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ArtBLISS!

This post appeared Tuesday on AJE Blog.

Cindy Wimmer (author of the new book, The Missing Link) and Jeanette Blix (owner of Fundametals) are the co-creators of ArtBLISS, a weekend retreat in Sterling, VA.  ArtBLISS was created four years ago to provide three days of fun, jewelry-related classes to all of us arty-types!  I had the pleasure of attending the first, second, and fourth (this) years.


Art Jewelry Elements was represented at ArtBLISS this year by Melissa Meman!!!! Karen Totten, Jenny Davies-Reazor, Diana Ptaszynski and me!

 Diana




Jenny

 Me


I took two classes this year: Thin Gauge Sheet Metal Workshop by Stacie Florer; and Worlds of Color Polymer Clay by Christine Damm. Stacie is a delight as a teacher, and Christine is so enthusiastic about polymer it's catching!  I had a lot of fun - I have not really worked in metal before like this, and don't do much with polymer either.  I wanted to expand my horizons!

Here is a photo of a pendant I made in Stacie's class - I LOVE it!  I learned to cut, form and rivet thin gauge sheet metal!


And these are earring pendants I made, but they are not patinaed or tumbled yet.  I am still deciding if I want to add rivets to the bottom to dangle some beads (I'm thinking yes) so I have to wait to get my little riveting gadget in the mail!  And rivets...  Did I mention ArtBLISS makes you buy MORE things than you already have?


There are finished beads I made in Christine's class - again, I LOVE them!  I had so much fun with polymer clay.


And here are beads that are in the process of being completed.  I need to order some oil crayons to use on them (there's that BUY more stuff again!!!!).


On Saturday night we had a vendor night, and got to sell (and trade) some of our beads to the attendees of the workshop.

I highly recommend you check out ArtBLISS next year - it will be their 5 year anniversary and I hear they want to plan some really special things! 


Comments

Cindy said…
Sue, thank you for the recap of our wonderful artBLISS weekend! I'm so glad you were able to make it back again this year - wouldn't be the same without you! Your pendants and components from both Stacie and Christine's workshops turned out beautifully. I admire how you are always open to expanding your horizons - from glass and enamel to now metal and polymer! :-)

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