My Birdsong

The Start of Something New

Since Christmas, I have been keeping a watercolor journal. I have been stretching my paintbrush muscles getting ready for another holiday season. The unfinished painting of a leaf above was actually a photograph I took while on a walk after it had rained. The sun poked out briefly adding sparkle to the water droplets all around us. It was a magical moment, and I am eager to see if I can impart that feeling. Here is another journal page.


And speaking of magic, I will be teaching this summer at Artful Gathering, the online summer art workshops. I am finishing my class samples, which I will share here soon. I will be offering two classes, one of which will be Halloween themed. Watch for details soon and check out Artful Gathering.com.

Take a Sneak Peek at My Online Paper Mache Workshop for this Summer!

 

I'm so excited for this summer workshop! Here's a sneak peek at what you'll see in my classroom!

Up, up and away!

Giveaways, Gardens and Glass

Last week, my husband and I jumped aboard a bus headed for Winter Park, Florida, to tour Leu Gardens, the Polasek Museum and Sculpture Gardens and the The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art. What a treat it was!

Our traveling companions were 50 of my fellow St. Augustine Garden Club members, whom I recently joined officially last month. We learned much about what types of plants grow in the northern part of the state and what might work with what, we plan on creating, as a New Orleans courtyard in our backyard.

Afterward, we headed to lunch on our own and happened upon a delicious little restaurant, the Paris Bistro. We sat outside, had a glass of wine and quiche of the day. Then, we were awed by the world’s most comprehensive collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany. I just can't explain the beauty of the leaded-stained glass windows - many of which came from Tiffany's own house after it had burned, jewelry, paintings, art glass, and of course, gorgeous lamps. We had no idea what to expect, but I can tell you we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! On the way back, the bus load of us sipped wine and munched on cheese, crackers and cookies as the final capper to the day! I encourage you to take a local garden or museum tour. What creative inspiration it provides!

Speaking of tours....hop on over to the amazing:

Riki Schumacher
http://rikijewelry.blogspot.com/
 

(To Pick Up the Next Secret Word in the Artful Gathering Blog Hop)

All the details are below, so read on and take the blog tour!

   

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2012 Online Art Retreat,

Open for Registration!

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

From June to August 2012, ArtfulGathering.com will be presenting TWO exciting semesters of premiere online video workshops offered by fabulous artists who are known nationally and internationally. We are all very excited to share out knowledge, skill, and creativity with you, and we hope that you will join us for this AMAZING annual online event.

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a prizes from Jerry's Artarama!

Each week the faculty of Artful Gathering will be announcing a featured blog to visit.

You can hop along with us until the final destination blog is reached, and where ONE Grand Prize winner will be chosen at Random for a chance to win a $200.00 e-gift card from Jerry's Artarama!!!Two Runner Up winners will also be chosen at random for a chance to win a $25.00 e-gift card from Jerrys.

Each week I will announce the next featured blog for you to visit, and there you will find a new secret word or words that you will need to collect along your way from blog to blog. Once you have collected all the words from each blog you visit, they will work out to say a very artsy phrase. Here are the rules:

1. For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those contestants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words!
2. Three winners will be randomly drawn. One for the $200.00 e-card to Jerry's, and two runner's up for the $25 e-card to Jerrys.

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you'll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawings!

Our Next Artist is Up for the Artful Gathering Blog Hop!

Celebrating Artful Gathering 2012 Online Art Retreat, 
Open for Registration!

Blog Hop your way for chance to win!

From June to August 2012, ArtfulGathering.com will be presenting TWO exciting semesters of premiere online video workshops offered by fabulous artists who are known nationally and internationally. We are all very excited to share out knowledge, skill, and creativity with you, and we hope that you will join us for this AMAZING annual online event.

Blog Hop with us for a chance to win a prizes from Jerry's Artarama!

Each week the faculty of Artful Gathering will be announcing a featured blog to visit.

You can hop along with us until the final destination blog is reached, and where ONE Grand Prize winner will be chosen at Random for a chance to win a $200.00 e-gift card from Jerry's Artarama!!!

Two Runner Up winners will also be chosen at random for a chance to win a $25 e-gift card from Jerrys.

Each week I will announce the next featured blog for you to visit, and there you will find a new secret word or words that you will need to collect along your way from blog to blog. Once you have collected all the words from each blog you visit, they will work out to say a very artsy phrase. Here are the rules:

1. For your chance to win, you must collect all the secret code words and submit them upon the final destination blog in May. A random drawing will be conducted from those contestants who have submitted the complete collection of secret words!
2. Three winners will be randomly drawn. One for the $200 e-card to Jerry's, and two runner's up for the $25 e-card to Jerrys.
   
   

Week by week we'll go from one blog to the next!

Remember to collect all the secret words. These words will work out to say a very artful phrase, and you'll need all the pieces to be eligible for the final prize drawings!

Please HOP over and visit the Amazing Mixed Media Artist

Mary Jane Chadbourne

http://desertdreamstudios.weebly.com/

(Pick Up the Next Secret Word)

 

So Many Fun Art Events Coming Up!

Hot air balloons are hot, and I'll have a few available at my next show, the Fourth Annual Tinsel and Treasures Folk Art Show, Saturday, Sept. 10, at the Alamo Women's Club, Alamo, CA. There's a line-up of fabulous artists who will bring their creative magic to the day.

Also after you've shopped and visited with the artists at the show, head for the Make and Take tables, where you can get inspired to make one or all of three projects, like this sweet Christmas Memories paper doll offered by Dede Warren. She designed this kit so you can personalize it with a family member's photo! What a wonderful gift it would make! Head to the Tinsel and Treasures blog to sign up and to see photos of the other projects offered. And sign up for the show mailing list for the latest news!

