Well - here are the offerings for October - it is a long month!! - But we are having just 4 Thursdays and let's just use that last one to get ready for Halloween/Birthday/Anniversary....What was I thinking??

The 2nd of October we will be doing a tree in the style of Gustav Klimt and learn a little bit about him - a winding twirly tree with bands of color and gold leaf!  Looks better in person so come by and see it - I need to learn to photograph the art a little better - always trying to do it the fast way - not the best way!

Then on the 9th of October we will be recreating Kandinsky's work with the fun play on color and circles - I have done this in other color palettes too - but I like the original the best of all.

The 16th of October will bring us another version of the wine bottle painting - this time I have collaged a label that I downloaded from a website - Those real labels are just too pesky to get off!!! - and the background on this one is a little different technique - with dribbles and texture, then staining the bottle on - and finally some ink and paint finishing work - This also looks way better in person!

Finally on the 23rd of the month we will be doing the Collaborative Intuitive Abstract that has been such fun - You can do it many times as the same picture never is created twice!

So call and sign up soon - these may fill up fast - It is only 30 dollars for an evening of fun that includes all supplies and we must insist that payment be received upon registration to guarantee your spot. Call today - 870-774-5352 - or email to stanhope1302@msn.com

see ya - merilynn

for those of you not familiar with the drill - here is what it is all about!

ART AND LIBATIONS

Bring your favorite bottle of beverage, and create a piece of art with Merilynn as she shows you step-by-step how to create a beautiful masterpiece that you will take home at the end of the evening. There are no commitments, so join us once a month or as many times as you would like, you will have a great time! Great idea for groups!!

Each class is 2 hours long and costs $30 per person and includes all supplies! We are starting this program with sessions Thursday evenings. Some weeks we may be creating paintings and sometimes collage or some 3d creation! We will post the project in advance so you can decide if it is your cup of tea!

It's all about relaxing and having fun!

Speaking of cup of tea - bring the beverage of your choice. Whatever it takes to get your juices flowing! We have openers, and cups available.

Wear something comfortable and old - something you might not care if you get paint on. We have a few old shirts available.

Class size is limited to 18 so you need to make your reservation early. Since classes are so limited and we want to be fair, we do request payment at the time you make your reservation. The payment will be refunded if notified at least 24 hours prior to the class. We may be able to fill the space from the waiting list!

    and here are the pieces a little closer!

so call early for you spot - and hope to see you soon!!

me

And here is a closer look at the projects:

and now the collaborative intuitive

and finally our little asian jewel

and finally the heart project for our PG night!

So if you like what you see - just give us a call at 870-774-5352

maybe I will get back to serious blogging soon -

see ya - mj

I haven't been waiting for them - but they are coming to the rescue!!

and I got the paintings ready for the calendar for July - so here it is..

and now a closer look at the pieces

the first one is in honor of Independence Day and is a mini version of a piece by Jasper Johns

we will take a good look at his piece and you will see that we have a base to the entire paintng of torn pieces of newspaper - which I will appropriately age in the backseat of my car before we put it all together. - And don't worry about the stars - there is a short cut for those too!!

The next week we will be painting a wonderful cat in the style of Laurel Burch - this is back by popular demand!!

Week 3 we can go a little asian with this simple painting of cherry blossoms -

And finally come join us while we paint a fun martini - with a little collage thown in to make it fun!!

These images are a little hard to see but feel free to come by the store and visit them in person - We would love it!!

If you don't remember the drill about exactly what Art & Libations is - well here it is:

ART AND LIBATIONS

Bring your favorite bottle of beverage, and create a piece of art with Merilynn as she shows you step-by-step how to create a beautiful masterpiece that you will take home at the end of the evening. There are no commitments, so join us once a month or as many times as you would like, you will have a great time! Great idea for groups!!

Each class is 2 hours long and costs $30 per person and includes all supplies! We are starting this program with sessions Thursday evenings. Some weeks we may be creating paintings and sometimes collage or some 3d creation! We will post the project in advance so you can decide if it is your cup of tea!

It's all about relaxing and having fun!

Speaking of cup of tea - bring the beverage of your choice. Whatever it takes to get your juices flowing! We have openers, and cups available.

Wear something comfortable and old - something you might not care if you get paint on. We have a few old shirts available.

Class size is limited to 18 so you need to make your reservation early. Since classes are so limited and we want to be fair, we do request payment at the time you make your reservation. The payment will be refunded if notified at least 24 hours prior to the class. We may be able to fill the space from the waiting list!

