We are going again to Oaxaca!

The Colors of Oaxaca

Dying and Felting Workshop Adventure

February 12^th  – 19^th 2015

Las Tres Amigas, mixed media artists Syd McCutcheon, Mary Stanley, and tour host Colleen Darling are heading back to the magical city of Oaxaca for another fun-filled workshop and cultural adventure.  The city of Oaxaca, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has so much to offer with its warm friendly people, delicious food, world-renowned artists, colonial architecture, and pre-Colombian ruins.

The workshop will take its inspiration from the riot of colors that abound in every aspect of life in Oaxaca.  The weaving, embroidery, and folk art inspires our wool-felt designs.  We will use pre-felt to design a wall hanging or an applique for a purse.  These can be embellished with beads, ribbon, embroidery and needle felting.  Pre-felts give you the opportunity to do more design and work more quickly than traditional wet felting.

We will visit the Zapotec town of Teotitlan del Valle, home to over 5000 weavers,  for a dying class with Eric Chavez Santiago and his family.  We will dye with cochineal, indigo, pecans and other plants for a total of 25 different colors.  On Tuesday Feb. 17^th we will go to San Martin Tilcajete to celebrate Mardi Gras.  This town is famous for it’s wood carvers. The men in this village reverse roles for the day and dress up as women.  Lots of dancing too.  Our time in the colonial city center will include trips to the local markets, diverse museums, and endless opportunities for shopping and ice cream.

For more information or to reserve your spot please contact Colleen Darling at colleen950@gmail.com 

Still a few spots left for Oaxaca

If you are considering the adventure you might be interested to see some pics of the class project.  We will be doing some fun warm ups with collage, alter photos and have fun with a simple way to make rubber stamps along with creating an easy loose leaf journal with some fun features.  You might also like to check out http://casa-colonial.com  It is such a great place to stay.

Finally working on some new pieces

...thanks to Mary Ann Moss, Lynn Whipple and Diane Culhane...I just finished some online classes and I start Summer Camp Monday.  Another online set of classes.  If this does not get my rear in gear....  Anyway....here is what's new.  Some are already at the Art Hus in Solvang....but some I am still working on....Sheesh I miss the Art Clinic.....all that space...

Some views from my favorite place

Thank you Molly for the beautiful flowers!!

It was almost like Hawaii at Refugio this weekend....except for the big rocks on the beach from the storm we had earlier this year.  Madison got to have her first camping experience for one night and she loved it....We had squirrels and raccoons to keep things interesting.  But it was great to just relax with Colleen and Janet for a couple days.  We did some stitching, decorated a few rocks, did a fun art project and had great simple food.....Heaven.... Thanks Colleen for making it happen!

Still July

 I had to post my sunflowers...Amazing huh...

Madison wanted a stand to sell her hand made play dough marbles.  We had lemonade and 2 cookies to the "kit"...her name for it...for $1.   If people just wanted lemonade she said $2.  4 hours of prep time and 1 hour of selling for $13.  Not too bad.


I am taking an amazing Mary Ann Moss class on line.  dispatchfromla.typepad.com   So much good info on sketching ...Makes me want to just sketch and play with watercolors and lettering.   But so far I did a blind contour drawing and some kelp sketches at the beach...but we are going out today to do some more.  Madison has planned a picnic sketch at Ballard School.

I am also taking the equally amazing, Lynn Whipple's    http://lynnwhipple.wordpress.com   collage class...so fun...Here is what I am doing there...not done...

July is hot....too hot

My Gavenstien apples cooked on the tree again...too hot.  But my sunflowers are the tallest I have ever seen...photo to come.

Madison had a fun time at Horse Camp...It was so fun to see her up on a horse saying "walk on" and posting during a trot.
 LE came for a short visit.  We had a great time.  Saw Noise is Off at Theaterfest, got pedicures, ate, journaled and did lots of laughing....It just went too fast.  Madison is so crazy about her!

The July fourth show in Santa Barbara went well.  Good to see friends and artists again.

Had some good sales and met some great people.  The next day I pretty much did nothing...it felt so good.

Only negative was Earl and LE got hit in my car.  It could have been really bad...It was a pretty big truck.  But Skippy the squirrel lived to try to cross 101 another day....

Busy June

Well it is summer.  The solstice is tomorrow...hard to believe.   A lot of this month was, of course, about Madison. Talent show, graduation from kindergarden, end of school parties, art camp ceramics in SB and beach days.  Now it is time to start summer reading and swim lessons....but I did manage to get some art in.  I am so Jones-ing to paint!!  I took an online painting class from Diane Culhane that "made" me get the paints out.  I did 2 pieces I like.

..this is before I tweaked it a bit more....

I am also knee deep in getting work done for the July 4th show in Santa Barbara.

I was also able to get some visits in with art buddies.  I saw Pam Garrison for a whirl wind visit on her way back from moving her daughter home from San Luis Obispo for the summer.  We met at a thrift store so we could talk and pick at the same time....So short but any visit with Pam is too short.



Then I went up the mountain to Mary Stanley's to have a get together with the Moss sisters.  That all went way too fast but Mary made an amazing lunch and taught Carol to hook while Mary Ann and I played and did some catching up.   So fun to be at Mary's folk art filled house with all her fun projects she is working on.  We got a  peek at her class samples for the French General Chateau class in the South of France that she and Colleen were about to leave for.  I can hardly wait to hear all about it.  They got a visit in with Gio, a friend we met in France last fall.

We met at Penny's for some lunch and catching up....always fun and inspiring to be at Penny's Play House.  Colleen made delish enchiladas!

I got a couple walks on the beaches in this month...I saw Jaws...

 and working at the Art Hus.  I meet such nice people there.

This is Cindy Knights fun art that we have at the Art Hus here in Solvang.

It's been a great May.....

Lots of family activities going on...mostly involving Madison.   I am finding it harder than I thought it would to get the Art Nest Studio pulled together.  Worse part I can't get to my art supplies.  But I have got a few things started for the Art Hus and for the July 4th show in Santa Barbara.

We really had a good time at Disneyland.  Really the easiest and nicest visit yet.

We got a sneak peek at the open house at Ballard school.  Thank you Mrs. Carlson.  You are the best...the best on so many levels.

Madison had her dance performance too.   The Hawaiian Roller Coaster was their number...so cute

I signed up for a Diane Culhane online class and plan to take Mary Ann Moss's sketching online class...that along with beach trips with Madison, will fill up my summer.