Orion's Rose: May 2011

Last weekend (after the tornado blew through NC), I drove up to Hampton VA to attend the 2011 Art and Soul Retreat. Art and Soul Retreat is a gathering place for jewelry and mixed media artists. I attended two years ago, and I was thrilled to go again.

On Friday I attended the Riveting Silver Metal Clay workshop by Sherri Haab. She is one of the nation's best jewelry artists. She's published many books and is on the cutting edge for new mediums and techniques in jewelry creation. She travels all over the nation and around the world giving her workshops. She had just returned from New Zealand and Australia. I've been aching to try my hand at silver metal clay. It was great. Sherri is here (on the right) helping artist Betsy Phillips with her amazing bird pendant.

Here is her book. You can buy it here

I created a silver heart with a purple center!

Note the rivets!!!

You never know who you meet at Art and Soul. In my silver clay workshop, I ran into Betsy Phillips, who used to lived in Greensboro, NC and owned the most amazing boutique named Rag Poets. Betsy is an up and coming silver jewelry artist. That creative eye that filled her dress shop with amazing clothes is filling her heart and mind's eye with amazing jewelry designs. She was wearing a Buddha necklace she made the day before. I loved it!

On Saturday night, my friend Melissa and I attended the vendor night. The artists who taught classes sell their designs and pieces at this event.

I discovered a mixed media artist named Sarah Whitmire.

I purchased one of her lovely heart creations.

You can visit her website here

Here is my new mixed media heart~

I visited Sherri Haab's booth and enjoyed my visit with her and her terrific assistant Rachel.
Best wishes to Rachel's son, Joshua, who is leaving for a mission this summer.
I hope to take another class from Sherri in the future!!!