New online class begins May 17th!

Announcement:  
My class in creating a perfectly balanced flying faerie is now open for registration and the lessons and forum begin on May 17th.
http://www.aforartistic.com/flying-faerie.html 
I have separated it into two Lessons.  
First creating the armature and then sculpting, and then painting and costuming.  
What's great about online classes is that you can download the lessons with all the photos and work at your own timing...jump right in, or save the lessons for another time.  
And I'm always available through email or the class forum to critique, answer questions, or just share in your process. :) 

I can't tell you how many of these faeries I had to create before I figured out how to easily get one who balanced nicely. 
The first ones tilted to the side....made a nose-dive to the front or the back or just hung in a completely wacky way .
So in this class I will share that secret and all that I learned, and we will create a lovely flying fae. 
 
Creating a grouping of 3 faes hanging over your bed, art table, or in the corner of a room where the sun comes in, makes an inspiring display.  
Mine hang over my art table and shower me with their inspiration.
Hope to see you in class!
Marilyn

My Shadow and Sleeping Beauty's castle....

We got into our cottage late last night....it's always, always hard to leave the beauty of Kawela Bay.   It was dark when we opened the door to the cottage, but hmmm....what sweet smell as we arrived home......

This morning when we opened the door to a bright beautiful warm morning .....our cecile brunner rose vine had almost covered the doorway and was in full bloom....stretching onto and over the roof top!

The smell, in the warm morning air was intoxicating!  I have to admit....I immediately forgot all about Kawela Bay!

The weeds are high and abundant too, adding to the look of abandonment and mystery. It's so quiet here.....and I realize how loud the sound of the surf, waves and trade winds are.  Nature is strong and powerful in Hawaii....this morning Nature has whispered in our ears and presented her sweet scents as her calling card.

View from inside looking out through the door....

My hedgehog's crowns are covered in cobwebs......

Evidence that the whole castle must have fallen asleep during the winter .....

My shadow has arrived home.....inhaling the enchantment around me...I just can't stop smiling. :)

A Day of Creating Faerie Thrones!

New Online class: Create a Maryhoonie!

The Legend of the Maryhoonie

On a small island in the middle of the ocean live a unique and curious clan, called The Maryhoonie . Far distant cousins of the Hawaiian legendary little people known as Menehunes, these curious creatures began adorning their feet with the most magical of foot ware known to every little girl as the "MaryJane shoe".....and thus they were forever called Maryhoonies!

They kept tapping me on my shoulder saying " I want to see the world!" Yikes! They are demanding! 

Help me answer their call to bring their cousins, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles into form.  This is a very fun sculpt and very addictive!  Very soon you will have a large clan of your own!

In this class, aided by many photos and word instructions, you will, step by step, sculpt a Maryhoonie from polyform clay, paint it, and add the final embellishments. You can follow the lesson plan exactly, or make up your own shell creature, using the lessons and photos as a guide. You will find this a very fun class with over 100 photos of step-by-step instructions!

Lesson Plan

Lesson 1 Part 1: Sculpting the body      

                Part 2: Sculpting the head, hands and feet

Lesson 2  Part 1: Sculpting "Mary Jane Shoes"

                 Part 2: How to embellish, paint and finish your Maryhoonie

Offered through A for Artistic:  http://www.aforartistic.com/maryhoonie.html

A new online class offered through A for Artistic:  http://www.aforartistic.com/maryhoonie.html

The Enchanted Tree online class!

Have you ever thought about creating a Magical Enchanted Tree?   I came up with this design years ago when I was trying to figure out how to create a "within" space.  I realized that working with gourds would allow me to do this and so my "Enchanted Tree" pieces were born.

Create your own "Enchanted Tree" ( the above image is of the tree shown in the lessons, but you are, of course, free to choose your own colors and style if you wish ) with instant download lessons, including a forum where you can ask questions and share your photos. 
You are welcome to work at your own speed and participate fully with others taking the class, or create quietly, following the instructions and photos and your muse.   I will be available to you to answer any questions or give suggestions and mentor your progress.  I love creating secret spaces, and The Enchanted Tree piece offers such a space.   
Using several different size gourds you will learn how to work with gourds, cut them, and adapt them to your design to create a magical tree with a tiny hinged door, flashing mirror mosaic shards, and branches of beads.  We will be using apoxie sculpt, mosaic glass pieces, beads, and other embellishments.  This class covers the creating of the entire tree, however, please note that it doesn't include the creating of the faerie within. 
This class is set up in 4 lessons with the result being a fascinating  piece of artwork of which you will be proud to share.   This is a class to create art.

 

Here are just some of the things that students have said about my online classes:

"I cannot begin to express the depth of my gratitude and how much I have learned from you . Taking these classes has really stretched my artistic boundaries and now I hope to have an unlimited horizon."

"Marilyn, this has been a wonderful journey.... far more than anything I could have ever imagined when I signed up for this class."

"When I started to take this class, and found new energy bursting from me into the lessons ....something amazing began to happen to me. For what has come out of my fingers and from my imagination within the boundaries of the lessons, has been transformative for me. I don't know if "this type of art" will continue on beyond this class, but I believe it will in some form, because now that I know this feeling... my whole being yearns to live in this way..."

"You have opened up a whole new world for me in the art of the gourd and mosaic tiles that I probably would not have tried if not for your class....your techniques are so awesome and there is so much to learn from you.  Your artwork is so original and different, I don't think anyone can top you.  Thank you for sharing your knowledge"

Offered at That Creative Place.  http://thatcreativeplace.com/index.html