my art escape~ part one...grab a cup of tea...this is a long one and you've been warned

{blondie...the valley ridge greeter}

I've been going to valley ridge art studio for the past three years and sometimes there just

aren't enough words to describe the people or places that fill your heart. when I first started

taking classes there, I was really into mixed media art and now...not so much...but they still let me come and play.

they, being kathy and bill, who have become a big part of my wisconsin life, even though

I'm no longer making art the way I used to.

they have a way of bringing students and instructors together in an environment that nourishes your soul and fills your heart with a creative spark

that you most likely didn't even know you had.

~~

last year I took a class with misty mawn and was blown away by her talent and warm heart, her generosity and patience and her laughter and honesty.

then we were both at squam, in new hampshire last september for an art retreat,

where I didn't take her class, but where I became her friend.

so of course this year, even though I haven't had a paint brush in my hand for months, I took her class and once again was blown away

by her gentleness as she guided all of us into a territory

that I like to refer to as

"scary as hell"

faces

are so incredibly hard to paint and misty makes it looks so easy.

she gives hours and hours of help and praise and ideas and suggestions and demonstrations

and

many students get it and even perfect it.

I don't.

I didn't get it last year and I still didn't quite get it this year.

don't get me wrong...sure I can paint a face and even draw one, but not one that I love or want to hang on my wall or share with the world.

and

if you were to get robbed

you would not want me to be your sketch artist

because they would most likely NEVER find him unless his name was tattoed on his face

but

I have pretty much figured out how to paint backgrounds and add texture and control my color a bit better and make interesting landscape lines and transfer images and love my stabilo pencil

and

that's enough for me right now.

this is lorraine and right before heading to valley ridge she commented on my blog and I told her I was leaving in a few days to take a class with misty mawn at valley ridge and she wrote back and told me she was too...okay, now this is where the 6 degrees of separation and kevin bacon come into play....I mean really,what are the chances ? she lives in utah and they {lorraine and her friend heidi} flew all the way here just to be in misty's class. now that's impressive since I only had to drive an hour and fifteen minutes. I know, lucky me, right ?

~I also commented and told her she has great hair and wow does she ever~

okay

now let's move on to heather. sweet heather, who was a stranger a year ago and then we were roommates at squam and just like that, a new friendship was made. she sent an email to me awhile back and asked if she could come and stay with me and take misty's class and I was all like "are you kidding me...yes yes yes"

she had also taken a class with misty earlier this year while at artfest and sometimes there are instructors that you just can't get enough of and she wanted more, too. so in she flew from new mexico and off we went to valley ridge to play and learn and laugh until tears poured out of us.

{there's more to heather, but that's in part two}

since our cottage is only 30 minutes from valley ridge

I always stay there while I'm taking my classes.

this time I got to fill the guest bedroom with heather and misty.

first

we headed out to dinner

after the wine and cheese reception that kathy and bill always have after the first day of classes

to my newest favorite little place to eat in mineral point

cafe 4

~

we sat outside in the cool and damp fall air

surrounded by twinkle lights and candle light

eating yummy fire baked pizzas

and

then headed back to the warmth of the cottage

where I prayed we had hot water

{a family friend and praying can actually make a temperamental hot water heater work}

we didn't get a whole lot of sleep

since talking late into the night happens so easily

and

morning came a little too quickly

but

we were ready to head back and paint and get messy

our class was a thursday/friday class and misty is now teaching the saturday/sunday class

{I really don't know how she does it}

and

when she's done teaching

I get a few more days of her friendship and laughter

and

hopefully a photo shoot if mother nature cooperates

before she leaves

~~

I'm not sure why people think medicine comes in a bottle

~

I think medicine comes in the form of art

of any kind

and

of course people

especially girlfriends

*

part two will arrive shortly

when my mind settles a little bit