Mixed Media Artwork from Art and Soul

The Art and Soul retreat allows the artist to take a class a day and another at night.  You can be in class from 9 A:M to 9 P:M. In years past the event was held in late April in Virginia Beach, which all changed this year when it was moved to late September. At the urging of a frequent attendee, I was finally able to attend, only because the retreat didn't coincide with spring, my busy time. 

Designed for the mixed media artist, you work with many, many forms of medium. Metal seemed to dominate, but there was certainly plenty of painting on various surfaces and 3D assemblages. Since you change teachers for each class, the idea is that you finish your project by the end of the day (or night), so that you can take it home. 

My first class was with Susan Lenart Kazmer and involved 'Ice Resin'. The next day I worked with soldering and the same teacher. 

Mica was a class taught by Erin Keck and she brought the most glorious compressed mica, mined in North Carolina. We created little books.

A night class with Jen Crossley was over the moon! Small, old metal fuse boxes make these small necklaces. 

Real tintype photographs were supplied by the teacher (and the fuse boxes). 

Mid-week was a class titled "Stone Cold Journals" with Erin Keck. This will definitely be a prototype for many more. I have already been at work in the studio with alternatives to this sample.

Possibly my favorite class was taught by Jean Van Brederode called "Gruesome Griselda". Metal work and soldering with copper produced this layered necklace. Jean is the source for many of the tools we used all week in various classes, so in this class we had all of her tools to test. Let's just say my tool box is now too small.

I made the metal hanging parts with a bailing plyer, who knew such a thing existed?!

A full week of inspiration and meeting wonderful people made for a great time. An awesome time!

 

Comments

[india]

I have a love for this same sort of assemblage artwork. It's so much more interesting than some others.

[Karen]

Mixed media requires many talents, I learned a few more, like I really needed that. Oh Yeah!