Tim McCreight and Barbara Becker Simon "Masterminding"

 

Patrik Kusek Getting Buggy

Yippie-yi-ya..yippie-yi-yooo....

Wait, let me dust off my chaps so I can finish this ezine. You see, I've been visiting the wild west for the last week and I thought there was no better place to send this note from than the amazing New Mexican beauty of Santa Fe.

Although I believe Tucson is technically considered the wild west... it's pretty cosmopolitan compared to New Mexico.

... just kidding... no horses to tie up and no dusty bottoms ;-)

I had the great joy and pleasure of attending the biennial Rio Grande Senior Instructor Retreat. I was joined by 6 of my fellow artists and amazing teachers, as we masterminded the future of the program, the new projects (yes... it's exciting stuff) and best of all, we delved deep into material techniques. Plus we had the finest of Rio's crew join us each day!

I loved being able to Connect + Collaborate + Create with artists when we can just play! No class to attend, no pressure, just true collaboration with materials! Such a blessing, and I just realized that I've had the good fortune to be part of this group for 8 years!

Barbara (Becker Simon) and I spent the 3 days working on PMC Sterling Rings. I tried to get her to sell it to me but she wouldn't budge. I did have the good fortune of picking up one of her brand new cast bronze bangles! Ohhh laaa laaa, it is awesome. I'll post those photos soon on the blog!

There was much, maybe too much, giggling and bliss going on in the room. As you can tell by the fantastic closeup of my partner in "hilarity" Patrik Kusek, there was much fun to be had! I even learned what a "doik" is, which you'll have to ask Terry Kovalkic about.

Rio fed us fantastic New Mexican cuisine and showed us the sites in Santa Fe. We even had a reception just for us at the Patina Gallery where they rolled out the red carpet for us! Thanks Ivan and Allison!

I'm so blessed! There's just no other way to say it. I even howled at the "super" moon from Santa Fe this weekend. Spectacular goodness ;-)

Wishing you a magnificent May! Make something masterful and rewarding to share with the world. Then be sure to share it with me on our Facebook page.

Muah for now...

Creative Blessings,

 

• We are extending our No Handling Special!
  A $2.00 savings with every order!
  
• We no longer charge a small order fee!
  
• We try to make sure we have the largest selection of metal clay tools and mixed media supplies at the best prices!
• Did you know that we are celebrating 10 fantastic years of serving the artist community?
• We are always adding new clearance bargains!

 

Whole Lotta Whimsy is celebrating Mother's Day, and we want to share some gifts with all of you!

We're offering a special if you place an order at www.WholeLottaWhimsy.com between 2:30pm PT Tuesday May 8th, 2012 and 11:59pm (PT) Friday, May 11th, 2012!

Make sure that if you are ordering this as a gift, that you leave enough time for shipping! Also, include in the comments: "Please do not include receipt with shipment!" if you don't want someone seeing the receipt when they open the package!

Feel free to forward this email onto your loved ones with your Mother's Day wish list.

• Place any order for $50.00 or more and receive:
  1. 1 Sunshine Polishing Cloth (1)
  a value of $4.00 at no charge!


• Place any order for $75.00 or more and receive:
  1. 1 Sunshine Polishing Cloth (1)
  2. 1 Pair of Sterling Fancy Ear Wires (20g. 15x12mm)
  a total value of $5.55 at no charge!


• Place any order for $100.00 or more and receive:
  
  1. $2.00 in Whimsy Bucks off the total of your order
  2. 1 Sunshine Polishing Cloth (1)
  3. 1 Pair of Sterling Fancy Ear Wires (20g. 15x12mm)
  a total value of $7.55 at no charge!

To claim your F.R.E.E. gifts, simply include "MOTHERSDAY" in the comments section of your order!

Terms and Conditions:

• Kilns, gold products, shipping costs, tax and handling are not included.
• Only good toward orders placed between 2:30pm PT Tuesday May 8th, 2012 and 11:59pm PT Friday, May 11th, 2012
• Offer is not retroactive to orders placed before the above date mentioned. Orders placed before 2:30pm PT Tuesday May 8th, 2012 cannot be cancelled or changed.
• You must use the promo code MOTHERSDAY in the comments section of the order form to receive these items.
• Cannot be combined with any other offer and or with any other WhimsyBucks
• This code holds no actual cash value and cannot be used to pay for any part of an invoice.
• Code may only be used once per customer, and applicable to one order regardless of amount.

 

Marnie Ehlers

My students and I love Whole Lotta Whimsy!

Tonya and her team are fast, friendly, and knowledgeable. I know when I place an order with WLW the prices are fair and it's packaged quickly, insuring my supplies are available for classes when I need them....

And speaking of supplies, they have everything metal clay artists need, want and even a few things that haven't been invented yet... (ok, that last part might be a bit of an exaggeration but not by much!)

- Marnie Ehlers
Good Muse Designs

 

Catherine Witherell's "In Florence They Dance On Mosaic Floors"

Date started working in metal clay:

It was spring of 2005.

I took a two day class in the Spring of 2000 and immediately went home and bought a kiln because I was completely obsessed!

Certified: (what clay, year and with whom)

PMC, Rio Grande Certification in September 2006 with CeCe Wire.

Accomplished at what media in addition to metal clay:

Well, to be honest, I feel like I'm a constant student in many media. But if you asked me what would I feel confident about working in if I had to come up with something, I'd say ceramics, mixed media and collage, acrylic painting, drawing, photography, digital art, bookmaking and printmaking, sewing, and metal fabrication. I love them all and spend time doing each one. When I hit a wall in one, I move onto another and come back to the first when I've thought of a solution. Some of my best ideas come when I'm pretending to listen to boring stuff. People think I'm a calm person and maybe I am but really, I'm just thinking about making something.

I began as a ceramic artist, a potter to be more exact and was always taking classes and experimenting in the "Pottery Barn" in the old historic neighborhood of Salem, Oregon. My husband and I moved around some right after we were first married and before we had kids. We started out in San Francisco, moved to Eugene, Oregon and then Salem, Oregon.

Minneapolis came after that and there I saw a real Tiffany lamp in the shop window that was selling for about $2000 and I didn't have that, so I decided I wanted to make one.

 

Teacher, mentor, artist and founder of The Artful Success Program, Tonya Davidson helps artists take their techniques and business skills to the next level. As the CEO and founder of Whole Lotta Whimsy she has passionately empowered artists to live creatively from the inside out. Her ezine goes out to over 11,000 subscribers. Create the life you love by subscribing to her eZine at http://www.wholelottawhimsy.com/wo/content/newsletter. Be sure to check out her blog at www.tonyadavidson.com for complimentary tutorials and articles.