Monthly Archive for November, 2011

Artfest 2012

Teesha Moore’s Artfest- the fantastic mixed media retreat- will be celebrating it’s thirteenth year in March 2012! It will also be the last Artfest. Teesha is an amazing artist and entrepeneur and I know she will have new and inspiring ideas for all of us in the future.

Artfest is held in the charming town on Port Townsend. You fly (or drive) to Seattle and then cross to the island on  a ferry- you can rent a car or there is a shuttle available from the Seattle airport. Once there, we have everything we need right at our fingertips for a fantastic gathering. Food, art-making, evening events, inspiring teachers, galleries and shops in the town. It’s a rich feast of inspiration and creativity.

I first met Teesha in 2001 at  the conference Beyond the Surface. I was already a subscriber to her zine The Studio and was so excited to not only meet her but to teach at the next Artfest. I taught workshops there for the next several years, and now after a break, I am so honored to be back teaching at this last Artfest.

If you want to learn from and create art with some of the finest teachers on the planet and have a great time with like- minded creative souls, take this opportunity to come to Artfest. The dates are March 28- April 1st, 2012. It is an event not to be missed! Hope to see you all there!!!

At Maureen’s in Minnesota!

It’s autumn (and a bit of winter- in the 20’s last night) here in sweet Jordan MN where I am teaching a six day workshop at Maureen Carlson’s  lovley retreat center. We’ve come together to explore Creative Sparks and to make art!

This workshop has been very exciting to me as it puts into practice what I have been exploring for the last couple years. How we get inspired and how our hands take the next step. And how our hearts, minds and hands work together to make art.

At Synergy (the International Polymer Clay Conferences- 2008 and 2010) I gave seminars on this subject- Creative Sparks and From Seed to Blossom.  Soooo…. this week has been very special to work with a group over several days and put into practice  some of these ideas. Thank you ladies!

We’ve been having fun making jewelry, books and art dolls. And deeply thinking about inspiration and influences, thinking about new ways of working, developing new ideas that might lead to a production line or exhibition piece.I’ve been in experimenting mode working on new flower designs.

I hope you will join me in a workshop in 2012 (schedule will be on this site SOON) and for your own taste of Creative Sparks, please look at my book ( by myself and Cynthia Tinapple ) at www.blurb.com- then type my name in the search box for a 15-page preview.