Upcoming Retreats:
Portland, OR Spring 2026
March 15-23, 2026
Harrisburg, PA 2026
July 8-15, 2026
Portland Fall
Sept 13 - 18, 2026
Gubbio, Italy
Sept 28-Oct 27 2026
All registration is online ONLY!
Quicklinks:
I am a mixed media artist, instructor, designer, shopkeep, and author from New York City. I came to the world of art later in life, transitioning from a full-time career as a psychologist to being a full-time artist and maker. My artistic practice is based on the concepts of community and collaboration, and I believe in the power of art to bring people together. My work has been exhibited in multiple exhibitions and can be found in numerous books and national magazines. I have also published two books of my own, The Pulse of Mixed Media and The Mixed-Media Artist, with North Light Books. My love of the creative energy that occurs when artists are brought together has led me to spend a great deal of time teaching workshops - both online and in person across the world. As a designer, I have created collections with many companies over the years, including FreeSpirit Fabrics, Impression Obsession, StencilGirl Products, Spellbinders, Emerald Creek Craft Supplies, WOW, Aladine, and PaperArtsy. Art for me is everything and sharing the process in all these different forms makes it even better.
Michelle Newby Armstrong was the visual arts teacher at Cardinal Valley Elementary school in Lexington, KY for 31 years. As an activist and artist, she combines her understanding of art and the power that it has to bring beauty and convey a message. She has collaborated with a variety of artists and organizations to celebrate art in the community. Through these efforts she has created many public works of art and has exhibited in several local galleries and hosted workshops, celebrations, and exhibitions. Michelle’s studio is located in LuigART Studios in Lexington, KY where she is fortunate to spend time with several talented artists. Her artwork is often inspired by nature with the hope that we can learn to work together to create a healthier planet.
Hailing from Salt Lake City Utah, Thomas Ashman now lives and works in the magical town of Taos, NM, and is a book binder, doll maker, and mixed media artist who likes to create with one foot in the light and one foot firmly in the dark. Reveling in the irony of juxtaposition, Thomas starts with forgotten toys, discarded dolls, rusty metal, and other resurrected materials, then breathes a new and interesting life into these abandoned objects by transforming them into macabre story-tellers and unexpectedly complex studies of the literary characters and supernatural deities that inspire him. The haunting images adorning the covers of his glass and metal journals give his work a kind of classical darkness that conjures a spooky and ‘old-fashioned’ aesthetic.
Coming from an academic background with a degree in English literature and music, his visual art explorations began back in the early 2000’s, and have allowed him to travel all over the country to teach his original “no-sew” metal book binding technique, and other workshops, at local shops and national retreats such as Artfest, Art & Soul, Art Unraveled, Create, Art Continuum, et.al. Thomas exhibits locally whenever he can, and has had his work published in Cloth, Paper, Scissors, and Somerset Studio magazines, and has received a few awards in juried exhibitions.
When he isn’t in the studio, Thomas enjoys camping, kayaking, skiing, reading, educational podcasts, horror movies, live music, and banging his head and his drums, as often as possible (with a particular affection for classic heavy metal skullduggery). Thomas also loves just hanging out in his his 100+ year old adobe abode, baking cookies, growing flowers and vegetables, and watching true crime shows with his four favorite ladies. Leighanna, Lily, Peetie, and Jessie, and an ornery ol’ gato gordo named Hairy B.
ThomasAshmanArt@yahoo.com
www.blacksheepartist.com
Vicki's approach to the fiber arts is innovative and experimental, leading to a wide variety of projects and techniques she has developed, resulting in gorgeous and unique art. She freely shares all of her methods with her students, encouraging and supporting them to apply the techniques in their individual style and aesthetic, leading to their own special and exciting outcomes.
All of Vicki's workshops are completely different from each other, providing students with the opportunity to learn new approaches, and create different artworks, in each workshop.
Along with teaching nationally at locations such as Mendocino Art Center, San Jose Museum of Quilts and Textiles, and North Country Studio Workshops, Vicki exhibits her artwork in galleries and museums. And, Vicki's students have exhibited and sold their amazing fiber art pieces, which they made during and after her workshops.
Testimonials from students:
"I really enjoyed meeting you and learning lots of new techniques. You are a wonderful teacher and I'm grateful that you've decided to share your gift with others."
