artBLISS 2012
This years retreat was WONDERFUL. How do you capture all of the learning, bonding, sharing and laughing in words? I may have found a solution: by filling this blog post with all kinds of pictures, I hope you can feel for a few moments what it was like at artBLISS 2012. For the many students who attended, and the instructors/ facilitators/authors – Jeanette and I thank you.
We all shared moments that won’t be forgotten – from reconnecting with old friends, meeting new friends, and learning many new skills to add to our toolbox of techniques. We have had such great feedback from those that attended that this retreat was a nice, intimate size conducive to both bonding and feeling supported as a jewelry artist. We do hope that if you were not able to attend, that you’ll think of joining us next year and that I’ll be posting your picture in a blog post just like this one….
Scenes from Kerry Bogert’s class, K.reating A.rt B.eads
Sandi making a stringer!
Frankie, Elisabeth and Dawn – all returning artBLISS attendees!
Julie Anne with her new lampwork beads
The Meet and Greet reception: door prizes, appetizers, chatting with friends, shopping for art jewelry, meeting instructors and having books signed by several fantastic authors! whew – a lot to pack in to one evening!
Christine and Douglas Damm – hailing all the way from Vermont
Kerry shares her new book, Rustic Wrappings with Anne
Jeanette and I – happy to be your artBLISS cohosts for the 3rd year
Stacie Florer – so thrilled that she is amongst the great line up of instructors this year!
Romancing the Wrist by Christine Damm
Ranch Hand Earrings with Stacie Florer
Susan and Stacie.
I just have to say how great it was to meet Stacie myself ….after following her travels, stories, and jewelry designs for several years, and developing a great across-the-miles friendship.
Melissa, LeAnn and Michelle – now this is the perfect example of jewelry designers/bloggers meeting in person at artBLISS! This group of ladies came from Maryland, North Carolina and New York!
The annual charm swap was coordinated by Dawn Gallop this year – just look at the beautiful handmade bags she created for each of the swap participants! She is a paper artist extraordinaire! To see a great blog post with pictures of all of the charms, see Patti’s post.
A quick picture with jewelry designer and author, Erin Siegel – before her macrame demo!
I love that several of the attendees bring their whole families when they travel to artBLISS.
My husband and boys stopped by each day – here they are with Dawn’s boys!
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True Colors by Kerry Bogert
Patti working with sheet metal
Kerry and Anne
Anne’s sketch and bezel coming together
Amy of Zoozii’s lampwork presses, sporting a beautiful vintage hat she found antiquing in Leesburg the day before.
Lori and Kelley did a phenomenal job organizing all of the beads for the Bead Destash Social.
Swapping beads!
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Snaptastic with Kerry Bogert
Amy, Kerry, Joann and Patricia
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Heavy Metal Beads with Stacie Florer
Jen, Kathleen, Bette (now what is she doing with those pliers??), Melissa and Sally
Tracy creating a metal bead
Nancy working at Stacie’s amazing station
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Macrame Flower bracelet with Erin Siegel
Kelley, Lori, Nancy, Erin and Jeanette
Erin and her wonderful MIL, Nancy
So excited to learn macrame techniques in Erin’s class! This is my finished bracelet.
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Color Your World with Christine Damm
Kerry, Heather, Jenny and Christine.
I was really thrilled to finally take my first polymer clay class with mentor and friend, Christine Damm. I have admired her work for years so it was just so great to see her in action in class, sharing her talent with such passion. Below you will see the pendant I created – starting with an ivory clay base (Christine’s special blend!)…..using my own mold from a vintage floral button – loved learning how to do this in class….adding layers of texture and color ….. then the final piece colored with oil paint.
Presenting the graduating class – Color Your World
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Elemental Bracelet with Stacie Florer –
Here is a beautiful, finished bracelet by Dawn Gallop
Thank you for joining me in this artBLISS 2012 recount.
We would love for you to join us in 2013. If you’d like to read more experiences from this year’s retreat (and I hope you’ll be completely convinced you won’t want to miss the 2013 event), here are a few blog posts to visit by both attendees and instructors:
Soul to Substance
Pretty Things
Modern Nature Studio
Kabs Concepts
Jenny Davies-Reazor
Erin Siegel Jewelry
Beads for Busy Gals
Photo by Kathleen Lange Klik
p.s. Jeanette has named our artBLISS mascot (as the dress form was so dubbed), Eleanor. About time she had a proper name!
