ART IS YOU Recap

I only got to take one class at ART IS YOU this year but it was a good one!  I decided to try something new and took a mixed media book-making class with Sharon Payne Bolton.  This is an example of some of Sharon's pieces:

When we arrived, we found this at each of our places:

Sharon thought of everything and even had an apron for each of us to use.  For a modest kit fee, everything was included.  There were tables throughout the room filled with vintage ephemera, photographs, papers, fabric, paint and more.  The first day, we spent the whole day collaging each page  in the book. The second day, we finished up all the pages and then bound the book together.  Mine was kind of fat.

Some people just chose items without any particular theme in mind.  I decided to make a little meditation book that included a reminder of my blessings as well as my hopes for the future.

The best part of ART IS YOU is hanging with these ladies:

I always try to volunteer in some small way because I just enjoy mixing with such wonderful people each year.  Here is some of my ART IS YOU bling:

I also managed to get some trades done:

Noodlebug kept sneaking them out of my workroom while I was trying to finish them.  He gave me an amazing compliment when I told him he could have some to play with.  "Mommy, these are better than Power Rangers!"  Whose heart wouldn't melt when a 5-yr-old boy says that about clothespin dolls?

I'm not taking another class this year but I will be volunteering tomorrow and attending their wonderful Art Trunk show tomorrow night.  I snuck around into the other classrooms yesterday and I'm already planning on what to take next.

ART IS YOU is a giant mixed-media retreat that takes place each year in Stamford, CT, Nashville and Petaluma.  The dates for next year are already set.  Will you join me in Petaluma?