ArtBLISS-the fun doesn't end when the sun goes down (part 1)

Hello everyone!

Can you believe it's already August! Before you know it, ArtBLISS will be here!

We want to give everyone a heads-up that we will be sending out more newsletter updates as we get closer and closer to the ArtBliss 2011 retreat. We want to make sure you don't miss any event details or fun activities that we have planned.

Cindy and I are so thrilled to see that many of you who attended our event last year are returning again this year. We look forward to seeing you again and also to meet our new guests!

Please visit our Yahoo group to read about the ArtBLISS charm swap and the Altered ID Badge contest. We had so much fun last year with the Charm Swap at our Innagural event so please check it out and see if this would be something that you would like to participate in this year. The Altered ID Badge contest is new for this year and thought this would be lots of fun too! If you decide that you woud like to participate in the Altered ID Badge Contest, please respond to this email and include your mailing address. Thank you!

Below is a photograph of the charm bracelet Cindy made from the Inaugural Charm Swap.


We hope to see many of you at the Meet and Greet Reception on Friday evening, September 23rd from 7:00 - 9:00pm. Join us in welcoming our amazing and gracious instructors while mingling with others and enjoying yummy h'ordeves, beverages and shopping in an intimate and cozy atmosphere. And don't forget that Cindy and I will be giving out some amazing door prizes. No raffle ticket is required to participate. You only need to be present to win. To give you a sneak peak of SOME of the exciting door prizes, here they are!





Look for the "the fun doesn't end when the sun goes down, Part 2 post, in the next few days.
Jeanette and Cindy

www.artblissworkshops.com

Meet the creative genius behind Faux Bone!

A few weeks ago, we introduced to you Polymer Clay Artist and Instructor, Christine Damm, who will be teaching a polymer clay workshop called Whimsical Blooms-Polymer Clay Pendants at ArtBISS this fall. If you have never worked with polymer clay or would like a refresher class, then you do not want to miss this amazing workshop. Spend a full day with Christine as she teaches you the fundametals of working with polymer clay and how you can make your own art beads and or pendants to implement into your jewelry designs.  We are so excited to be the first jewelry retreat to host Christine Damm.  And rumor has it her work will be featured in the Designer Collection in the upcoming Belle Armoire Jewelry!

Today, we are excited to introduce metal artist and Faux-Bone founder, Robert Dancik.
Robert will be teaching two workshops learning how to create jewelry pieces with Faux Bone. On Friday, September 23rd, Robert will be teaching Spinning Bead Pendant. Students are asked to bring in their favorite bead and they will learn how to make a Faux Bone "carrier" which will allow you to see all sides of the bead as it spins!
On Saturday, September 24th, Robert will be teaching a workshop called Faux Bone Rings and Things. "What do you do with all those terrific beads, fired metal clay pieces, found objects, and beach stones that you just love but can’t figure out how to use in a piece of jewelry?  Why not use them as the centerpiece of a ring?  In this low tech fast paced class you will learn how to take those fabulous objects and combine them with Faux Bone to form a one–of-a-kind ring."

I am so intrigued by how versatile Faux Bone is to work with and how similiar it is to working with metal!  Faux Bone is a new, user friendly, inexpensive and extremely versatile material. Faux Bone can be cut, and carved, sawn and sanded. It can be filed, hammered, polished, drilled, stamped, riveted, inlayed, dyed, and painted. It can look like ivory, have the patina of aged ceramic, be polished to a pure white, or, of course, look like bone. If you prefer bright whimsical colors, you can add color with alcohol inks!  You can heat and bend it with nothing more than a small embossing heat-gun. It is so strong you can rivet on it, die form right into it, or hammer metal around it. Faux Bone is perfect for artwork as varied as jewelry and book making, sculpture, or printmaking. It can be easily embossed to make texture plates for PMC and basket makers can use it to simulate Scrimshaw on the tops of Nantucket Baskets. Rounds of Faux Bone can be heated and dapped (formed into a bowl shape) and filled with other materials or combined to make hollow beads. Its strength makes it ideal for use in tool making such as bone folders for bookmaking or as handles for files and stamps. It can be carved and used for printmaking and then the Faux Bone “plate” can be patinated as a finished piece itself.
Below is a Faux Bone ring colored with ink dyes by one of Robert's students, and a Faux Bone bracelet by Robert. Doesn't the bracelet look like so much fun to make? I am certain he will be bringing lots of kits with him!
 

