Artsy Building Blocks

Back in December,

I had this fabulous basics art class

with a wonderfully brave and creative

group of women
who joined me at Sturgis Photo and Gifts on Main Street in Sturgis, SD.

~ building block by Lynne ~ 

After 2 years of holding classes,

I finally realized that I needed to do a

mixed media basics class.

Building Blocks

is that class.

Here's a peek at our beautiful time together.

If you missed out

and want to try it yourself,

or you want to make another set,

join me at Renae Meisner's Create!Studio in Rapid City,

on Saturday January 31, 2015,

9 a.m. to noon.

Robyn's sparkly words of wisdom.

It's a great buster of those winter blues

that try to sneak in to those deep winter days.

It will bring

color

and 

laughter

and

courage

into

your

heart.

We start with an introduction to basic supplies

and make a sample flip book of products.

Then we decorate three chunky blocks of wood.

I love it when sisters do this together!

Tina's work was all pretty in pink.

Monica's collage ~ love her colors and old soul feel

Joey's selected words on a background of maps...oh, how I love maps.

Is she cute or what?

Art is always more fun with friends! ~ All the way from Watertown!

That Monica knows how to choose color...

Ranch wives unite! 

I love how my art "students" become my friends.

Lynne brought her own stash of goodies to work into her projects.  You can do that! What would you bring?

There is some little magic that happens

to your soul when you make something with your hands.

I can't explain it

until you experience it.

Give Renae a call to reserve your spot at 

605-431-8870.

Space limited to 12 guests.

$50 per person.

All art supplies provided.

~ Me with my lovely assistant and friend Missy ~

Art Class This Saturday

Storykeeping: mixed media art journal class

This Saturday, November 15, 2014

from 1:00-4:00 p.m.

at Sturgis Photo and Gifts in Sturgis, SD

Call Terri Jo to reserve your spot at 605-347-6570

You have a story.

And your story matters.

It is worth keeping. 

Your story deserves a beautiful place

to be recorded and collected.

My journals are stuffed with

writing,

sketches,

prayers,

notes from my kids,

drawings from my kids,

cards from friends,

quotes that I love,

things I've jotted on random papers

all of these and more

go into my journal.

They are part of my story.

My journals become so stuffed with treasures

that I have to have a strap to tie them shut. 

In this art class,

we will decorate the cover

of a blank sketch book

that can be used

for

writing,

sketching,

stuffing,

pasting,

painting.

Join us this Saturday.
All art supplies included.
$50 per person
Remember to call Terri Jo to reserve your spot.
605-347-6570 



Seriousness Isn't a Fruit of the Spirit, but Joy Is

Chasing the last light of summer as it spins to fall,

I am reminded of a quote from one of my favorite bands:  Rend Collective.

Here it is,

"Seriousness isn't a fruit of the spirit, but joy is."

Be inspired by their bio video of The Art Of Celebration here:  Rend Collective Bio

filled with Irish-ness, joy, opened eyes, celebration, art . . .

totally reminds me of the childlike joy that our youngest brings back to our family.

Oh, it's been a lotta serious around me lately,

but then . . .

I am inspired by the words of my friend Junelle Jacobsen ...

visit her blog here:  YES and AMEN

and you will see what inspired these photos.

She never fails to stir my spirit with her art whether in word, photo, watercolor, collage.

Here is Junelle's challenge to which I responded,

"Perhaps it is time for you to chase the summer light?  

Today may be the right day for your inspiration collection to begin...again.  

Listen to the woo.  

Be pulled by the light.  

Trust the holy muse and find your shoes.  Just go.  

I can't wait to hear what you find~"

Not only has it been a change of season,

it's been a life changing season around here.

Our oldest has started high school.

For us, living an hour from the nearest high school in all directions,

means that he is living with my parents during the week.

I am made to let go 

and 

continually 

my inability 

to fix 

and mend 

and make it all ok 

and right

is evident.

And

that is

ok.

He injured his knee on the third day of football practice.

X-rays, ice packs, an MRI, doctor visits.

And then I get the call that my youngest fell and broke both of her wrists.

More X-rays, ice packs and doctor visits.

My heart lets go a bit more.

And we are all ok.

And joy persists.

See?

We miss him during the week.

But . . . even among siblings . . . it is true

that

absence makes the heart grow fonder.

It's good to see his car coming down the road.

Joy.

It isn't stopped by a couple broken bones.

Joy.

It's in this magic golden light.

Yes?

Find me here this fall:

and here:

Note To Self Mixed Media Art Class

Saturday October 11 from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

at Create!Studio in Rapid City

Click the link above for all of the details and to register.

And soon to be announced,

but mark your calendars...

a class at Sturgis Photo and Gifts, Sturgis, SD, 

on Thursday, October 23 from 6-9 p.m.

Here's a clue:

Creative Sacred Journeys.

Some journeys,

I want to take.

Others need to be taken.

This was both.

Generally,

a class that I share with others

came

from a personal journey that I needed to take.

Once I make it through - - 

or make some steps forward with many left to take - -

I can't help but want

to take the hands of others

as they take

brave

steps

forward.

Writing,

photography,

and

creating

are not only things

that I enjoy,

but also

are

tools

that help me find my way.

They help me

define

and

look at where I am and where to begin.

They help me get real.

They

become

prayers

as well

as 

contain

answers.

Those tools

help me face my fears,

bring them into the light,

so that I can face them with faith.

They help me remember where I have been,

who has been a significant part of my journey,

and how I want to live in my today.

If I'm going to share something with others,

it must mean something to me.

It must be authentic.

It needs to be something I believe in wholeheartedly. 

That's what these times

of sharing art and photo adventures are all about.

Sharing my heart and the tools that have helped me along the way.

It's about providing time and space

to listen to the whispers in your heart,

to work through the hard things,

to have a safe place to be with the questions,

to remember the values and beliefs held dear,

to celebrate gratitude,

and, yes, to be creative and learn something new.

I wish I could put adequate words

to what we do here

and to what I offer,

and the unplanned messages that always show up

that have meaning outside of what I could imagine.

I don't know what to call it.

Art class?  Hmmm.... that's a tiny part of it.

Retreat?  Well, yes... but it's not your normal retreat.

Camp?  Perhaps... but that seems a bit trendy.

Adventure?  Yes . . . but maybe that will scare you away...

It is all of those things.

I know it is real.

I know it is important.

I know it is meaningful to myself, 

and I really believe it makes a positive difference

to the lives of those that attend.

I know that it matters.

It is not just for artists.

Not just for what we call "creative people".

It's for anyone, really, who wants to take time to focus

on what is really important,

to just breathe,

to maybe have space to heal,

to grow and stretch,

to honor who you were made to be.

The projects are fun and beautiful.

But they are not as much of a masterpiece

as what happens inside your spirit.

Some of the most beautiful projects and beautiful moments

are too sacred to share photos.

But sacred journeys 

are what happen.

Perhaps that is what I will call them in the future:

creative sacred journeys.

Creative.

Sacred.

Journey.

Yes.