Special Announcement!

I am very pleased to announce that Bee Shay will be joining the Art & Soul Staff. Bee brings countless experience and talent to our team and I couldn’t be more thrilled to have her as an integral part of Art & Soul. Bee is making her teaching debut for us in Virginia next May. She has been a Folk artist and oil painter for almost 30 years, and turned mixed media about 12 years ago. She's been teaching some form of handcraft or art since 1978, more on than off. Bee majored in art in high school for all four years and one year of college...self education has been the key from there on. Learn by "doing" has been her basic mode of self instruction. She has spent 10 years actively involved in the Stencil Artisan's League (SALI), an international non-profit organization dedicated to the teaching and furthering of traditional American Folk Art. Working on both the local level (serving on the local board at all levels and traveling instructor); and also on the national board as Educational Chairman and National Convention Chairman. In the early '90's she switched gears and began working in the paper arts world when bitten by rubber stamps and has taught in stores and small private workshops since.

As you can see, we have a lot in common! We love our pets and have a deep affinity for birds.

You may review her work on her blog: www.beeshay.typepad.com

With Marie, Jan, Bee and Vonnie --- not to mention the most dedicated volunteers in the Universe, Art & Soul ROCKS!!

I'm BAAAACCCCCK!

I’m here --- after a very long absence -- and am almost back to normal – (ohhhh – that might be scary.) During the middle of Art & Soul Portland, I managed to catch the CRUD. Working 15+ hrs a day left my resistance pretty low and coupled with residual medical issues, I was hit pretty hard with the stuff. I continued to try and work through it, but alas, was finally forced to leave the computer/office and stay in bed --- for weeks. It was awful. Many of you know that I am not a patient person --- not a patient patient at all. But today – I feel great and am ready to kick butt!! It is amazing how during a long illness you can forget what it is like to feel well!

I want to thank all of you who have sent well wishes and links to your blogs and photos of the Portland event to me; I am just beginning to review them. The work that emerges from the classes is amazing and I hope that everyone will have an opportunity to review all the wonderful blogs.

Now it is back to work on our events, a fall newsletter and getting ready to jury submissions for next year's classes!