"I so enjoyed our workshop and want to thank you for your inspirational teaching! I could go on and on but suffice it to say my work will always reflect our time together."
"The workshop was inspiring & Vicki is a fantastic instructor."
"Vicki is everything you would want in a teacher. She explains things thoroughly, is encouraging, patient, and joyful."
"I totally enjoyed the workshop and appreciate you organizing and sharing this unique process!"
"You brought a joyous feeling to our day together, filled with possibilities."
Orly Avineri is a mixed media artist, a teacher, and an author. She was born and raised in Israel, ended up in Southern California after living in the Netherlands for nearly a decade. Now living in the beautiful Willamette Valley in Oregon she teaches workshops and retreats in intimate settings, locally, in the US, and abroad. Orly’s work’s purpose is to advance the well being of those who seek it through unique and intimate natural and man-made processes and materials. Engaging in a world that is far more expansive than her own enlivens her to no end and she hopes to invoke that feeling in others by introducing and marrying multiple media to inspire freedom of expression and a deep belief in the possibility, the power, and the beauty of change. All for the sake of a deep sense of interconnectedness to all.
www.orlyavineri.com
Instagram: @orlyavineri
Facebook: @orlyavineri
Michelle Tade Banton was a new instructor at Art & Soul (Harrisburg, 2024) but she’s been teaching over 20 years in the US, Canada, and Ireland. She’s generally taught non-traditional quilting designs and techniques, but is expanding the scope of her teaching to include other mixed media. Michelle’s style is relaxed, encouraging and hopefully a bit entertaining.
There is too much in life that we HAVE to do. Michelle hopes her classes are something you WANT to do.
Lisa Bebi, since a small child, has loved two things: looking through snapshots in her family album and painting as expression. For over three decades, the San Diego native has married these two things together, and her work has received international awards and recognition for its content, style, and color. Lisa received her BA in fine arts from SDSU, where she developed as a colorist, straddling representation with abstraction. Daughter of a journalist, Lisa always finds ways to tell the untold story she sees in snapshots. “I love the authenticity of the snapshot. It’s a single moment in time but by painting it I can extend that moment, revel in it and bring to life characters and scenarios that I fancy. Working this way gives me enormous pleasure.” She extracts the “behind, the behind” using innovative techniques and finesse. Over the course of her life she has received awards, accolades, and endorsements. She has been a longtime contributor to many international mixed-media magazines and several books; has taught in artist residencies locally and internationally; is a Golden Paints educator; and is often a local juror.
Stephanie Burton is a lifelong artist and accomplished teacher who believes art is not simply something you make, it’s something you become. With decades of experience in ceramics and mixed media, she brings refined skill, confidence, and a deep devotion to process. Her teaching is thoughtfully structured yet generous, inviting students to slow down, build skills naturally, and fully inhabit the creative process.
Known for her warm, intuitive teaching style, Stephanie creates an atmosphere where beginners feel courageous and seasoned artists feel reawakened. She leads with generosity and clarity, guiding students to trust their hands, deepen their artistic voice, and leave proud of what they’ve created.
Her teaching spans schools, studios, and international settings, including 15 years at Georgie’s, five years with Art & Soul, collaborative teaching in El Salvador, and more than a decade from her home studio in Vancouver, Washington. The joy and energy she brings to teaching is unmistakable, felt in her own work and reflected in the growth and confidence of her students!
Website: www.stephanieburtonstudios.com
Instagram: @stephanieburtonstudios
Facebook: @stephanieburtonstudios
Clarissa Callesen is an international artist and instructor working in sculpture and installation art. Her chosen medium is discarded materials, found objects and textiles. Her work and teaching are inspired by her choice of non-traditional materials. In choosing this medium, it is her objective to explore the margins to find beauty and value in that which our society has discarded. Clarissa has exhibited her art throughout the US, including the Museum of Northwest Art and solo exhibitions in Seattle, WA, Bellingham, WA, and Boise, ID. She was an artist in residence at Playa Artist Program in Summer Lake, OR, Brush Creek Foundation in Saratoga, WY, and Surel’s Place in Boise, ID, and North Street Collective in Willits, CA. Her work has appeared in the books “Soulful Stitch”, “Threads of Treasure”, “Who’s your Dada?” and “Art without Waste”. Clarissa has been sharing her passion for creativity for 15 years teaching both nationally, internationally, and online with her signature class Creating with Courage drawing hundreds of students. Her teaching style is down to earth and fun; embracing spontaneity and cherishing “mistakes” while challenging students to look at creativity in new and innovative ways. If you would like to get to know her better this is a wonderful interview.
