I am just now getting the chance to put the rest of my pictures up from ArtUnraveled. I had a wonderful time and having all of the creative energy around me really made me happy. Every night before I went to bed Mandy and I would be going back and forth about all of the things that we learned throughout the day. We would frequently be saying "well what about this and what about that". It was so much fun and location was beautiful too. The hotel sat on a golf course and one night I looked out from our balcony and saw the most beautiful sunset over the course. I just had to take a picture.
I took a Sherri Haab class called resin bangles. In this class we used the EasyCast resin for the clear bangle with the add in's. The other bangle is made out of Alumilite resin which sets up in about 3 minutes. Working with resin is a lot like working with Silver Art Clay because most of the work is in the finishing of the piece. The black and beige piece is actually finished and sanded. You start with a heavier sand paper out of the water and then finish the piece immersed in the water with finer sandpaper.
The next class that I took was the little carved beaded journal with Doris Arndt. She is an amazing teacher. I learned in this class that I didn't know how to read a ruler as well as I thought so when I got back to the room that evening Mandy gave me a ruler lesson. Thanks, Mandy! This journal literally took all day to make. The first thing we did was watercolor our pages with diluted acrylics. Then we took book board and carved out an image which we covered with black paper and then painted using rub in buff paints. We then colored our leather and punched holes through the book board and leather. We then sewed everything together. My hands we so sore the next day. I am not used to sewing let along sewing through leather and book board.
I also took a Zine Machine class from Traci Bunkers. This class was so much fun. We practiced the art of letting go by creating a journal page and then passing it to five other people to finish. Then Traci took all of our completed journal pages and scanned them into her computer. She is going to put together a book and mail it to all of us along with some of her work. I can't wait to get it. The other cool thing about this class it that we all brought some copies of our own artwork and pictures. Everyone had to create some journal pages with other peoples artwork. It was so cool to see other people's pages with my work in it at the end of the day.
The last class that I took was a Susan Lenart Kazmer class on wire weaving. It was so much fun. Mandy took several of her classes during the week and we begged to get into this closed class on Friday night. We both got in and I was so thankful. Just being in her presence gives you so much inspiration. She is actually going to be published in a fine art magazine for all of her amazing metal work. At first I have to admit that I was really frustrated with this class but after I got up to the room that night I finished weaving my piece and was happier with my result. I weaved a bracelet which is not finished yet. I have to go to Home Depot and get some propane so that I can ball up the ends of my piece and get it off of the glass bottle. I will post it when I do. So here I am sitting back at my desk at work but I have to admit with a much better attitude and smile on my face thinking about all the fun I had.
