Play Date!

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet up with two other artists who happen to live nearby. While the internet and blogs are a great way to connect with other like-minded artists, nothing beats meeting and chatting face to face.

Cynthia of Ornamental Style and Cat of In the Light of the Moon  happen to live not too far away and we finally managed to work in a play date! While we brainstormed and came up with an easy project we thought we could tackle, it soon became apparent that a lot more visiting and a lot less jewelry making was going to happen!

L to R: Cat, Me, Cynthia

If you'd like to meet some other like-minded souls and get together, I thought I would post some things I've found helpful!


1) EASY DOES IT. While it's great to plan a project, time can get away from you with introductions and chatting. Consider a first time plan of meeting for coffee or lunch and Show and Tell. Everyone can bring their favorite magazines or books to share and a current project or piece they're excited about. That can often fuel the fire for a future meeting or project! If you still plan a simple project, make sure it's something easy enough for you to complete in your allotted time or something that can easily be taken home to finish on your own time. We decided on the popular ladder stitched Chan Luu style bracelets since it was a technique most of us hadn't tried and was simple enough in technique/supplies to complete on our own time.

2) POOL YOUR RESOURCES. If there is a technique everyone wants to try but you may be lacking in supplies or resources, talk about getting your arsenal together! Some people may have the books or tools, while others may have a more in depth studio or supplies to share. By pooling your resources, you might be able to try something new you wouldn't have been able to try on your own! Putting several heads together brings together different styles of working and techniques and you can often all teach one another!

3) FIND YOUR TRIBE. Blogs and Facebook are a great way to find other people in your neck of the woods. Etsy also has a great search function that enables you to find other people in your area. Look for those that work appeals to you or ties together a common thread. Getting to know each other a little first through email and blogs is an easy way to decide if you'd like to meet in person!

my unfinished ladder stitch bracelet

artful gathering

by Cat Kerr

Artful Gathering

Is

Here!

Artful Gathering is the online Art Event of 2012. This event includes online
workshops by nationally and internationally known artists that include instructor
interaction and will encompass an array art projects including: Mixed Media,
Fabric Collage, Art Journaling, Doll Sculpting, Painting, Assemblage, Chinese Brush
Painting, Jewelry, Encaustic and Paper Collage.

With the ever increasing costs of travel and lodging, traditional art retreats are often inconvenient and
inaccessible to many. Artful Gathering is the place to go for art inspiration, workshops, community, and
learning. Bridging the gap between time zones and busy schedules, Artful Gathering is the gateway for
uniting brilliant and talented instructors with students the world over. Everything is at your fingertips,
with 24/7 access to learning in the comfort and ease of your own home.

Registered attendees will receive access to our private online event in May, and will be eligible for entry
to the AG private online website. Registrants are eligible for door prizes, raffles, contests, and sponsor
presentations.

Our Artful Gathering artists will bring you their very own classes. Peer over their shoulders and learn
new techniques, applications, and mediums. Our summer semesters include instructor interaction for
the entire six week duration of your classes.

Here is a list of the 

2012 Artful Gathering family.

To find out more

 just go to ArtfulGathering.com

And be sure to click the Blog Hop Event going on NOW

giving you a chance to win a $200.00 G.C to

Jerry’s Artarama!!

2012 Online Art Workshop Schedule

June 6 to July 17: Session One

July 15 to August 25: Session Two

Register Now

Blog Hop

guest post - cat kerr

“Begin”

When I first started selling my artwork on Ebay over 5 years ago I first asked myself… Am I crazy?... I then asked.... “Who in their right mind would buy what I make?”... Sigh... and no one did. And so I stopped and gave up. That is until one night I read the poem that changed my life. “The Journey” by Mary Oliver.  The first lines read “One day you finally knew what you had to do and began, even though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice.” …and that was it, I knew what I had to do. Sometimes it is not enough to know… sometimes you just have to begin. Or as in my case…begin, Again.

My name is Cat Kerr and I am a mixed media artist. I am on my Creative Journey and I feel huge amounts of gratitude to be able to do what I love everyday. I create with the intention of sharing a piece of myself. I assemble and I glue, I stitch and I paint my love into each and every corner, and with prayers behind it, I set it free.

“Free Bird” Assemblage

This year my creative journey took me down another road. It was a natural sort of transition for me to slip my love into jewelry. At age 13 I had a love for fashion design and fabric, at 20, it was paper and found objects, at 35, metal and wood… Today, it is the thrill of combining them all, creating unique, one of a kind mixed media jewelry.

“Playing with Felt” article in  Autumn 2011 Belle Armoire Jewelry

Created by using felt, wood, paper, and vintage rhinestones…

…and Soldered boxes with Filigree, filled with trinkets and ICE Resin…

or perhaps adding some texture with etching, helped along by the sweet guidance of Maire Dodd...

My creative journey is ongoing…I am still learning, I am still growing, I am still moving forward. But one thing I know for sure, there is no journey, unless you take the first step.

So begin and start creating.

editor's note:

you can follow cat here:

blog - www.inthelightofthemoon.blogspot.com

etsy shop for mixed media and altered art 

etsy shop for mixed media jewelry

in addition, cat was recently selected to be on susan lenart kazmer's ice resin creative team 2011 - 2012... congratulations cat! that is a huge honor... looking forward to seeing more of  your work...