http://www.clarissacallesen.com/
Andrea Chebeleu is a passionate mixed media artist and educator, currently residing just south of Portland, Oregon. Since founding her art business in 1998, Andrea has explored and embraced a wide range of mediums and techniques, constantly expanding her creative practice. She runs workshops and retreats at her Oregon studio as well as her studio in San Jose, California, where she fosters a vibrant community of creatives. Andrea also offers specialty and custom art supplies through her online shop, A Work of Heart, and shares her knowledge and artistic process with a global audience through her mixed media membership platform, Watch Learn Play.
A dedicated mother of three adult children and wife to her creative partner since 1992, Andrea balances her art with her love of gardening and perfecting sourdough recipes. Whether teaching or creating, she brings a joyful, exploratory spirit to everything she does.
Pam is a full-time science teacher and a part-time artist, indulging her imagination by creating whimsical characters of polymer clay. After dabbling in many forms of mixed media art, Pam found her niche in polymer clay sculpture after taking several classes taught by Lisa Renner.
Pam enjoys trail running near her home in Northern California and was recently able to be a kidney donor.
Laura is a lifelong creative who has always thought outside the box…but believes in keeping the box to make something with it! Her education and corporate work in Interior design and architecture contributes to her style in book making and 3D constructed projects. Her nearly life long sewing skills lead to a long time business in quilt design and teaching as well as doll and teddy bear making. She left corporate interior architecture work in 2000 when her youngest child was born. In 2009, when dealing with health issues with her kids, she moved to paper crafting for its easier portability. She quickly fell in love with bookmaking and put her architecture skills to use designing and creating 3D buildings from chipboard and paper. Also known as “Following the Paper Trail” on social media, she was a pioneer in the early days of live streamed teaching. The kids who used to interrupt and show pets during live streams are now grown and in college.
She puts her skills learned from formal art classes in college, her curiosity for all sorts of mediums, and her innovative book making skills to good use to create fun and interactive books and journals that look complicated but are easy to construct.
Laura grew up in Alaska and currently lives in the Seattle area with her husband, fur babies and those two college age kids.
Rochelle has always loved art – it has been a way to express herself and her style. Her road to creating jewelry began 12 years ago where she attended a chandelier class in Cortona, Italy. From that point on she fell in love with the art of soldering and jewelry making. It truly has been the best journey of her life meeting so many wonderful people, learning new things, and opening many doors to new opportunities.
In 2022 I turned 60…one of those milestone birthdays. That same year, I traveled to Paris for the first time since I was 21 years old. It was an amazing, joy-full, and life-changing trip. I played the part of an adventurer and instinctively set about my mission to document and observe my trip to Paris as if I’d never traveled before. I took notes. I collected things along my way throughout my days in Paris. I documented my findings in the biggest, juiciest, most beautiful travel journal to date. I noticed patterns in the wallpaper and tiles of the pied-a-terre I rented in Montmartre and copied them into my vintage travel journal. I traced typography from a women’s magazine advertisement from 1896. I focused on just one thing at a time. I recorded only what I was drawn to in those moments.
I came home wanting to keep that “Paris feeling” alive. That feeling of exploration, of discovery, of living in the moment. That’s when an idea came to me: sharing my love of travel and techniques I use in my handmade vintage travel journals to other like-minded and curious souls.
The No.1 Ladies Travel Chronicle Society was born.
I now teach workshops locally and internationally to other travelers. We find a vintage book, deconstruct it, then put it back together with layers and layers of vintage papers and ephemera, notes about what we see, feel, smell, and taste. We layer our pages with bits and flotsam collected throughout our wanderings. We tell our stories.
Email: good2btlg@comcast.net
Website: www.tammygilley.com
Micah Goguen grew up in Central Georgia and obtained his Bachelors in Art and Art History and his Masters in Art Therapy from Georgia College & State University in Milledgeville. He focuses primarily on bringing art to the community and using art as a form of communication for those struggling to understand and cope with life situations.