 

Next up...Halloween and Vine! On Saturday, Sept. 24, at Hermann Sons Hall, in Petaluma, CA, I'll be in the midst of a cadre of Halloween fans as I offer a table full of art that celebrates my favorite holiday - All Hallows' Eve!    I'll have mixed media collages, like "Nevermore", which pays tribute to Mr. Poe. There will be so many other "fangtastic" artists selling their works, you are sure to find that something special just for Halloween. Learn more about the show on the website, and don't forget to add your name to their mailing list! 

Then, it's Glitterfest on Saturday, October 15, at the Santa Ana Elks Lodge. This is always a great day with lots of art to choose from due to the 40+ artists there! It's not for the faint of heart! Head to the website for more information on artists and location.

 

Finally, Colleen and I are teaching a special event workshop together at Gilding the Lily, in downtown Fullerton, CA, on Sunday, October 16. "Winter wishes," is a one-of-a-kind light up lamp that is sure to become a family heirloom. 

We will have a great time building the lamp, creating a wintery scene and then sculpting and fashioning two sweet now ladies. You don't want to miss this! For information and to sign up, head to Gilding's classes blog.

I hope to see you at one of these events in the coming months! Cheers....Iva

 

It's already the end of May and time is just blowing by. I've been busy preparing for Tinsel and Treasures Folk Art Show set for Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011, at the Alamo Women's Club, 1401 Danville Blvd., Alamo, CA. I thought I'd share a video that was recently put together from last year's event. It holds just a tiny bit of the magic you'll find at the show. Other duties have kept me away from my blog too. 

In addition to taking care of my family (our son is now home from his first year in college - yay!), I've been taking an art class to keep me inspired and learn new techniques. It's always fascinating to see another artist work, and Mira M. White is not only a talented teacher, but a wonderful artist. She was featured recently in Pastel Journal, among her other credits. Here is just a sampling of some of her evocative art work. I fell in love with this piece. Just stunning!

 

Artist Mira M. White

Her Name Is Sophia And She Wears A Dress Of Stars

2010

Soft Pastel/Acrylic/Paper

• • •

Artist Mira M. White

Carnival City

2011

Soft Pastel/Acrylic/Paper

25"x37"

• • •

I hope you've been enjoying spring and new creative ideas and interests are sprouting for you as they have for me. Happy May!

 

Dreaming of the Sea

I can hear the sea calling, as I prepare for my next show, Glitterfest Spring, in Southern California, Saturday, March 19. Not that I will be visiting the Pacific on my trip, but I have been researching and reading about the ways people enjoyed the treasures brought forth by the ocean. You see, in times past, ship captains would come home after a long journey at sea and present their loved ones with shell encrusted boxes. These signs of love make me so nostalgic, and I am creating my own take on the long ago tradition. This along with other boxes will be available at my booth.

Additionally, I have been learning more about the lore of mermaids, who were believed to be as fickle as the sea itself. They were thought to be fierce like a raging storm and then quickly become peaceful and serene. I love the mysterious nature of them, along with their magical beauty. All of this lead me to create my next folk art workshop at Gilding the Lily in Fullerton, CA, to be held Sunday, March 20, the same weekend as Glitterfest. "Enchantress of the Sea" is a glass theater, and you can click here for more details and to register.

Can you hear the crashing waves?

The Dawning of a New Year

The year 2011 is here and I can't believe another year has gone. Many of you know our family's story and the sadness we have in our hearts always. As each year passes, our broken hearts scar over. The wound becomes a part of us, shaping us into who we are now. Sometimes, our life before seems like a dream. Maybe that is what happens to all of us at one point or another.

But it is a time for rebirth and new beginnings too. I take extra care to enjoy my family and friends and "be in the moment." Recently, my love of cooking has been reawakened and I'm enjoying my time in the kitchen preparing fresh, healthy meals for my husband and son and on special occasions, creating adventurous delights for family and friends.

I find myself also getting back to basics in my art, sketching in my art book to hone my skills and enrolling in a local drawing exploration class to further my abilities. It also means a fresh start for my studio.

After years of collecting vintage finds and art supplies, I've realized that I've supplied myself out of a work space! My studio was too full for me! So I am shedding the extras. Thankfully, I am participating in a local Craft Tent Sale, in which several local artists will gather at our downtown antique shop and sell our overflows to other eager artists looking for embellishements for their work. The sidewalk and tent sale will be Saturday, January 29, 9 am - 3 pm, at Cottage Jewel Antiques, 100 East Prospect, Danville, CA. I will, however, have to control my temptation to buy from my fellow participating artisans!

  So it is with regret and eagerness that I welcome the new year. My wish for you all is that it is filled with peace, understanding and gratitude.

"This moment is unique in all my life and I will appreciate it fo itself." ~ Martha Whitmore Hickman

Watch for Fairies and Glitter in the Coming Weeks

I have been working on a variety of projects in the recent weeks. One of these is my class kit for my Woodland Fairy Boudoir Lamp I will be teaching at Gilding the Lily, Sunday, April 25, 10:30 am - 4 pm. You can learn more about the workshop and sign up for the class on their workshops blog. The talented dollmaker Colleen Moody and I will be there for the weekend teaching (her sweet bluebird workshop is on Saturday),  and we will be having a trunk show, Saturday and Sunday, April 24 and 25. Come by and say hello!

I'm also happy to announce that I will be joining the talented pool of artists at the mixed media art show Glitterfest, May 22, in Santa Ana, California. There will be so much talent selling art under one roof you won't want to miss this one! And I will be joining the fun! Stop by my booth and say hello!