Animal Hang Ups workshop. You'll get to make your very own animal to hang on the wall!

This impressive duo will magically show you how to create realistic-looking animals using everyday materials. You'll surprise yourself as these experts (26 years in the biz) show you how easy it can be to make something so beautiful!

Or maybe you don't want to sculpt from scratch yet but you've always wanted to make a mold from objects you already have? Awesome! In their Moldmaking class, Ty and Marcia can show you the step-by-step process of creating a two piece silicone block mold as well as a few other types of processes. If you ever needed more than one of the same item for an art piece, then this comprehensive class will be invaluable!

An Event Planner's Gotta Play Too!

What better respite for myself and my trusty sidekick Marie Kennedy, than to attend ArtFest, which takes place in Port Townsend, Washington, at an old military base. We got to meetup with old friends, make some new friends, and play, play, play! A much needed distraction after our very successful Virginia Beach event.

We got to take a class with Mindy Lacefield called All A-Flutter. She'll be teaching at our Portland event later this year, so it was exciting to actually be in a class of hers as a student! I just love Mindy's whimsical style and her childlike approach to art. Remember when we weren't afraid to try anything?

We got to spend some real quality time with friends and seasoned Art & Soul instructors Ty and Marcia Schultz. They are such dear friends and to be with them in such a relaxed and playful setting, well... it does this girl's heart good. Here's Ty passing the time with a bit of journaling... always up to something creative.

And hello, dolly! Or should I say... goodbye, dolly? Marie took a class called Steampunk Sally with Clarissa Callesen. This is a picture of her doll before and after... what a difference! Looks like she spent weeks on it. Too much fun.

We ran into Andrew Drydahl, who will also be making his Art & Soul teaching debut at our Portland event. He'll be teaching how to make these whimsical rag dolls and some gorgeous steampunk journals. It was great to have some time to get to know a new instructor. It's not very often that we get the opportunity to do so. Typically it's lots of e-mails and phone calls and paperwork going back and forth. So some real face time (and what an adorable face it is!) was a welcome change.

So, needless to say we had an amazing time here. It was a little bittersweet though as, after Artfest's 13 year run... this was their last event. The talented and artistic duo that put on this retreat — Teesha and Tracey Moore — are moving on to something new. It was time for them. But as we all learn together when we attend these wonderfully inspirational creative retreats... there's always something new to learn and discover about ourselves. Cheers to that!

Glenny
xoxo

© photos by Marie Kennedy