Finding art in Nature

a mysterious twig orb in the woods

ocean skies

sunlight in the woods

Nature makes art - every day everywhere. It is up to us to find it. These photos I took in the past two days on Cape Cod. Where do you find inspiration in nature?

Tile making fun : workshop with 16 children

Today we had a large young crowd of children in the studio to make clay tiles. We were so busy with the 32 hands that we only have the after photos. Fun times though! From age 5-11 they all had their own unique spin on what their tiles should be. Will snap some shots when they are dry and out of the kiln! Happy weekend people! Get outside and do some art!

Carol Roll :: New work in the gallery!

Guppies

Queen of the Sea

Pout! 

Very excited to have these new pieces by Carol Roll available in the gallery. Each piece is exquisitely sculpted and the expressions are priceless. These are available - but not for long!

Art Camps!

July means Art Camps here at artstream studios and we are having a blast ... There are a couple of seats left in our Tween Art Camp next week so feel free to join in if you are 10-15 years of age! Otherwise, Big Art Night is coming up this Friday! This month's focus is watercolor exploration. It's full of experimental, playful splish splash fun! BYOB and we will supply the nibbles and soft drinks. Bring a friend or group and enjoy a relaxing evening from 6:30 -9:30 this Friday! $40 includes everything so click here to register!

Party party

Fond memories of a wonderful night exactly a month ago which involved a great group of kids, an amazing DJ -(complete with laser lights) - rocking tunes, dance moves and a visit by the fire dept, (too much fog machine). Ah the joys of childhood!  Did I mention the glowsticks?

Scenes from an Exhibition opening 7/7

Lindy Carrol looking at Jane Kaufmann's new book!

Cada Driscoll

Edibeth Farrington

Guests!

Lindy Carroll and Judith Andrews

Dawn Boyer and friends 

Megan Bogonovich and Chucky

DUDE!

New painting: The Village

The Village by Susan Schwake

So excited to finally share something of my own work here - after such a busy spring! It's the first in a series of village-inspired mixed media paintings. Rainer and I have travelled to many little villages around Europe and of course living in the heart of New England I have embraced the tiny towns here as inspiration. So here's the first of many new works to come - simply "The Village".  I will be putting it in my Etsy shop today and offering prints of it soon.

Backyard gardens

our white clematis blooming

This summer has been a stellar one (already!) for gardening, enjoying the out doors and evening campfires. The garden has been coming into it's own this year with much blooming and vegetable producing. There has been bumper crops of cukes already and radishes, greens and spinach for salads. Alas our tomatoes have blight, but there are some in the pots doing well.  It's so rewarding to eat dinner out of the garden. And then with a little luck and a little breeze - to enjoy the entire evening outside. Ah the flipside of our cold bitter NH winters...

Megan Bogonovich :: new sculptures

A little peek at the new sculptures by Megan Bogonovich. More than words can express, come see them for yourself tomorrow at artstream gallery 5-7 p.m.

A giveaway ...

Leaf printing project from my book: Art Lab for Kids

Maggy from RedTedArt blog  did a little interview with me and is giving away my book: Art Lab for Kids. Art Lab for Kids has it's own blog, but I thought this giveaway was fun enough to make mention of here. So if you are from the USA or UK you can click through to put your name in the hat.  If you want to keep up with events and excitement around the book, just visit my book site here.  There is also a newsletter to sign up for and of course the regular party like atmosphere of Facebook pages is available too for grabbing info on lessons and more day to day blasts of kids art inspiration! Hope everyone has a wonderfully art filled weekend!

Happy 4th of July!

Opens tomorrow!!!
Sunny day with a little damp ground all around from last night's storm. It's going to be a great day! Last night we hung our new group exhibit "Summer Dreams" which I am very excited to share with you later this week.  A few more pieces need to come in on the pedestals - from Megan Bogonovich and then it will be complete.

We look forward to seeing Chloe tonight too as she and a "gaggle of girls" will descend upon us for the picnic/bbq in the backyard! Happy Summer!

Bears and more bears

Just a humorous shot of my husband with one of the many bears lining the streets of North Conway, NH. Spent the weekend away with Rainer following trails through the woods by the Saco river, wandering the woods listening to the quiet and having the best massage I have had in the past 10 years.  Kinks worked out, mind set back on track, life is feeling very very good to me right now. Not much more I could ask for! Thank you universe!

Handmade paper boxes and paper books

 

Last night extrodinare teacher and artist: Sally Allen led a class in handmade books. I jumped in on the process because it's been years since I made a book AND Sally is a wonderful nurturing instructor. So much fun ensued. For the first time ever I found paper folding therapeutic. I  could see simply folding papers for a meditative technique. To say the least: I had an incredible time. Can't wait for next week.  Got you thinking about a class? It's not to late to pop in. Check them out here! Happy Tuesday!

Let's make tissue paper flowers ...

Part of the fun around these parts in the summer is making things. Sometimes they imitate nature. The lesson here includes painting, color mixing and random cutting. In the end we get a bouquet of flowers mimicking the real bloomers outside.  Tissue paper folded into quarters, painted with watercolors, cut around the edges to frilly satisfaction and then twisted around a chenille stem.  Pop it into your own home made vase or glass bottle you have tied a ribbon around. Pretend that they smell divine!  Ahhhh, summer!

Flowers make happy!

my most favorite blooms are in petal pink

today's bouquet of peonies

This year I am also growing zinnias as an annual - and hopefully some marigolds from seed. Will report on that as they emerge more. It's wonderful to have them inside all around the house to take the gloom of the rain away! Daughter Chloe's drawing a bit - inspired by our flowers:

ink and watercolor

tiny bouquet on the table with Lu Summer's porcelain mug 

the white ones have pink middles!

I am thinking of starting a little series of oil paintings too of the bouquets - we'll see how that goes.

What June holds ...

New project for the new book!

Peony Power! back yard beauties

This weekend was filled with a little work (projects, design proposals,clients) a little play (garden, home sprucing, friends) and a little sadness (memorial service, remembering a dear friend). So we are ready for June now - and all the new projects, students and sunshine it can bring. Buh-bye May!

Prom {the}

Chloe worked very hard designing and constructing this dress for her Prom!  It is beautifully made and she had a wonderful time at the prom. We can't wait to see what she does next ...

Happiness comes in threes!

working with some littles

our mother's day brunch

A busy month already - May is turning out to be spectacular! A couple of new projects in the works (more on these later) a delightful brunch in the garden with the ones I love for Mother's day and tonight is Chloe's prom. She has been working for three months designing her dress, making her dress and sweating each detail. I am very excited for her and bursting with pride that she was able to see her vision through. Will share photos just as soon as she "allows". Have a delightful weekend!

Ashley Goldberg + Alena Hennessy - In Our Nature

our May Exhibit! It opens on Saturday....

Workshops, New York and dragons, oh my!

From our Big Art Night Playful Printmaking workshop!

Outside the Strand Bookstore on the streets of NYC

Building a dragon with Rochester Middle Schoolers for the Mythology project

So much busy art adventures going on at the moment that it almost makes my head spin! It's all good stuff though!  Don't forget to stop by the pages at FB for more Art Lab for Kids and artstreamstudios gallery! More later in the week as we are hanging a new show tonight which I am *so excited* about! Stay tuned for a post on the beauty which is going to blow your mind!

Just  one of the many happy faces at the NH Children's Museum's workshop last Saturday