Hope to see you soon!

merilynn

So in the meantime - here are some photos of my dad's wonderful garden!

Some of us have gifts that the rest of us don't!!

Maybe someday????

thanks - merilynn

Here are a few of the people with their creations - all so different but great!!

and here are some more!!!!

I think we may have to do this again! - I will try to get the July calendar up by the end of the weekend - Time flies when you are having fun!!!

And for those of you who even have looked - I do realize that some entries got published twice - apparently Josh and I restored the same things in 2 different cities! In a couple of weeks part of it will drop off and everyone can go back to being mildly impressed that I know how to do this - (which I don't ...everyday is a learning experience!  :)

Thanks - Merilynn

Come by and view what is 'happening' - and maybe pick up an original for your collection - I think it is really great that we have so many different medium this time - oil paintings, a little pastel, clay, wood carving and mixed media!

and here is the late arrivals!

see you soon

merilynn

Anyway

here are the selections for June - and of course, the class tonight is totally booked - isn't that great??? - but there are a few spaces left in the rest of the month!

So, as always, here is the calendar - then a closer look at the pieces themselves!

And tonight's is a look at Kandinsky - one of the originators of abstract art..

Then the next week - we will paint the ever popular beverage - wine - it is my intention that we paint the impression of a label but I have some who have been saving labels for this purpose - I think I can go with the flow on this -

The third week we will create this group of pears - I really like the way this turned out - hope you do too!

then finally, at the end of the month - we can get together and paint this really wild flower!

Something to brighten things up a little!

Hope you can join us to have a little fun!!

see you

Merilynn

We painted a canvas with a martini and everyone made it their own.  There were different flavor martinis with all having very different garnishes.  Some even created very stylish stirrers for theirs.  One couple brought all the mixings for different martinis - pomegranate was very popular.

Sometimes you are just having such a good time, that you forget to record the moments.  And I would have like to share them with you.  I must admit that I am really bad at recording the moments. Who knows why? - I have a wonderful little digital camera but i just never think to pull it out at those moments.  I am way to busy enjoying it to record it!

So most of my memories are in my mind and I can haul them out anytime I want.  I can choose to remember them my way - and of course, I will always be wrinkle free and slim!!

I need to get the projects together for June ( doesn't the time fly by )  So much is going on all over town, I have to force myself not to have too good a time.  The Texarkana College Choir has its Spring Sing tonight so we will be going to that - our son is in the choir.  Tomorrow night is the St. James Gala. Sunday night is the pre-party for the Divots for Disablities Golf Tournament.

I am not sure I am up for all the fun!

Hope you guys are!

mj

We have several new artists and craftsmen's work in the store now - and I thought I would show you a few of the items to you.

From Fire and Light by artist John McClurg - we have some wonderful glass bowls

I just love art glass - here are a couple of vases that we have from Melting Sands Glass by artist Judd Scott. The really bright colors of these is so invigorating - they will really add a spark to your room.

One of my other loves is pottery and first we have these new graphic painted pieces by Marianela Borston of Nela Ceramics.

And finally these are some really fun mugs by Jeanette Zeis Ceramics.

So - we have these items and additional pieces by these artists and many more .

Come by and browse this really great collection

Stanhope's Art, Framing & Stationery

1302 State Line Avenue

Texaarkana, Arkansas  71854

Mon - Fri from 9 - 5

see you soon

merilynn

I went to New Orleans with fellow painter Carla Myane - who is a wonderful watercolorist from Lockesburg, Arkansas.  We went to a workshop with Linda Kemp who works in a method of painting in the negative.  This really requires some thinking - You paint around the item to create the image - looks really cool and somewhat abstract - It is really more my style - it is more than just a pretty picture... more about design elements.

Here are a couple of photos of Linda demonstrating.  The first photo is of the underpainting with just a little of the layering of the negative spaces.  

 This next photo is a little further along in the process - more negative spaces identified - and more if the image is built.

Someday I promise I will get this photo insertion down a little better so they are the same size!!!!

Anyway - If you are interested in this technique - Linda's Book is Watercolor Painting Outside the Lines published by Northlight Books.

more about New Orleans - later

mj

 I also painted a few (20) tablecloths for the Women for the Arts Fundraiser "Party with Picassos".

