I've been to a party, of sorts, where two inspired souls have been singing and dancing...plotting, conspiring and creating.
This last weekend, my red race car carried me a few hours north to my sweet friend, Sharon...
...who welcomed me into her roomy, light filled studio (this was a "before" shot. I wish I'd taken a "during" shot. This worktable was completely piled over with stuff!)
You can see, from her message board, that we have big plans. We've got something very special in the works and, this weekend, we were able to push past the planning stage with a big boost toward making it a reality. Did you see our silly little video? We got a bit excited to show the fun. I don't think I can hold back much longer but, before I deliver my news, let me show you a bit of our weekend...
This is the beautiful room Sharon had for me. She has not only one studio, but two, and this is her quilting haven. You may recognize it from Cloth Paper Scissors summer 2010 issue. My very favorite thing about this room, besides the amazing handmade quilts, is the Kabuki Warrior kites...
These guys were my protectors...my eaters of nightmares. They were handcrafted by Sharon...each and every one of them hand-painted and assembled. They are there to save the sleeper from bad dreams.
Aren't they fabulous? They greeted me every morning with their stern dispositions and at night with the same, and not one bad dream in sight.
In fact, the weekend was filled with tones and shades of dreams...good dreams...coming true. Some of you might know that my home is quiet and empty for the summer. My guys have gone off to various far away jobs and activities and, for the first time in a very long time, I'm left alone. Not completely alone, as I still have my beloved mischief-maker Maggie. And, of course, Wife Whisperer comes home to me at night (how blessed I am!) But, during the day, an unexpected, and somewhat unwelcome, silence descends and I'm left wondering what happened to the whirlwind that my family had created for most of my life. Into the vacuum, comes this project...just in time for me to get out of my jammies and re-focus my energies.
What Sharon and I worked on has been in the back of my mind for a long time now. I made it a goal for the year, although Sharon had no idea of that when the original inspiration bloomed between us. I'm sure you must have guessed our surprise by now. I'm finding it very difficult not to tell so, here goes....yes!...Sharon and I have been collaborating to put together an online class!
While we're not completely ready to spill open with it all, I can tell you that it's a fantastic opportunity for our students, yes, but also for Sharon and I. I'm speaking here about the collaborative aspect of two artists coming together to share with each other, and then with others who are willing to join the fun. It will be an opportunity for you to follow your creativity, listen to your whisper, shout into the silence, expand your skills.
Watch for it:
Of Towers and Turrets.
Against the backdrop of long country roads and glorious patches of cone flowers, Sharon and I exchanged something quite special...our artistic spirits. We come from similar creative backgrounds but have landed in very different places; she in painting and mixed media, I in jewelry and mixed media.
That's the beauty of it...we offer different views, experiences and skills to each other, and now to you! Those things come together in an exquisite fusion.
And share, we will! Soon, very soon, we'll be able to fill you in on all the exciting details.
Sharon sent me home with gifts...her famous Plum Yum...fresh garden veggies (good food for artsy thinking) and this:
The very last thing we did before I hopped into The Instigator to leave was walk down the slope, to the pond. Across the way, I spotted this glorious, romantic, shabby chic house. It took my breath away. I caught glimpses of stained glass in the windows and was immediately consumed with the desire to turn the doorknob and wander the rooms. "Whose is it?" I asked. To my utter surprise, this house of whispers belongs to Sharon. It's not the home she lives in but rather is her garden palace, filled with daydreams and imaginations waiting to be discovered. Sharon promised me I could see inside...next time. I can't tell you how seeing this house filled my head with fantasies of moving in, setting up shop and whiling away the days with creating jewelry and meandering through the wildflowers. Sharon, do you mind?