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{ 25 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow! What wonderful pictures …as always Cindy! It looks like everyone had a wonderful time with some extraordinary students AND teachers! I love the photos of your finished pieces….amazing! Thanks for sharing =)
p.s. I really missed seeing you all! xo
Thank you for sharing …..I thought of you quite a bit that weekend ….just imagine all the techniques and getting to meet such talented people. There is so much to learn that keeps us growing. I am off to read more!
Wonderful photos and great blog!!! So fun to refresh all the fab memories! Thanks again!
Wow. What a wonderful time it looks like everyone had. Loved all the pics.
excellent post! i loved all of the pictures of the goings on and classes… thank you so much, cindy!
This is great. It is so nice to see all of these wonderful photos. I had my camera but didn’t take a single photo. So it’s a treat to see such a beautiful photo review of a wonderful weekend. I truly enjoyed myself and meeting you and so many other women I’ve only known through blogs and the internet. A big thanks to you and Jennette for a great job organizing a perfect event!
Oh my goodness, Cindy! It’s amazing how the event has grown! The photos are wonderful! It looks like everyone had so much fun … I had wanted to attend but too much happening down here. I could definitely use a workshop and the shot of inspiration you get from one! The lampworking one would have been great! Great job!
Great post Cindy and beautiful pictures as usual. I brought my camera but was too busy to take any pictures.
It was so nice to see people I met at the last artBLISS and to meet new friends. I had a blast and wish I’d taken more classes. Have to start saving my pennies for next year!
I love the name Eleanor – much classier than the name I have for my mannequin (Betsy Breasts).
Thanks for the all the hard work you, Jeanette and your volunteers did. Your efforts showed!
Wow – great pictures. Thank you to you and Jeanette for all the work you put in organizing it. It was a wonderful retreat – great classes and teachers, wonderful meeting so many great people, lots of laughter, charms – everything rolled into one. I am ready to pack my bags and do it all again!
What a fun event, and wonderful to put faces with all the people out there blogging! so wish I could have been there!
As always, Cindy it was a wonderful event! Classes were great, camaraderie fantastic! Your pictures really bring it all back. And I love seeing people in the pix wearing Erin’s bracelet and earrings from her class and kits! Full circle.
Thank you for making me feel as if I was right there with everyone with all those great pictures. I so missed seeing everyone and being a part of all the activity. It’s going to feel like forever until next year comes around! Congrats to you and Jeanette for another fantastic retreat!
Really wonderful post Cindy! You captured the personality of artBLISS beautifully! This was my first year attending and I had the most amazing time! A really great weekend of learning, fun and new friendships. The smaller scale really does help personalize the event and makes it feel more like a gathering of friends. I think it is safe to say that everyone walked away with memories that won’t be soon forgotten! Thank you to you and Jeanette for creating such a wonderful retreat-I will be there next year for sure!
Ditto what everyone else has said, Cindy!! What a fab post!! And thanks again for having me down to artBLISS for the three past year. I’m honored to have been a part of this special event. I love you gals!
Oh my, looks like fun!! I hope to make it next year, now that my sister moved back to the area! Thanks for sharing so many wonderful pictures!!
So much learning and fun packed into one weekend! I had a great time in Stacie’s class. Love how your macrame bracelet turned out. : )
It all looks so great! Wish I could be there!
What a wonderful story in pictures. I feel as though I was just there! … maybe someday. Looks like some awesome creativity took place. And your macrame bracelect and polymer pendant have that special Cindy touch – beautiful as always.
I can’t believe Art Bliss is over already! I had such a wonderful time! The classes were awesome, the teachers were phenominal, and meeting so many wonderful people I have only ever met via the internet was definetly a highlight! Your macrame bracelet came out so nicely! And Dawn’s bracelet – WOW! Of course, my favorite picture is of the little kids!!! Thanks to you and Jeanette for hosting this fantastic event! And, thanks for sharing your wonderful photos and bringing back memories of a perfect weekend! I cannot wait until next year!
It looks like you had an awesome time, Cindy!! Wish I could have been there!
Oh, I feel left out! It looks like a wonderful time–learning new techniques and meeting other creative women. It would have been difficult picking a couple of classes from the line up. Sigh. Maybe next year!
Big sigh. One of these days I’m going to get there! How fun it would be to meet people I’ve only known via blogs!! The classes look amazing.
Thanks for sharing!
Looks like such a wonderful time was had by all! Hopefully some day I’ll get back there!
Well you sold me! I want to come sometime.
How do I learn about 2013 events? i was disappointed that I missed christine Damm’s class this year, but just couldn’t get there. Thanks, Susan