Robert has been an artist/teacher for more than 30 years. He holds a Masters degree in Sculpture and is currently the adjunct professor at Pace University. Robert has authored a book through North Light called “Amulets and Talismans: Techniques for Making Meaningful Jewelry” (one of my personal favorites) and has been featured in numerous trade publications and jewelry books.

To see more of Robert's work, please visit his Faux Bone Gallery HERE. 

Until next time!

Jeanette and Cindy
www.artblissoworkshops.com

Learn to make your own Art Beads at ArtBLISS

Cindy and I are really looking forward to ArtBLISS 2011 in the fall. We are excited about the line-up of amazing instructors and great variety of classes such as working with metal, bending wire, forming clay into beads, melting wax to create unique pendants, a jewelry photography class that shows you how make your jewelry photos pop off the page and much more. We think we have accomplished the task of offering something for everyone. The tough decision is choosing which class/classes to take!

Today we are featuring polymer clay artist extraordinaire, Christine Damm. On Sunday, September 25th, Christine will be teaching "Whimsical Blooms-Layered Polymer Pendants. Each student will learn to how to make disc-shape beads and then stack them to make a pendant! Please refer to Christine's class sample photo.




In class, students will learn a variety of methods and techniques of how to add texture and color to their clay.  In addition, students will learn how to create molds that will be used to shape the clay into interesting shapes for beads. So for those of you who are familiar with pounding metal and shaping wire, now is the perfect time to learn how to make your own beads and implement them into your designs! Christine Damm's beads were featured in the new Wire Style 2 and she has also written clay articles that have been featured in several Belle Armoire Jewelry publications.

The class seating for this particular class is limited. We recommend registering soon to secure a seat.

To see more of Christine's amazing polymer clay beads and jewelry, please click on the photograph to be directed to her flickr page. Thank you!

Jeanette and Cindy
www.artblissworkshops.com

ArtBLISS 2011-Registration Opens May 7th!

Registration for the ArtBLISS 2011 will open this Saturday, May th at 9:00am EST. We will also be posting more information about the event before then. Please check back or register to receive our newsletter to avoid missing any details!

ArtBLISS 2011-More info coming soon! Save the Date!

Metal Magic: New Class Added

Since opening registration for the Metal Magic Workshop, we have received some great feedback. Many of you have expressed that  you would like to see a one-day class option.
We have listened to your request and we are excited to announce that we have added a NEW one-day workshop. Please continue to read for all the details and important changes!

Pipe Dreams has been changed to a one-day workshop. Junk Drawer Metalsmithing, has been added as another one-day workshop. Registration for the one-day classes are $140 per workshop, (excluding Handbook of Elements which remains a two-day workshop). Now students will have more class options to choose from and will not need to make a two-day committment (unless they want to!).  We hope that you are happy with our workshop modifications and that we will see many of you very soon.

Registration for Metal Magic with Stephanie Lee Opens Tomorrow!

Tomorrow, Sunday morning, January 9th at 10AM EST, registration will open for the Metal Magic Workshop with Stephanie Lee! If you have never taken a class with Stephanie, either in person or on-line, and you enjoy working with metal, then you don't want to miss this opportunity!  The two workshops being offered are open to all levels. You will leave the workshop with new skills and inspiration galore! If you are familiar with Stephanie's work or have taken a workshop with her in the past, then we don't need to tell what an awesome opportunity this is. ArtBLISS is so excited to be the first to host Stephanie's event in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and she's very excited about coming our way and meeting everyone!