Time away, well spent

Dolores Park on a Sunday in September

Rainer and I just arrived back a week ago from a wonderful respite to the Bay Area. I taught a workshop at The Teahouse Studio and enjoyed an author's night with two of the most beautiful talented ladies I know, Lisa Solomon and Mati Rose. They also have books from Quarry which just came out this summer. Lisa's Knot, Thread, Stitch is an inspiring book about alternative embroidery techniques and Mati's Daring Adventures in Paint gets you going again ... I know it does because it helped me get back my flow and restart my painting again!

my Playful printmaking class at Teahouse

Thinking about restart, reminds me of Reconnect - a course that Mati and her friend Willo are teaching right now. You can still get in on this ecourse by registering here!

Author's night at Teahouse

Students hard at work!

Rainer and I enjoyed some days traveling around the city to see the sights, the beaches and the woods surrounding the Bay Area. We didn't see it all, we picked a few places and immersed ourselves in them and each other. If you know us personally - well you knew that it was over due. It was also a "walk about" which is something we do no matter where we go. Sore feet come with city visits! And we welcome them ...

Exploring Baker Beach

Our last days we went to Muir woods. There are no words to express the feeling that I got when entering this ancient place. It was like no other place I have been before and it is a place I would like to go back to again. I feel so lucky to have had this time in such a special place!

Muir Woods!

Classes begin September 17th

Clay bird made in our afterschool art class!

There is still time to sign up with us for classes beginning September 17th! We have a special discount at during our registration days. Click through to our site to view the days and times we are offering them! Get arty with us this year and explore the creative side of YOU!

Summer memories

smiling blooms greet us

heart-y fruit loves us

juicy veggies feed us

Oh summer -- you were wonderful! 

Scribble drawings with college students

My good friend Claude Caswell drops by with his creativity class every year. I enjoy meeting these college students and exploring their creativity in the visual arts. Usually most of these students have not had much experience with visual art and this group was no exception. So off to scribbling we went ...

first time drawing anything

busy group

Some of them had not ever drawn anything and were very apprehensive. But they were all willing to try some scribbling...

They made very individual drawings with each of the scribbles they first created

and all of the drawings were cut out and mounted on black paper to make them stand out even more...

Strange and wonderful animals appeared where only pencil marks began it all...

Even the professor found a beautiful folkloric animal!

Class shot at the end - fun times and lots of happy artists.

Creative Courage with Stephanie Levy

I am pleased to announce that I have been invited to be part of Stephanie Levy's latest Creative Courage e-course featuring 11 other women who I admire. Great company and a wonderful course designed by Stephanie as "a guide to help you discover your own unique path and give you the practical tools you need to start making your dreams real".  I have known Stephanie for some years now as we have had her art  (and her husband's art too!) in our gallery shows in the past 7 years. 

This session will include Alena Hennessy, Victoria Smith, Lisa Sonora Beam, Alicia Paulson, Christine Mason Miller, Heather Moore, Arounna Khounnoraj, Patricia Zapata, Elenor Mayrhofer, Heather Braun-Dahl, Candy Glendening and myself sharing secrets on publishing books, opening stores/galleries, creating workshops, and building online businesses - and much more!

It's a 6 week course filled with inspiration and I am happy to be part of it. The session runs from 9.24 - 11/2 2012 and you can sign up and learn more about it right here. Thanks to Stephanie for inviting me! I look forward to sharing my experiences  with you all!

Portrait by Chloe

fun in Boston!

This week marked a day spent with my very talented daughter Chloe, in Boston. We spent the day together with the purpose of presenting her portfolio to admissions at Mass College of Art and Design. We had lunch at a sidewalk cafe and she snapped this photo of me. And a million more. Something I am not overly comfortable with but with our seriously silly mood going, it was more than a little bit fun.

She came though the review with flying colors. The first of many I am sure! What are you up to for fun and games this weekend?

Giveaways!

There's a lovely review and giveaway over at Wisecraft for my book Art Lab for Kids today! I love Blair's blog and it was so wonderful to see that she noticed a big secret about my book... pop over there and see what she has to say and maybe you will win a free copy there too!

It's our last full week of "no school" around these parts - sunshine abounds - making the most of it! More soon...

August heat

Carol Roll Sculpture (detail)

Lots of hot going on here in New Hampshire - making it a good time to take a swim in the ocean or dip your toe into some creative classes! We have all new workshops and classes coming up and you can register for them right here!

busy kids in the studio!

3D camp for Tweens this summer!

We have had a busy summer around the gallery - lots of new work coming in from Megan Bogonovich, Carol Roll and a new book by Jane Kaufmann!

Megan Bogonovich new work!

You just have to drop by...

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!