I'm back, but I'm different!

Wow! The Inspired Artist Workshop was AMAZING! I will never be the same - at least I don't think I will be, and certainly not on the inside where I have so many thoughts and feelings about the art and crafts I do. Changed forever! And I think for the better! More confident! More willing to try new things! A different eye for what might work for me as I put projects together. Now, I wish I could go and practice it all day long to solidify it. My pastor once said that over a week we will retain less than 10% of what we learn at a conference like this one. Well, that makes me sad, because I don't want to lose any of this new enthusiasm, attitude and boldness! I need to find a way to keep it going, even as I prepare to become focused on studying for the bar exam.

Anyway, that is something for me to figure out as I go.

Here are a few photos with some highlights. In this first pic I'm with the five women who I shared a table with in every one of the workshops, and the couple (Bill and Donna Downey) who put the event on.

I cannot begin to express how wonderful it is to call those seven people friends now - especially the five women I studied with - three Jennifers, Carla and Nadia. We had a blast. Only two of us (one of the Jennifers and Carla) knew each other before the event, but we certainly got to know each other as we went through the classes. They are talented, exciting, caring, funny, intelligent women. Did I say talented? I mean super talented! Blow you away kind of talented! Every one of them an artist! Every one of them someone special!

I also had the opportunity to get to know Barb, my friend from the scrapbooking book club who went with me. We were not in the same class group, which was sad at first, but then, I realized it just gave me the opportunity to expand my friendship horizons. Plus, by traveling and rooming together we had plenty of opportunities to get to know each other. She was the most pleasant and tolerant traveling companion I ever had. No stress traveling with her! Wonderful! Wonderful lady! And, she got me into some of the elective classes, both of which I thoroughly enjoyed!

Plus, as you can see, she's quite beautiful!

I had never been to the East Coast before, and Concord North Carolina was not even a place I had heard of, although you NASCAR fans know all about it, since I am given to understand the Lowes Motor Speedway is like the NASCAR capital of the world. We stayed at the Embassy Suites Spa and Resort there. This is a photo of it from an early morning walk I took on the golf course.

It was so warm there! I loved it~ although there was a hint at humidity, and my "used to the very dry of Montana" sensitives picked up on that quickly. I can see where it would become overwhelming in the summer!

But, with the warmth were also amazing signs of spring. Since Barb and I got there a day early, we had a chance to take a cab to down town Concord and walk around a bit. On that outing my camera battery died, so I didn't get photos of everything we saw, but I did get a few. I love dogwood, and they had it to beat the band there. Isn't it beautiful!

We also went to see the historic Court house for the county, which has been turned into an art museum and theater. It was so cool.

This is the website for the museum: www.cabarrusartscouncil.org We saw an exhibit for a local artist named Jennie Martin Tomlin, and her paintings were wonderful. Primarily watercolor, but she did some fun interesting techniques that really ended up relating to our classes as far as incorporating texture and unusual techniques. It was great to see that an be in awe just before we went to learn so much about out of the box art!

I have six awesome projects to share, but they need a bit of finishing. So, hopefully in the next couple of weeks I'll have a chance to share them, a little about the instructors, and some of my dreams of how to incorporate the techniques I learned into future art projects.

This was a wonderful event, and I am so thankful that I was able to go. I want to tell you all that I have the most wonderful husband to support me in doing this! And, while I loved the event, it was also very wonderful to return to the loving arms and company of my husband and son!