Lesley Venable

Creativity, Retreat News and Ice Resin Creations

The past few weeks have seen me in my studio filming videos for my new online class offering - Altered Vessels.  This online class has well over 30 videos with information on creating everything from little pendants to large bottles with unique, one of a kind, focal points.  My online classes are open 24/7 with no end date so no stressing out on finishing up your creations.  While there is no end date there is a cut off time to sign up and that will be the end of May, 2013.  You can check it out by visiting:  www.theartofaltering.ning.com

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The internet and art world is abuzz with the news that Art Is....You is going Down Under!!!  That's right, Australia here we come!!!  The line up includes:  Michael and Andrea DeMeng, Sue Pelletier, Kecia Frazee Deveney, Seth Apter and myself.  I am sooooo very excited and cannot wait to bring this magic to everyone from Sal's neck of the woods. 

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There has been some amazing creations being posted on the Ice Resin Blog by the Design Team Members....check these out....

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Have you tried ICED Enamels yet?  If you haven't you really need to check them out by clicking the image below:

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I hope your Monday is blessed with creativity, love and happiness.

xo,

Lesley V.

Teaching Venues 2013

I wanted to just put a list of my teaching venues for 2013 up....

 

ART IS YOU....NASHVILLE

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ARTISCAPE - DUBLIN, OHIO

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CREATE - CHICAGO

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ART IS YOU...PETALUMA

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ART IS....YOU - STAMFORD, CT

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HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE!!!

XOXO,

LESLEY V.

 

 

 

Art Is......Illuminated!!!!!

Hi Everyone!!!

Wow, Art Is....You is coming to Nashville and it is just around the corner!!  We are so very excited to be a part of this inaugural event and can't wait to meet all of you who will be attending AIY for the first time!!

Kecia and I are very excited to be teaching the 2 day class, Illuminated Reliquary and we hope that you will decide to come and join us on this assemblage journey.

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We were at one of our favorite haunts in Roanoke when we stumbled upon these wonderful old, and large, glass negatives slides.  After some research, we found out that these images were created through a process known as collodion. The collodion process was introduced in the 1850’s and eventually replaced the daguerreotype.  Pretty cool, huh??

So thus the idea was hatched in our heads to create an art project paying homage to our unique find. At the same time, we also knew we wanted to add light to create a shrine - so thus our “illuminated reliquary” was born.

Both of us bring much to the table. In this 2 day class we will do a lot of planning, playing and building. We will be discussing assemblage and connection techniques to unite odd items together. We will be doing some basic soldering. We will learn how to duplicate interesting found objects through molding and casting (and Lesley will be happy to answer questions on things suitable for molding, . We will also learn ways to make items look older than they actually are. As our pieces come to life, we will be weaving a story of history and modern day as we take our images and lay out their next phase of life.

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So now that you've read about the journey from find, to idea, to class fruition why not come and play?  There are so many techniques that you will be learning in this two day class that your mixed media toolbox will be overflowing.  A finished project and a virtual toolbox full of awesome techniques....two of my very favorite things!

Here are just a few of the wonderful processes that we will be sharing....

1. Connectivity - connecting this to that and other things.
2. Use of Imagery to tell your story.
3. Assemblage Composition
4. Use of Basic Soldering
5. Creating Molds Using Found and Unusual objects.
6. Replicating items using our molds and apoxie clay.
7. Adding Age and Patina to old and new items.
8. Surface perparation techniques.
9. Adding color with inks, paints and more.
10. Working with Ice Resin to create unique pieces.
11. Goodies baked by Mr. Lesley to keep those artistic energies flowing.  :)

Whew!!!  Pretty good wouldn't you say?? 

To sign up for the class simply click the below image to be whisked away to the site....

 We hope to see you there!!!

xo,

Lesley V.

Related articles

Art Is...You - Nashville

Artiscape 2013 - An Artist's Gathering

Hi Everyone!!

Coming on the heels of Art Is You's inaugural event in Nashville will be Lisa Ohmer's Artiscape which is held in Dublin, Ohio (a suburb of Columbus).

This year's Artiscape Retreat will be held the weekend of April 18th through April 21st and it promises to be another fun creative weekend of mixed media, collage, bookbinding, altered arts, calligraphy, encaustics, jewelry, metal and more....

 

In Lisa's words.....

"At our unconventional "convention" there's something for everyone: 50 varied workshops with some of the country's top instructors, an Artist's Marketplace, Outsider Art Fair and fun special parties- the Friday Kick-off Party, a Night to Remember Ball a Mad Hatter Tea and more! In its 11th year, Artiscape has become a premier, national alternative arts event. By combining social gatherings, eclectic shopping, and fun & challenging workshops, we strive to create a weekend to remember for you. Take a full schedule of workshops or just a few and relax with a book in the garden atrium lobby. Come for the weekend or just the afternoon. The goal is a fun, educational weekend among friends- old and new!"

One-day Art Materials Marketplace (Saturday) with eclectic vendors, Outsider Art Fair (Sunday) with finished works. Preview party, evening gatherings, afternoon tea, demos, prizes, silent auction and more.

Here are some of the workshops being offered including the three I will be teaching......

