Mary C. Nasser
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StencilGirl & Friends: An Art Journal Affair

10/5/2017

14 Comments

 
Even with over a week to process my experience at StencilGirl & Friends: An Art Journal Affair, words seem inadequate to describe my time there. But I’m going to do my best! I arrived in Paducah, Kentucky, at noon on Friday and met up with Mary Beth Shaw at Ephemera Paducah. I also got to meet Pam Carriker and Traci Bautista there and say hello to Seth Apter again (I’ve been fortunate enough to have met him at previous workshops). I did some shopping at Ephemera Paducah (Kristin’s shop rocks!), checked into my room, and helped Mary Beth, John, Frank, and Carol set up in the Art Journal Play Room. The Opening Reception for the weekend was from 5:00-7:00 p.m. in the Art Journal Play Room – a HUGE meeting room on the first floor of the hotel where attendees were staying. The floor was covered in plastic, ready and waiting for us! And room service delivered food here, too! During the reception, I had a blast meeting and talking with others and helping attendees gesso and paint aprons made exclusively for the retreat. It was such fun to be teamed up with Carolyn Dube at two tables to embellish these aprons.
StencilGirl & Friends: An Art Journal Affair
My Pop-Up Demo; photo by Carol Baxter
At 7:30 p.m., I was honored to give the first of five pop-up demos in the Art Journal Play Room! I shared 10 of my favorite art journaling techniques. Glenda Miles had her pop-up demo an hour later, and the Art Journal Play Room was open until midnight!
StencilGirl & Friends: An Art Journal Affair
Traci Bautista and Seth Apter
Saturday morning, it was back to Ephemera Paducah for workshops with both Traci Bautista and Seth Apter! Yes, you heard me right! Everyone was given brand new mixed media art journals, and there was an abundance of supplies from pens to paint, gesso to sprays, mark-making tools, collage ephemera, and of course StencilGirl stencils! We even got to use Traci’s soon-to-be-released series of Soulful Scribbles stencils! And each participant was also given their own 6” x 6” stencil designed by Traci Bautista exclusively for the retreat and a 6” x 6” stencil designed by Seth Apter exclusively for the retreat, too. I could have arrived for the weekend with literally just a paintbrush, and I would have been set! The sun was shining, lunch was delivered, and we had a ton of fun experimenting with mark-making techniques and creating “rust” and textures with layers of acrylic paint!
StencilGirl & Friends: An Art Journal Affair
photo by Seth Apter
Afterwards, I went back to the Art Journal Play Room to create more! Room Service delivered my dinner. And let me tell you about the trades people created! There were loads of ephemera and supplies – super-generous! I was especially touched when Cathy Costelle and her sister Janis Graham, Dee Spillane, Carol Baxter, and Sherry Canino gifted me with map rubber stamps, map napkins and map scrapbook papers, and travel embellishments to incorporate into my art journaling! I am still unpacking the goodies given to me, and that is a good problem to have! That evening, pop-up demos were given hourly by Team StencilGirl members Sherry Canino, Debi Adams, and Kiala Givehand. Again, the Art Journal Room remained open until midnight!
StencilGirl & Friends: An Art Journal Affair
Pam Carriker's art journaling demo
The next morning (Sunday), I was off to Paducah School of Art & Design for Pam Carriker’s workshop. It was magical to watch Pam Carriker demo in her art journal. Her pages appeared illuminated with her translucent layers and the portraits emerged into the composition. Pam and Mary Beth, too, each designed an exclusive 6” x 6” stencil for members of the retreat. And oh, Pam’s products! Pam Carriker’s liquid graphite and paints were a joy to work with, and I look forward to continuing to work with these! Lunch was delivered again, and it was delightful to visit with Mary Beth and Pam during lunch!
StencilGirl & Friends: An Art Journal Affair
Mary Beth Shaw demoing art journaling techniques
Last, but not least, was Mary Beth Shaw’s art journaling workshop! We created our own collage papers with fluorescent paints and Gel Press plates! Oh the layers! Mary Beth shared lots of techniques for creating compositions, focal points, and unifying pages.
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What amazed me most is the community that Mary Beth Shaw has created: a community of creative, inspiring, generous and kind individuals – whose paths may never have crossed had it not been for Mary Beth. My heart is filled with gratitude to be a part of this community, the StencilGirl family, and this amazing inaugural event!
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14 Comments
Debi Adams link
10/5/2017 10:27:37 am

I love all the time you put into this and all the details you wrote about! So much good stuff packed in there. Now I won't have to think so hard because you have "painted" a complete picture! ❤️

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Mary link
10/5/2017 10:41:27 am

Thank you, Debi! It was delightful spending this creative weekend with you! ❤️

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Sandee Setliff
10/5/2017 10:50:24 am

How did I miss this? Hopefully will make it to the next one!

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Mary link
10/5/2017 02:28:27 pm

Hope you can make it to the next one, too, Sandee!

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Janis Graham
10/5/2017 11:05:28 am

It was so wonderful to meet you, Mary - loved your demo of fab favorite techniques! Would you mind listing the names of them to help refresh my memory.

I may not be able to bring to mind all I learned there from you & others, but I must say that there is still a smile on my face and peace in my heart from being at SG&F. 💓🤗

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Mary link
10/5/2017 02:29:53 pm

Thank you, Janis! Was wonderful to meet you, too!
I just sent Cathy the Top 10 hand-out for you. :)

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Anne Marie Fowler
10/5/2017 11:11:24 am

Love this write-up, Mary! I have been in energized creative mode since the workshop weekend! Thank you for your wonderful demo and for the discussions we had. :-)

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Mary link
10/5/2017 02:30:40 pm

Thank you, Anne Marie! Great meeting you and getting creative with you!

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Dee link
10/5/2017 01:44:21 pm

Great post! Glad you mentioned the journals and stencils. And Pam's paints are amazing

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Mary link
10/5/2017 02:31:23 pm

So great meeting you, Dee! Yes, I am in love with Pam's paints!! :)

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Seth link
10/5/2017 02:53:16 pm

Great review and really wonderful pictures. So glad our paths crossed again in real life -- especially at such an amazing event.

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Mary link
10/5/2017 02:57:41 pm

Thank YOU for your amazing workshop, Seth! Happy our paths crossed again, too! See you next month at Mary Beth's studio! :)

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Jill
10/5/2017 04:36:56 pm

Mary, It was so nice to finally get to meet you in person! I have enjoyed your work via the internet and from afar for quite some time so it was such a wonderful pleasure to finally get to meet you. And it is even more fun now knowing that you are such a dog fan! Great summary of the event. I truly enjoyed all of it and I miss the creative collaboration that everyone brought to all of the activities and classes.

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Mary link
10/5/2017 05:17:35 pm

Jill, so nice to finally meet you, too! Yes, I am definitely a dog fan! Hope our paths cross again!

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    About Me
    I love creating mixed-media art layered with maps, stencils, and hues of blue! This blog is a place for me to share my work and what inspires me. Read more here.
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