Goguen produces work while teaching art to both adults and children. He also volunteers time at the local community center and works with adults in alcohol and substance recovery as well as uprooted and traumatized children. Using mural work, art for entertainment and art therapy for healing, Micah collaborates with school systems, local shops, and non-profits to help unify and most importantly “spread a message”. The overall vision is to focus and rededicate back to a buy local, shop local mentality that strengthens community through unity and purpose.
Tonya Gray had been creating and selling her artwork for 30 years, first as a ceramics artist, then as a painter. She sells at art shows around the country and is at Portland Saturday Market most weekends (Market member for 15 years). Her work is quiet, thoughtful and fun, and often brings a smile.
Tonya Gray <tonyagrayartworks@gmail.com>
I am a mixedmedia, fiber and textile bookmaking artist. Making something out of nothing is my passion. When I'm in the zone on an art project, I feel a sense of presence that inspires and challenges me. Whether drawing, painting, paper making, fabric dyeing, stitching, or finding something to add to my work, I enjoy getting lost in the process. My bookmaking is always evolving. No two books are exactly alike. Each page is a different expression of shapes, colors, textures, and impressions from my life. I am always intrigued to find unexpected images presenting themselves in the finished piece. I enjoy when the viewer finds something personal in my work. I believe an individual’s view of art is as unique as their fingerprint.
Pamela Sue Johnson is a self-taught mixed-media artist known for her expressive, layered work and her engaging teaching style. With a passion for helping others access their own creativity, Pamela designs and leads creative experiences that inspire, empower, and encourage joyful self-expression.
Pamela has been a core instructor with the Art & Soul community since 2022 and has taught at events throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond for the last decade. She has also worked as a guest teaching artist in local schools and has served as an artist-in-residence in Southern Nevada, near the desert landscapes of her childhood.
Pamela is the creator of Art Zine, a publication dedicated to creative inspiration and the intuitive artist’s journey. Based in a rural forest community near Vancouver, Washington, she now spends part of the winter season snowbirding in the deserts of Nevada.
Learn more about Pamela here:
Website: https://www.pamelasuejohnson.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pamelasuejohnson11/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pamelasuejohnson/
As a mixed media artist and teacher Chris believes in fostering an authentic spirit of inquiry and exploration to develop rich creative experiences. She paints, photographs, assembles, stitches and dyes her way through explorative processes that weave their stories into her life’s journey; art and life are inextricably intertwined to guide and ground her path.
Chris is blessed to have taught thousands of students across the world. It is her soul’s purpose to help light students from within as they discover their own voice through creativity and self expression.
Chris has been an Artist in Residence in Orquevaux, France, October 2023, and is honoured to have her work in the Denis Diderot Gallery (France). Her work has been part of the 2024 and 2025 Artist Almanac and she is also a regular contributor to Somerset Studio, the world’s premier mixed media magazine.
Chris is currently writing a book and creating an oracle deck as well as teaching at retreats, online and in her home studio.
instagram https://www.instagram.com/christinekarpiak/
you tube https://www.youtube.com/@chriskarpiak/videos
An Assemblage Artist residing in Mechanicsburg, Pa., Erin Keck's artwork results from re purposing found discarded objects. She loves to breathe new life into castaways from yesteryear. Erin's artwork is shown and sold in three prestigious art galleries in Pa. The 2nd Floor in Mechanicsburg, Pa, Village Artisans Gallery in Boiling Springs, Pa, and Perry County Council Of The Arts in Newport, Pa. She has been a Featured Artist in two of the galleries with Private Showings. Recently Erin's work has been published in the book, “1000 Steampunk Creations” by Grymm. Seven of her pieces were chosen for this book. She has taught community craft classes on a monthly basis from 2007 – 2010, and has taught classes at the Charmed I'm Sure Studio owned by friend and colleague and fellow Art & Soul instructor, Jean Van Brederode. Erin has lectured at the Central Pa. Bead and Jewelry Society, and has also taught private classes in her home studio. She has attended Art & Soul retreats for the past three years, and values the inspiration and knowledge that she has received from the Art & Soul instructors.You can see more of Erin's artwork at www.EKCreations.etsy.com. (be sure to view her sold items.)