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Soldered Silhouettes

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Collage Composition

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Punked Pendant

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Pigments of Your Imagination

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Trading Spaces

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To learn more about the event, the venue, the workshops and the artists click on the below banner....

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I would love to see you there!!!!

xoxo,

Lesley V.

Art Is...You - Nashville

It won't be long now that the Art Is You Family will be heading to Nashville for some foot stomping, art making, class taking fun!!!!

2013 is the Inaugural Art Is You event in Nashville and while every single event that this lovely twosome, Sal and Ellen, puts on is awesome and amazing I know that you won't want to miss seeing just how much magic occurs when this family of artists comes together.

From get togethers in the mornings, to having your lunch provided if you have registered for an all day class (how awesome is that!), to a special tour of Bernie Berlin's A Place To Bark, Yoga sessions, Eat cake and create, the Art Trunk.....it's so amazing.....quite literally.

There are so many special activities that bring you together and I've not seen another retreat like it.  There is truly a sense of family, so many friendships are made and you see them grow and strengthen over the years and you find that as each retreat is drawing closer that the countdowns begin and that when you arrive the atmosphere is more like a reunion.  It's glorious.

Here is a list of the wonderful instructors that will be teaching in Nashville.....

Michael deMeng                                        Andrea deMeng

Ann-Denise Anderson                                Bernie Berlin

Lesley Venable                                         Margot Potter

Kecia Deveney                                          Nellie Wortman

Leighanna Light                                        Pam Carriker

Richard Salley                                          Sue Pelletier

Sunny Carvalho                                        Thomas Mann

MaryBeth Shaw                                        Kathy Nesi

Loretta Marvel                                        

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Here are images from some of the amazing classes (click the image to be linked to that class's description):

 

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So want to know the when, where, whats and hows???

Here are the basics....

Nashville, Tennessee

April 4th - 7th, 2013

Sheraton Music City Hotel

But, to learn so much more and to be dazzled by it all just click the below banner...

 

 

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We really hope to see you there.  I promise you won't be disappointed in your classes, the venue, the event, the Art Trunk, the food....it is indeed magical and it's just waiting for you to join in!!!

xoxoxo,

Lesley V.

 

 

 

 

 

Related articles

Are You Ready????

Art Is You....Nashville

Art Is You....Nashville

Kecia and I have been working on an amazing two day class for Art Is You in Nashville and I am so excited!!!  There are so many cool techniques that we will be teaching and the finished creation is AWESOME!!!

Soon......

xo,

Lesley V.

Nashville.........Are You Ready?!?!?

Have you heard the news?

The Art Is You Family is coming to Nashville, Tennessee in 2013!!

I promise you won't want to miss it and you can let everyone know you are coming by clicking on this button......

You've heard all the buzz and seen the amazing creations...now it's your turn to be a part of everything that Art Is......is.

I'm looking forward to seeing you there!

 xo,

Lesley V.

 

August 16, 2012

Imagine yourself in a castle in the sky Where polka dot rabbits know how to fly You can be anywhere you want to be Your imagination will set you free Imagine! A special place Imagine! Flying through space Imagine this Imagine that Imagine you're a dragon or a kooky cat Imagine you're the singer in a rock n' roll band Imagine you're a knight in a far off land Imagine you're a fish in the deep blue sea Or a bird at the top of a giant tree Imagine! Flying a plane Imagine! Driving a train Imagine here Imagine there Imagine you're a monster with crazy hair Imagine yourself as a tiny ant Or in the forest as a rubber plant Imagine you're a horse that knows how to ski Or flying on the back of a buzzy bee You can go anywhere you want to go You can meet anyone you want to know You can be anything you want to be Your imagination will set you free Your imagination will set you free Join us this fall...and set your imagination free...              Email: artis@art-is-you.com Web: art-is-you.com Lyrics by the wonderfully imaginative Bob Doyle

 

Hope to see you there!!!

xo,

Lesley V.

Art Unraveled - Vending

I know that many of you who travel to various art retreats find that vending night is as magical as I do. 

For us we have fun setting up our vending table and then we get to walk around to see all of the beautiful art and fun and funky vintage finds that are being offered for sale.

Here are a few shots of our table, which included vintage finds and original art by yours truly, at Art Unraveled in Phoenix this year...

 

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What a fun time we had in Phoenix!  Be on the lookout for images from my classes.

xo,

Lesley

 

A Journey In Heart and In Soul.....

Hi Everyone!

I hope this Monday finds you doing well and feeling very blessed. 

ROAD TRIP!!!!  

 

My friend and fellow artist, Kecia Deveney, is going on an amazing road trip across the U.S. on her way to teach in California.  To help fund her trip she is selling some amazing jewelry pieces.  This is truly a journey of her heart so it is very fitting that all of the pieces are heart themed.  The pieces are going fast so be sure that you pop over to Kecia's blog to read more about her amazing journey and why this is such a special time for her.  (Click on the image above or her name to be whisked away).

I received the following email this morning and I must say it has made my morning.  I wanted to pass it along to you to encourage, to strengthen, to liberate....

  Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, talented, fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We are all meant to shine, as children do.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously
give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

 

a return to love - Marianne Williamson

Isn't that beautiful?  I loved it and hope you did too!

xoxoxo,

Lesley V.