Alsea Art Farm - Dreaming of Retreats Being Held Here!

. . . . as promised on Kelly Rae's e-course, I will post more info about my proposal to have 1 or 2 nearly free creative retreats (6-8 people) here at what I like to think of as "Alsea Art Farm".  Probably by tomorrow you can expect more information.  Here's one photo to show you what a beautiful drive it is to our property!

From Corvallis to Alsea, this is going up Mary's Peak and there are only 2 miles of curvy road (for those that get car sick)

This is the new home we've been building for the last 7 years and we're almost ready to move in.  I will have a studio upstairs and I'd love to have some play date weekends / small retreats!

This is one view of the river from the back deck.

And this is the deck. . .

We've even hosted 3 weddings so far.

This is the great room (much will be unfinished even as we move in next month)

Below are just a few small shots of the landscaping and special places I love.

      

Here's the island and a view of the front of the house as you drive up.

The second dwelling on the property is a MF home and it will be empty in about a month. . . so before we get it rented, I'd like to offer it as a place to camp out. . . . it can sleep 8.  It really would have to be like camping (but fancier) you'd have to bring sleeping bags and mats or blowup mattresses, towels and personal stuff.  There won't be any furniture - so just a place to crash.  I'll keep the TP supplied!  There's also a washer and a dryer, a dishwasher (oops no dishes - guess you'll only have the snacks you bring).  A fridge and a microwave will still be there too.  I imagine simple meals will have to be arranged.  Alsea has no restaurant at this time because it's closed and up for sale.  There is gas and a store.

This is one of our two shop kitties - but they're a little shy with strangers.

Our homes are smoke free but animal friendly.

So that's our place - a little piece of Heaven and people who come out here absolutely love it.  The other special spot I don't have photos of just yet is the creek that runs along side the lower end of the property and the patio sitting area.  You can literally sit there with a cool drink, hear stereo creek sounds from two sides as is winds through, the birds chirping like crazy and you just melt away into bliss.  It's my favorite spot to relax!

And there are endless ideas for what to play with, fiber, paints, papers, stamps, photos, you name it.  I also like the idea of renting a workshop from  www.artworkshops.tv

 , oh and here's the best tip I can give you. . . .if you sign up for their newsletter you will get to view free videos with every newsletter.  This weeks newsletter has this video free to watch.  "Beeswax Collage with Claudine Hellmuth"  And I've watched free videos of Sherrill Kahn and Ann Baldwin - both ladies that I've taken workshops with.

If you teach workshops - you need to know about this company!!!!!

OK, I need to get back to mowing and weeding!  Enjoy that link ;~)

Too Cool Not To Share!

I thought it time to share this cool resource that I stumbled upon.  It's called "Creative Catalyst Productions Inc."  I actually was looking for a past painting teacher Lynn Powers, from whom I first took a watercolor painting class at the Benton Center in 1998.  It's something I would like to do again.  So I googled her name and came across her new venture with her husband (they live in Albany) and wowza - take a look at what they are doing, right here in my own backyard!!!  http://www.ccpvideos.com/

I've known about this site for a couple of months and really thought I'd purchase a few of my favorite artists ( ANN BALDWIN / SHERRILL KAHN / LESLEY RILEY / CLAUDINE HELLMUTH ) DVD's, but not until I'm employed again and can afford even that.  But think of the tremendous opportunity this is. . . . workshops are getting increasingly more expensive and this option is affordable to say the least!!!

BUT. . . . the surprise that I had today is that you can also RENT these DVD's too, right on your own computer.  http://www.artworkshops.tv/  Check out the freebies!

The Sherrill Kahn screen-prints below are from one of the freebies that I watched today!

I think she's at the top of my favorites list!

I've taken a workshop from her in person and I've used her painting on fabric techniques more than any other.    She's also on of the nicest people you'll ever meet.

So what are you waiting for. . . .  go check out these DVD's.

Let me know if you find anything you like!

Sisters Quilt Show Years

I unearthed some photos of the Sister's Quilt Show, many, many years ago when it was still relatively on the small side before the crowds overtook and it became almost unbearable to attend.  Notice the older location of the store!  Certainly not the first location because that was practically a tiny hole in the wall.  But boy how it's grown in size and notoriety! 

One of my entries for the block contest and I happened to win the top too!

 

That's me in the HUGE bug-eye sunglasses, dressed very appropriately in my stylish quilt show t-shirt!

View of all the entries that year.  Opps, sorry no quilt top photo.  When I find it - I'll post it.  I think I still have the top.  I may have ripped off the binding fabric (I remember thinking about it) because in my opinion, well let's just say I didn't like it.  Never thought of actually finishing it either.  Those were the days when machine quilting was talked about out behind the barn and with a whisper so no one else would know you were one of those kinds of girls!

 

This was another of my block entries one year.

Yikes, it that the same t-shirt?  Must not of been able to afford a new one that year.

You can see there were many more entries than the previous year.

I think this is a photo I received of the winning top, that I didn't win.  Someone must have snitched on me that I didn't do the last one justice, that in fact I down right may have ripped it apart.  Oh my!

Oh, this little quilt was really a favorite of mine.  I've always loved little nine patch quilts.  Here it is hanging inside at the Sisters Show and I can't tell for sure, but I think that's some sort of judging sheet with a ribbon.  How nice.  I also think this was a class sample for Jessie's shop Quiltwork Patches, when I taught machine quilting there.  Boy, that was when I still lived in Springfield and drove up to Corvallis to teach.

OK - here's a workshop I took in Sisters from a woman and I can't think of her name right now.  I'll come back to this when I do.  She did fabulous quilts where she hand painted some of the fabric and made quilts around it and with it.  I absolutely loved her work.  Bought her book too!  It must be in all that stuff I still have stored.  This was what I worked on from a photo of my husband fishing in Alaska.  I recently came across this piece and have it around.  Has it progressed from this point in the photo you ask.  (I just took it out to look)  No, it's still at this point.  Is it something I think I'll finish someday. . . . well, yes.  I still have an interest in it and I know it will be a beautiful wall quilt someday.  Unless I die first.  But I think it would be perfect to hang in our new house, especially since we have that fishing theme going on!