Art is our universal language. From pre-historic bison scratched onto a cave wall, to the fervent expression of religious faith brushed onto a chapel ceiling; humans have been driven to leave a legacy of their hopes and dreams etched in stone, wrought in metal or wood, woven in cloth or painted on paper and canvas. It is a unique characteristic of human nature to create visual form that goes beyond function into abstract thought. No culture, past or present, has failed to leave this expression of their existence and humanity. The message can be patently obvious as an epic battle immortalized in a Medieval tapestry or as enigmatic as a legion of stone heads staring out to sea on a long deserted island. It can be as realistic as a photograph or as abstract as swathes of color. Art can be used to invoke spirits or exorcize demons. I am driven to speak with my hands, to translate my visions into a form that bridges all language barriers. My visions come from my perception of the world around me, dreams and faint remembrances of lifetimes lost in the past. I am a storyteller at heart and my quilts are my stories.
I was born and raised on the Monterey Peninsula in central California, a beautiful area that served as an inspiration to set me onto a creative path for life. From a very early age I showed a keen interest in art, starting with drawing and painting and exploring different mediums for my self-expression. In the early 70's, I turned my attention to fiber and fabrics with a focus on quilting and embroidery. For the last 40 years or so, fiber and quilting has been my primary focus and passion.
In 1991, we moved to the Pacific Northwest. I began teaching fiber and quilting classes in 1999. Over the years, my work has won awards at local, regional and national shows and the recognition has served me well in promoting myself as a teacher. In 2006 I received a nomination for the ‘Teacher of the Year’ by Professional Quilter Magazine another teacher ultimately won the top award but to be nominated was an honor itself. Some of my quilts have appeared in the pages of books and the cover of Quilter’s Newsletter Magazine; and I have written articles for various magazines and currently design quilt patterns. This year, I became a fabric designer for Northcott Fabrics and my first line came out in May of 2018.
In addition to art and quilting, I have a passion for gourmet cooking, books (the only place I can get into worse trouble than a fabric store), films and music.
I create from my home studio in Southern Oregon in the company of a dog who looks a little bit like a fruit bat, a small flock of chickens, two pigs, and my husband who can do anything I put my mind to.
As an artist and creativity coach, I merge a variety of materials to create art that invites you to honor your complex stories while also simplifying (and elevating) the continuing stories you tell yourself through your creative process.
I am the creator of over a dozen popular online art courses and eBooks which provide easy, step-by-step guidance on how to improve your metalsmithing skills in my signature “homesteader” style, how to create original sculpted forms with plaster and found objects, and how to combine plaster, paint, and encaustic medium in luminous two-dimensional work.
I am a passionate art instructor, thing-maker, bookmaker, figurative assemblage artist and recovering perfectionist! My background is in fine arts and photography and I’ve been teaching art workshops for the past 25 years at art retreats in the US. I develop my classes by playing, making a mess, making “mistakes” and I can’t think of any better way to live and make a living. I love to create, to hunt for things to create with & to share my creativity with others. It’s what I live for, it’s my oxygen.
I grew up in a small town in upstate New York and I have spent most of the past 20 years in New Mexico. I am so lucky to live in Taos, the mountains of Northern New Mexico, with my best friends Thomas, Peetie, Lily Jessie and Hairy B.
Misty Mawn is a full-time artist, international workshop instructor, and author of Unfurling, A Mixed Media Workshop. She has been published in multiple publications from Somerset Studio, Cloth Paper, Scissors, to Spirituality and Health Magazine. She has an insatiable curiosity for the world and finds inspiration everywhere. She loves to share that found inspiration with those she teaches. She is a mother of two and lover of all animals. When not painting or teaching she can be found cooking, hiking, dancing, throwing pottery, or practicing the art of change.
Maude May is a collage artist, layering images utilizing hand stitching and photography. She collects discarded snapshots, copyright-free photos, scans of her own photographic art and more. Images are ink jet printed directly onto either linen or cotton and, then along with both used and new fabrics, are assembled to tell a new visual story. Layers of hand & machine stitching bind everything together. Creating these stitched fabric collage artworks allows her to rediscover (and also imagine) the mysteries of the people, memories, words, landscapes and possessions from both her past, and the lives of others, that were once deemed precious and have been forgotten or left behind.