Brent Stewart was doing the decor for the party and after he told me the 'grand plan', I offered to paint the cloths for him.  They were really easy.  The only hard part was figuring out where to lay 20 squares of canvas that were 54" each while they dried.  I think Brent said that they were planning on using them every year. I wish I had a photo of them at the event but all I have are some snapshots that I emailed to Brent so that he could see how they were going.

well - this was a little of what I have been doing the month of March as well as helping the 2 'celebrities finish their pieces for the event. - Though that took very little time - just one more thing to do!

well - later

merilynn

Tomorrow I leave for New Orleans and I am going to the Linda Kemp workshop.

   Here it is, the calendar for May - Be sure to call asap and sign up for a class that you want - they fill up fast - I have a list of people already that didn't get in the March Collaborative Intuitive Group so I will need to follow up with them first before we know how many spaces are left. - It was a great project - everyone created their very own truly unique masterpiece -

and so you may see them better here are the individual pictures:
May 1st

A quick floral landscape - maybe a pretty for your mom! - or just to chill out and have a little fun!

May 8th - is the Collaborative Intuitive

This is just a representative sample of what you might create!

May 15th

This piece is a simple cross where you will learn to create a glow and do some fine detail swirls!

Finally on May 29th

we will do a little something different - a reverse glass painting on a plate that will then be gold leafed!

So here they are for now :)

Later - merilynn

email to stanhope1302@msn.com
Phone: 870-774-5352

ART AND LIBATIONS

Bring your favorite bottle of beverage, and create a piece of art with Merilynn as she shows you step-by-step how to create a beautiful masterpiece that you will take home at the end of the evening. There are no commitments, so join us once a month or as many times as you would like, you will have a great time! Great idea for groups!!

Each class is 2 hours long and costs $30 per person and includes all supplies! We are starting this program with sessions on Thursday evenings. Some months we may be creating paintings and sometimes collage or some 3d creation! We` will post the project in advance so you can decide if it is your cup of tea!

It’s all about relaxing and having fun!

Speaking of cup of tea - bring the beverage of your choice. Whatever it takes to get your juices flowing! We have openers, and cups available.

Wear something comfortable and old - something you might not care if you get paint on. We have a few old shirts available.

Class size is limited to 18 so you need to make your reservation early. Since classes are so limited and we want to be fair, we do request payment at the time you make your reservation. The payment will be refunded if notified at least 24 hours prior to the class. We may be able to fill the space from the waiting list!  We must begin to get very strict with this policy.  We had a long waiting list for the last class and could have called in people had we known that the ones who had said they were coming would not be able to make it.  We understand emegencies and a phone call is all we need. - Thanks

Here is the April calendar -

Now a closer look and a little explanation:

The first project is called Intuitive Collaborative - and will be done on paper - It is an exercise to show you just how imaginative you can be - a little collage and painting - all under my direction! It is a lot of fun!  Everyone's will be different - This is just a sample of what yours might look like:

The next project is a landscape with a few small trees - with a nice soft shaded sky:

And finally we will paint a fun martini ( a Cosmo, I think ) with a mod graphic background:

So just give us a call (870) 774-5352 or email us

Art&Libation@msn.com or Stanhope1302@msn.com

ASAP

See ya - mj

I have been busy gal - sometimes not accomplishing much and other times I get to check something off the 'to do' list!

I have finished working with one of the Picasso Celebrities. Party with Picassos is an event held by the Women for the Arts in support of TRAHC - better know as the Texarkana Regional Arts and Humanities Council.  Each year a 'celebrity' is paired with an artist to create a piece to be auctioned off.  Louise Tausch, an attorney, was one of my celebrities.  She professed to be totally untalented but she has created a piece which to quote her "ROCKS!" - Sometimes having never tried something is seen as lack of talent.  You never know what you can accomplish until you take a leap and try!! She did great!!

My other celebrity hasn't finished yet - but I am sure it will be done in time.  It is hard to get busy people together - scheduling!!!

I am working on the pieces and the scheduling for the April Art & Libation events.  This month was full every time and the first couple in March are already full.  We have space on the 17th and on the 27th so check your calendar and give us a call.

For April I have a landscape lined up and am working on a martini themed painting.  But the one i am most excited to do is an exercise call Collaborative Intuitive.  You will create an abstract on watercolor paper similar to the one shown.below.

It's an exercise that helps you realize that some part of your art is instinctive.  You wil have a great time!

well - back to work!

mj

PS - I emailed Paragon and a distributor to get input on whether I was on the right track about the kiln I wanted two days ago - no response from either ARGH!