Recent and Future Workshops

You can see by the books and papers here that we were playing and working hard at Art & Soul in Hampton, Virginia. My classes were full and with Christine Hendry, my wonderful daughter and Ann Georgia McCaffray my wonderful friend assisting me we had the color and pattern flying onto the paper. Thanks to my assistants for the talent and energy they bring and for the support they give to me. And thanks to all the people who took my classes and poured themselves into their work. I think the papers and books are just wonderful. It was satisfying for me to work with some of the women I had in class two years ago when I was there and get to tune in in more depth to their style and the level of their artistry. And it is always good to bring new people into the fold and assist the movement in their work.

Which brings me to what is growing as a desire in me as an instructor. I really want to work with people in more depth than I usually have the opportunity to do. So here is my promise to myself. After I fulfill any standing contracts to teach I am looking for opportunities to teach longer workshops with fewer students. What I am thinking is that in the art retreat settings such as Art & Soul, I would offer a one 1 day workshop and a 3 day workshop. The one day would give folks an appetizer and the longer workshop would give people who want a concentrated experience a chance for a feast with me.

And, here’s the really good part, I will be offering longer workshops where I live, in Jacksonville, Oregon. The first one will be in August of this year. If there is enough interest I will do more than one. I am moving into a little cottage in the next few weeks and my plan is to have the workshops there with people staying in B&B’s or a motel in town. (Jacksonville is a lovely little historic town and Ashland is nearby) My studio will not be large so the number of students in each workshop will be limited. Sounds like heaven to me, what about you? If this is something that interests you write to me albiepapersmith@gmail.com .

The Shed

Greetings from Sperryville, Virginia. It’s lush and moist here in the hollow where I am staying with my friend, Ann Georgia. And Bella, Gracie, and Leo (the art dog). When I am lucky enough to stay here I get to sleep in “The Shed”. This is a charming little building made of old wood, white washed inside, with a tin roof. So when there is rain, like we have been having off and on, it sounds like a deluge even if it’s a shower. I love it. There’s a little bed, a small chest of drawers, a little round table, and a couple of small chairs. Kind of like a cushy nun’s cell now that I think of it. I sleep with the windows and door open to the sounds and the wind. Last night I saw some fire flies. Reminds me of my childhood.
We spent my first day here looking at the wonderful “gleanings from nature” that Ann is going to offer at her table at the vendor’s sale at Art & Soul in Hampton, Virginia next week. She has amazing treasures; bugs, bones, fungus, turtle shells, butterfly wings, seeds, pods, feathers, nests and various parts and pieces like leaves lying around. Oh, and we went to the “free dump” and found among other things some big shirts for using as paint smocks and a weirdly virginal gown that Ann will probably turn into something even more weird and wonderful.
So...I am out in the barn working on some samples for my Bevy of Books class next week at Art & Soul in Hampton, Virginia. All my workshops are full, which is wonderful and affirming. Ann will be helping me in one and my daughter, Christine, will be assisting me in the other two. Life is very, very good indeed.