Along with creating and showing her work, Maude teaches classes throughout Oregon and Washington.
www.maudemay.art
Instagram: @maudeanne
Instagram: @thetinyhouseartgallery
Facebook: Maude May
I am very active on instagram: @lulumoonwoodmurakami. See you there!
lulumoonart.com
With over two decades of hands-on experience, and 14 years as sole proprietor of Macon Mud Pottery Studio in Macon, GA., I have established a career as a multidisciplinary maker, although my primary medium is clay. Trained initially in architecture, I transitioned into art to pursue a “simpler life”. What could be more simple that mud? Whether in the studio or the classroom, I am process driven. For as long as I can remember, I have been a “maker”, and the process of creating is more important to me than the medium.
Artistic Philosophy: As both a maker and educator, I am driven by the belief that each step of the creative journey offers an opportunity for discovery. My architectural background informs a disciplined approach to structure and composition, while my love of traditional craft techniques keeps the work grounded. Whether shaping clay, carving linoleum, forging metal, or building three-dimensional forms, I try to foster an environment where experimentation and skill‐building go hand in hand.
For inquiries about workshops, commissions, or collaborations, please contact:
Kathy Murphy maconmud@gmail.com maconmud.com IG:@maconmudpottery
Her life journey gives Jacqueline Newbold a never-ending source of inspiration to represent gems of the world in her color-filled paintings. Her watercolor journal has become a visual diary and constant companion everywhere she travels. Using a warm and playful color palette, Jacqueline enjoys capturing a moment in time by painting the dappled sunlight on a field of lavender, or the brilliance of a tropical beach. She introduces color in the shadows and sun-drenched areas, which creates a luminous glow in her paintings. Primarily a watercolor artist, she uses her watercolor journal as a springboard for exploring creative ways to incorporate mixed media into her art and providing the bases for her larger creations.
Jacqueline is a member of the Watercolor Society of Oregon, the Northwest Watercolor Society and the High Desert Art League. She teaches watercolor workshops locally, nationally as well as leading painting workshops in France and Italy. She has several articles published in the mixed-media magazine, Cloth-Paper-Scissors about creating art while on your journey. Jacqueline has partnered with Daniel Smith Art Supplies to create a watercolor traveling kit. Her self-published book, Watercolor Journeys is a helpful guide for beginning to advanced watercolor enthusiasts and her workshop DVD with Interweave has just been released: Art Journals On-The-Go: How to pack, prep, paint, and more.
Website: www.newboldart.com
Blog: http://djnewbold.blogspot.com
"William Reichle is a stained glass artist and traveling instructor. He has introduced over 800 people to the joy of creating with stained glass through his satellite workshops. He looks forward to continuing sharing his passion for this craft with more people and empowering others to create with this captivating medium."
Jesse Reno is a self-taught mixed media painter. He has been drawing since he could hold a pencil, and painting and exhibiting his works since 2000.
Jesse has amassed over 3000 paintings in the last 12 years, and has exhibited his work extensively across the US and Canada as well as France and Mexico. Jesse's work has been covered in various art publications including Juxtapoz, Artnews, Artension, dpi and Somerset Studio just to name a few. One of his largest works can be seen in Winnipeg, Canada where he was commissioned by the Province of Manitoba to create a 25 x 40 ft mural as a reminder to the cultural importance of the Native American people in the region.
Collage is a wonderful way to wake up the sleeping artist within. Collages are unique individual expressions, just like the artists are. I am exploring a range of subjects without a political agenda, welcoming the technical challenge of making realistic renderings from recycled materials. I enjoy making something attractive from discards, appropriating images and putting them together in intriguing ways. Like any artist, I am especially thrilled when my work calls to a viewer to come closer and spend some time engaged in the piece. While my pictorial collages are best viewed from a distance, a close up inspection can reveal a very different piece of art.
"My goal as an artist is to let my work bring joy to the viewer."
Carol’s painting journey started when she learned to paint with acrylics during her lunch hour at the office where she worked. If not for the step-by-step process of decorative painting, she would not have been introduced to the world of painting. In 2000, Carol started painting primarily in transparent watercolor and her teaching career was launched. Carol paints primarily with watercolor accented with multimedia.
