Oh, Hello! Yes, I am here, back home, back in my little nest. I returned Sunday from Silver Bella in Omaha, my last trip of 2010. I can’t believe a whole week has passed since my last post but I also can’t believe that it is mid-November. There are still big deadlines to make, my kids’ birthdays and holidays to contend with but somehow I feel like I am over the hump. Phew!
I’ve been gathering photos, unpacking my bags, and thinking about the workshops, creativity and camaraderie of the Silver Bella art retreat. I intended to post a lot of details, recapping the event. But I changed my mind.
I want to tell you a little story instead. When Teresa McFayden invited me to teach at Silver Bella, now in it’s 5th year, I had never heard of it before. I clicked over to the website and read a bit about the popular event that women from all over the country attend and enjoy year after year. I was honored and excited to be included!
Keep in mind, that I am not what you might call a girlie-girl. I grew up with 2 older brothers and now have two boys of my own. I never joined a sorority. I prefer matte over glossy. I don’t do lace.
But, I did my best to put that aside, to go to Silver Bella with an open mind and a willingness to expand my horizons. Even if that meant getting glitter on my hands. 🙂 A very smart friend of mine, Marisa, often speaks of creative cross-pollination, and I thought of her this weekend. Exposing yourself to people, techniques, and art outside of your circle can be enlightening and inspiring. It’s a very gratifying experiment and I found that it worked both ways.
Some women walked into my class a bit skeptical that the felted rosette frame was something that they would enjoy making or if it was “them”. The same women left the class, after having put their own twist on their frame (paint, vintage wall paper, and yes, even glitter!) ecstatic with what they created. I loved it because #1: they were happy and #2: I learned new techniques and ideas from them! We all learned to stretch our creative comfort zones.
At the finale dinner, Jenny Doh delivered the closing remarks. She spoke about creative individuals and what we have in common. How that we all had decided to make our creativity a priority. Each of us had figured out a way to put our *realities* on hold, just for a few days, to come together, to celebrate ourselves and the art of making. I looked around the room thinking that I wasn’t so different from the sparkly-girls after all. For it isn’t about personal taste or aesthetic, it’s about making and sharing and fostering community.
As Jenny summed it up best, “We are capable of creating beauty, and we are not alone.”
Matte. I’m definitely a matte girl. but then again I can go for a little glossy every now and then! So glad you had such a good time. I love your felted rosette frame, by the way. xo
i too am matte….as i say here at farm and fru fru, i live in a crop circle of craziness with a husband and two boys so i need a little fru fru at times to keep my sanity, but you just can’t gloss up matte but so much….and i like it that way… great post, and it looks like a great time.
Glad you’re back! It sounds like a great time!
Hey- I love that photo you took from your hotel room! It looks like it’s circa 1950. Good stuff!
beautifully expressed, Betz. so happy I finally got my chance to meet you!
Betz,
I loved your class. It was my last one and I was totally done in (I was the “slow” student in the wheel chair!). I can’t wait to finish my flowers. I ran into good friend and she said, “I just want to go home and put rosettes on everything!” I was jealous. I want to know how to make rosettes!
My daughter (who is thirty-one) grabbed one of the flowers out of my hand and said, “I want that.” Needless to say, there are others out there in the crowd who appreciate felt!
Thanks for a great class!
Suz
Matte all the way for me, too, but I def appreciate the beauty & imagination inherent in those who are glossy for sure. Loved how you expressed your ‘arrival’ at these thoughts – it’s a meta awareness that allows the cross-pollination to flourish. Some just don’t see it, get it or grab onto it when they have a chance. (p.s. what about eggshell and satin? :))
I’m a matte girl too, but with an appreciation for glossy. I love the mention of creative cross-pollination, I think it’s actually what I’ve been seeking in my home decor without having the words for i, a lot of me (matte) with a little more gloss, for balance. hmmmmm, more to ponder. Thank you!
i love that. so simple and to the point really.
Such a lovely post. Thank you for being willing to share. It’s so easy to fall into that trap of thinking that we’re not good enough as artists, and that people won’t “get” what it is that we do. Your post illustrated that we can all learn from each other, whether we’re “matte” or “glossy,” or in this case, whether we’re “felted” or “frilly”! 🙂
I was a student who thought the class might be a bit too un-foofy for me, but once I got there, I LOVED it. Thanks for the chance to try something a little different.
Your flowers are such fun to make. I spent all day Tuesday in a hospital waiting for a new baby to arrive and made lots of rosettes to keep busy. They are addictive. Thanks again-
Karla
Bellissimo!!! Meraviglioso!!!Entusiasmante!!! Brava!