Crafting Treasures from the Bounty of the Atlantic



Nubble Light

Wow, 2010 is long gone and it is hard to believe how quickly the last half of it went.  I had an awesome time last summer enjoying the incredibly good weather we experienced here in Maine.  It was a summer to remember.  I managed to get several wonderful beach days in, in the company of my ever patient husband, and reconnected with and  rediscovered the beauty of my home state. 



Pounding Surf

I find spending time at the water's edge very rejuvenating, both physically and spiritually,  and cherished every leisurely moment walking the sand and listening to the soothing sounds of the sea. 



Feeling a sense of peace and calm that can only be found when the everyday stresses are replaced by the serenity of the sea, I spent hours gathering a treasure trove of gems from the sands of the beach and my imagination ran wild with ideas for how to use these natural beauties.  The bits of tumbled shell brought to mind broken china; the tumbled stones, gems. 



Bounty of the Atlantic





It was very hard to leave the water behind each and every time, but the excitement of working with my newly found treasures helped.  I am looking forward to another summer of wonderful weather (especially after this constant bombardment of cold and snow) and can't wait to get out there again. For now, I will spend some time turning my bounty from the Atlantic into pieces of art.  I hope to share them with you one day soon.

For now, I wish all of you a belated Happy New Year and wish for you many opportunities of serenity like those I have been fortunate to experience at the water's edge.







Maine







Much to Learn, Much to Do...

Creative people everywhere share at least one basic thing in common - we love to share our art. No matter what the medium of choice, the joy we feel when creating is an infectious kind of happiness that we can't wait to pass on. Whether we are displaying our creations, selling our wares, teaching or attending workshops there are many ways of sharing this feeling and I for one am certainly glad we do! Nowhere can this sense of sharing be found more prominently than a delightfully magical place in Manchester, Maine called Sweetland Retreat.

Sweetland Retreat is a charming little antique farm turned artist retreat in the heart of rural Maine. It is the brainchild of twin sisters Joy and Jamie, and Jamie’s husband Brian. This little group of artistically talented, wonderfully welcoming, downright down-to-earth individuals has taken a wonderful piece of Maine history and are single handedly (or I guess you would say triple handedly) turning the well loved, well worn former single family home into a place where artists from all walks of life can come together in the spirit of sharing their craft. The hope is that one day down the road, when all the painstaking renovation is complete, this beautiful house will become a full fledged artist’s retreat/B&B. With its incredible antique rock wall, beautiful flowering shrubs (many decades old) and flowers and its well tended vegetable garden, it is a glorious and relaxing location where one cannot help but want to overstay their welcome.

The main barn of the old property has been carefully and lovingly turned into an open and airy artist studio flooded with many sources of natural light. This space is used to host workshops taught by local artists and teachers (Joy and Jamie included) who share a wide variety of fine arts, crafts and more. From polymer clay flower making to precious metal clay jewelry making, body scrub classes to classes on encaustic painting, beginning sewing workshops to gelatin printmaking, digital photography to etsy shop setup, knitting to Ukranian egg dyeing, the list goes on and on with more classes of various types being added all the time (I believe there was even a violin class).

  

I have attended a couple of the offerings at Sweetland Retreat and highly recommend them to anyone interested in a fun, creative, one of a kind experience. Some classes are held during the week but most are held on the weekends making it very convenient. Many classes have the supplies included in the price of the workshop; all you have to do is show up and have a great time! And, Joy, Jamie and Brian are infectiously warm and friendly.

Check out their website for a schedule of upcoming workshops and treat yourself to a wonderful experience. You will be glad you did!