Carol’s workshop is a perfect opportunity for the beginner as well as the experienced painter to learn techniques enabling them to complete successful paintings. Carol shares her step-by-step approach to painting with students of all levels. All projects include written instructions, a line drawing and a color photo. Drawing ability is not necessary, allowing the student to focus on the mechanics of painting.
The creative backgrounds in Carol’s paintings set her artwork apart from other artists. Her use of color and textures invite you into her joyful paintings. Each lesson is designed to introduce the student to a new technique or way of looking at art. Students paintings are successful when they “trust the process” of Carol’s methodical instructions. No two paintings are alike, and that is a good thing!
Carol recently retired to be a full time artist and instructor. Painting is her joy and often times, her therapy. As much as she enjoys painting, Carol’s first love is teaching painting to others. Carol is a popular instructor at community education classes in St. Paul, MN, decorative painting conventions and travel workshops throughout America, France, Italy and Canada.
A lifetime resident of Minnesota, Carol lives in a 125+ year old house in Saint Paul, Minnesota with her husband Coz and their two cats, Mickey and Bailey.
Becky Joan Springer is an “accidental” and intuitive abstract painter, largely self-taught and still (un)learning. She studied art in undergrad, but didn’t pick up a paintbrush again until her mid 30s. She was a longtime college educator and counseling instructor working with marginalized communities, burnt out, and far removed from creative spaces.
When she followed the whispers and invited art back into her life as a daily practice, everything changed. Her colorful and bold art tells her story as a recovering perfectionist, with learned vulnerability, and untethered joy. ?Creating became a salve for the soul and has evolved from a hobby to a thriving daily practice, with the creation of a studio where she teaches in-person painting workshops and retreats.
She believes that we’re all artists, that art is healing, and that creating in community can be transformative. Her classes integrate a mind, body, and soul approach to intuitive painting. She strives for welcoming spaces where students are encouraged to be brave, to let their stories inform their art, and to play in paint together.
Becky is represented by the Artistic Portland Art Gallery and her work has been featured in exhibitions at the Helzer Gallery, Cambium Gallery, Radius Gallery, Om Base Gallery, as well as Quartz, a multimedia arts
magazine. Her paintings have been purchased for the City of Portland Public Art Collection. Additionally, she has a licensing partnership with the online platform iCanvas.
She lives and creates in Portland, Oregon.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckyjoanspringer/
Website: https://www.beckyjoanspringer.com/
Kate's experience as a fiber artist was working with fabric and fiber to create abstract 3-dimensional forms. In 2009 she started painting and hasn't stopped since. Her current work is the combination of the two disciplines. Using watercolors, acrylics, inks and pastels she paints on substrates such as layered vintage linens, fabrics, laces, plaster, paper and wood. The portrait or figure is the focal point and she works at creating images that parallel her spiritual and personal life.
She teaches art online and on location. She is as passionate about teaching as she is creating. The creative process is where all the energy is and she loves and gets energized by sharing her artistic journey.
To learn more about Kate visit her at:
www.fracturedangelics.blogspot.com
fracturedangelics.com
facebook.com/katethompsonartist
Dina’s colorful, expressive style is anchored by her design hallmark, the creative use of white space. Her personal, organic design aesthetic strikes a balance between “artsy” and “classic”.
Dina is a mixed-media artist and teacher. She loves everything about art: creating it, thinking about it, looking at it, and teaching it. She has been scrapbooking since 1995, stamping since 1996, and art journaling since 2004. She believes in writing yourself down, expressing yourself, and making your mark on the world. As a Ranger Signature Designer, Dina designs a line of mixed-media art supplies that includes acrylic paints, mediums, brushes, rubber stamps, stencils, and more.
Rio is an environmental artist that has been working with the earth to garner colors and pigments as well as found objects to create abstract works in sculpture and textiles. For over 20 years she has created, exhibited, and performed locally and nationally. By 2013 she began teaching her processes and techniques to adults and children across the nation. In 2023, she published an inspirational memoir, 'Spirituality of Rust - A Sacred Language of Iron Though Art'. Always learning and exploring new ways to manifest with this earth is her passion. Connecting with community and sharing is her mission.