May 17th Sharon Snell home studio workshop

Sharon and friends had organized their workshop at my home studio this last Saturday.
What a good plan to spend time with your friends this way.
Some planning had gone into the hunting for their own bases. Some very special rocks were brought in.
I always say. That a rock has your name on it.
Once you connect with it it is yours.
So interesting how many people connect with rocks. And what a nice way to make use of them.

My special rocks move outside closer to my front door. I deposit them closer and closer by where I can see them. Then when I need one I know which one to take. They come in all sizes. From gravel to boulders. I can sit on the beach and look for the tiniest little stones and enjoy them. Once they go into my gravel they disappear. But I know they are there.
Enough about me and my rocks.

Ella had a real good find. She brought a glass and metal lantern like base. I had the perfect match for wings here for her fairy. Metal as well. The funny stores where they sell things you would never put in your house now are treasures for the garden sculptures. I had found these wings in Saskatoon and picked up four. Perfect match for Ella's base.

Problem with glass and metal is, the surface is not porous and needs to be wrapped with fabric somehow, so the sculpture can grab itself to the base instead of adhere. Once you fold the fabric around a curve and it hardens you are alright. It might chip off as it does not adhere to a non-porous surface. We solved it by filling Ella's top of the base with tinfoil and then wrapping it with fabric for the fairy to sit on.
The glass on her base made it look very light even though the size was quite substantial.
Some wonderful poses and different shapes were produced.

Yeh, Jennifer. Love the heavy bottom girl with the tiny boobies. Talk about contrast. The clothing was from draping to very cute outfits designed to fit the poses. Well done.
Look at the wide range of work. I love it when I see that. Every one makes their own spirit.
Their character. That is when you know you gave it your own personality.

Upcoming at Olds College during Hort Week

Upcoming at Olds College during Hort Week
Tuesday July 15th from 9.00 to 4.00
Contact Olds College for Registration : Tina Overwater ; www.oldscollege.ca
403 556 4609

Check further down the blogsite for all upcoming workshops . They are put throughout the pages.

Upcoming in Saskatoon October 2008

Upcoming In Saskatoon
Saturday October 4th a beginner or continuing workshop.
Sunday October 5th an advanced 2-3 foot standing (beginner workshop is a pre-requisite)
Location is again at the Mount Royal Collegiate Highschool on Rusholme Rd 2220. Artroom.

Saskatoon May 3rd and May 4th was great

Saskatoon workshop Saturday and Sunday was great. We had a wonderful room at the Mount Royal Collegiate in Saskatoon. The art-room.
Theresa and Kim were the art teachers there and allowed us to use their great space. Very nice to work on high tables.
Both days were amazing. What nice work came out of both classes. Check out some of the wrapping. If the wrapping is done nicely and you can manage to get the wrapping to go in just the right direction it is so beautiful that you just don't always want to cover them up with draping.
I am getting more and more specific with the body shaping in class and it shows in the work.
This can be totally ignored once you make one at home by yourself and you cover your figure with draping. But you might as well take advantage of the knowledge of knowing once on how beautiful you can shape that figure if you pay attention and show it off or like some, will really go a little further than normal shaping. And oh what fun is that to look at. Some great examples were made in both classes.
Fabric was chosen very well. Some bling , some texture, some blue jeans(coveralls,wow), sweater and some lot of bling.
The results were great. Most impressive was the shaping of the figures and their poses.
Very nice job.
Kim and Theresa will allow us to have another workshop at their school art-room again in the Fall.
We set a date for that one. The first day will be a sitting figure the same size as this one and the next day a big one of 3 feet standing. This is an advanced class and the beginner class is a
pre-requisite
That date is the Saturday October 4th and Sunday October 5th.
In two weeks off to Birch Hills and St Louis Saskatchewan.

Parksville on Vancouver Island

Sunday, April 6, 2008 A workshop on Vancouver Island at my friends place.
We had not seen each other for so long and now we were going to spend some quality time together.
Merrien and me had met in university in Lethbridge and shared some classes. One of which was an art therapy class. We both had always enjoyed working with the figure and since I had found this medium I had wanted to share this so badly with her. This was going to be the time. I could explain the therapy behind working with the fabric and the figure and was so happy to finally do this with her friends in Parksville.

The therapy part: Think about the T-shirt by who and when it was worn. It could have some significants for you or some one else. This is what can give your sculpture that special spirit.
A memory to keep for ever. I have seen so many beautiful memories captured this way.
People that have passed on, or who don't live at home anymore, or who have been or are sick,
shirts that have been worn during a very special time you want to remember. What a great way to hold that moment dear to you and keep it safe.

If it is not the T-shirt that holds something special for you it can be the pose you make.
My Goddess sculpture is a good example. Create one for yourself. I should have a workshop just on that theme one time.
I am getting side tracked. This class was special because I got to share it with my friend and her friends.

Tip 1. What a great day to spend with your friends.
Tip 2. They had organized to make a potluck lunch. Wow. That was very good. ( I am laughing while I write this down. This was for me the best treat ever. So take note ladies, ha,ha.)
Tip 3. A patterned t-shirt will show its pattern through the color you add to your medium.
Fun to use it to harmonize the overall color scheme and not lose the pattern.

Back from BC

Grand Forks Workshop
We drove from a brown and cold Alberta to a green and spring-like British Columbia.
Lucille had organized a workshop in Grand Forks and what a fun day it ended up being. Her sister Mary had come down from Kamloops and was going to make a three footer. On a swing. There is always quite a bit to consider when you go bigger. Everything has to go bigger in proportion. The bum, the thighs and the feet and hands, etc.
Once we discovered that, the figure started to take shape. Sitting on a swing has to be prepared in that position. Not so easy. Mary had brought the most beautiful hair she had found at the thrift store. Which she shared with Sam and me.
Tip 1. Always check out thrift stores for these treasures we can now use for sculptures.
Tip 2. I had some ducks with me found at a craft store. (items you would never give a second look before all of a sudden become special treasures you can use in a sculpture.)
Tip 3. Lucille had brought some white woven fabric and lace with her for draping her sculpture. The white fabric had a great texture and was excellent for the dress she created. (remember, I always discourage woven fabrics. Now you see that rules are not always to be kept. Just try it anyways, check out how beautiful she looked.
Tip 4. Sam made a mermaid. The figure needs to be developed the same as any other figure. Only when it comes to the wrapping do you wrap the two legs together and design flippers for the feet. She looked great and check out the hair. ( Mary's)

Upcoming at Lorena's Artistic Redesign in Saskatchewan

Upcoming outside of St Louis, Saskatchewan
Sunday June 1st at Bakers Acres
1/2 hour south of Prince Albert at Bakers Acres outside of St Louis
Garden Spirits Fairies and other figure sculpture workshop by Rita Wildschut
Sunday June 1st 9.00 AM. to 4.00 PM.
Register by May 17th . phone Lorena of Lorena's Artistic Designs 306 422 8459