Intro to Encaustics Hastypearl

Intro to Encaustics 

Hastypearl

I have a Confession to make.

Its not a bad thing, its just a way that I function.

I tend to learn something, and stay in it for a Long while.

When something new or at least new to Me comes along, I resist.

Encaustics is an example.

When I first started hearing about encaustics, 

I thought, oh, its ANOTHER new direction and it 

would take a ton of new equipment, 

I dont WANT new equipment, 

where will I store it...blah blah blah.

THEN, 

I recently had 4four4 ladies come to Crystal Neubaurs workshop, 

that I hosted here at my house, 

that were ALL going to Encausticamp 

and I finally let my wheels start turning :)

One of the ladies, later mentioned on FB, 

that Michelle Belto, a San Antonio artist that I had wanted to meet, 

was going to hold an Intro to Encaustics class

 at Southwest School of Art, 

in  San Antonio.

Boom!

" I test drove the car". 

That's my theory for...never test drive a car or you are probably going to Buy it!

Specifically I mean that, I went to SSA's web site and read about Michelle's Class.

You Know what I'm going to say next!

I (BOUGHT the car)...meaning...I signed up for the Class!

Well, I'm happy to say...that I now GET why everyone loves Encaustics.

Michelle was a fantastic teacher.

Her format was indulgent, to say the least.

First, demo time, to show us the steps, 

tell us about the product and safety issues with working with hot beeswax.

Then...

she sent us back to our stations to Explore, Create, and Play!

She quietly stayed right there with each of us, Encouraging all the way.

Knowing how fascinated with architecture and buildings I am, 

I have to digress and tell you how amazing the entire SSA building and classrooms were.

My husband has a built in square footage skill of walking rooms off with his stride.

I couldn't wait to do that for myself, 

just so that I could tell him how HUGE the classrooms were.

This room that the class was held in was !!!!! 3000 sq. ft. !!!!!!

It was a Fantastic space to be in :)

Two of us shared a table, even though there was one table empty.

The tables were so huge, 

that there was PLENTY of room for two...

plus it was fun And I made a new friend :)

This picture shows the perspective of the space with three working tables lined up.

More working ladies.

Here is Michelle at the end of the weekend, 

doing a little gallery showing of all of our finished pieces.

Its always amazing to me, 

to see the versatility and variety of the humans capabilities,

Colors, Styles, Voices.

If there are 10 people, there are going to be 10 wildly different styles.

I LOVE that!

Here I am working on one of my last pieces.

More end of class gallery time.

*

(piece hanging on wall at SSA) 

I've said before, that I've had almost NO art training.

I was a theater student in University, and we had our wonderful fair share of time, 

designing sets, makeup, costumes, etc, 

but with an eventual focus on Learning Differences, 

I ended up getting through without ever taking an art class.

Walking down the halls of Southwest School of Art felt 

like the halls of Trinity University.

All I had to do was read the names of those massive wonderful rooms 

and I knew that I wanted to walk through them and Taste what was inside.

It felt like home.

If felt like sanctuary.

I LOVED the feeling,

It felt like I WOULD be back.

(piece hanging on wall at SSA)

All you had to do was walk up and down the halls,

 and see the great creations on the walls,

 to feel excited about the possibilities!

(piece hanging on wall at SSA)

(I'm sorry that I didn't get the artists names for the above pieces)

*

So, these two are my pieces. 

Such yummy colors and products from R&F 

that were provided for the students, 

to combine with our own papers and ideas.

The sky was the limit!

So, Finally, here's Michelle !

What an honor, to spend three days with such a talented artist, 

and thoughtful, vulnerable and provocative woman.

(who by the way, soldiered on and taught even though, her husband was in hospital)

You're another Door Opener for me, Michelle.

We all meet those Important people in our lives, at Just the right time.

I love the Providence of that.

I love the sweet Adventure of Life!

Don't You ? :)

As always dear reader, thanks for stopping by and spending a little time with hastypearl.

...and Enjoy your Adventures, today :)

...oh, and ps... 

I bought an electric skillet and griddle this week 

and they will store just fine in my studio :)  

Where Women Cook Giveaway....And The Winner Is! Hastypearl

Where Women Cook Giveaway

...And The Winner Is!

Hastypearl

Thanks everyone for supporting me with my Second Hastypearl Giveaway!

In celebration of being featured in the Sept/Oct/Nov 2015 issue, 

I hosted a Giveaway, 

and I extended the fun to Hastypearl's Face Book, 

Instagram and 

You...my Hastypearl Blogger friends.

I left the time frame open, to like or comment on all venues, for 10ten10 days!

It was fun watching the names roll in and thinking...

oh, I'd Love it if SHE won :)

I literally thought that with Every name! 

But, because I promised to be Honest, and because its super fun to 

let the random process do the selecting, 

I wrote your names on paper.

Cut them out.  

Put them in one of my prettiest glasses...

actually, a gift from Tiffany's ;)

...so I took EXCELLENT care of you.....

I put my little fingers, with my fingernails still packing heavenly 

Bees Wax from an amazing over the weekend

 Michelle Belto Encaustics Workshop...

and.....

...........drummmmmmm roll please......

The Winner is....Jean Thompson!

Not her actual New name, as she is a newly wed...

but she will Always be Jean Thompson to me!

Congrats, Jean!

I'll message you for your address and soon you will 

receive a copy of 

Where Women Cook.

I know that you will love reading it.

So, thanks everyone that signed up, 

and those that just enjoyed me celebrating 

a really wonderful event in my life!

I'm still pinching myself and 

pretty sure that I will, for a Long Time!!!

I've said thanks a million times already 

to Anne Christian Lorys photographer Extraordinaire

 and Jo Packham, Amber Demian and Brandy Shay

 of Stampington & Company, Somerset Studios.

I'm almost embarrassed to do it again, 

but I wouldn't have been in the magazine Without them :)

Dreams Do come true!

Hope one of Yours comes true for YOU today !

...thanks again, guys...

and as always

...I'm so glad that you stopped by for a little visit....

Laura aka hastypearl  

Where Women Cook Hastypearl

Where Women Cook 

Hastypearl

Can you read that letter below?

Can you imagine getting that letter?

I had no Idea, that a magazine sent such...until it happened :)

It all started sooo long ago, but it is a testimony to encourage you to 

Never give up on your Dreams.

I wont tell you the whole long tale of it, 

but the Dream would have to have Special and Necessary people in it,

 to fulfill it.

It had to have a photographer.

Not Any photographer.

THE Photographer.

It didn't hurt, that I had followed Anne Christian Lorys on her Fiona and Twig blog 

and it Sure didn't hurt that she lived only 45 minutes from my house in Texas.

But, would she make her way into my Dream?

Yes, she Would!

We spent ONE CRAZY day together, laughing and cooking and tasting.

Much of the time, I didn't even know that she was taking pictures, 

she made it so easy.

The Dream, would take additional wonderful ladies like Jo Packham, 

Amber Demien and Brandy Shay, 

who spend their days encouraging individuals to Cook and Create...

and then making them look beautiful for the Stampington & Company, 

Somerset Studios publications, 

that we Cant get enough of. 

My Dream, had to have Years and Years of eating Fantastic Mexican food, 

to make me think of No Other Topic, to write about.

Eating Mexican food for 40 years...Oh, such a burden!

So, because of a Dream coming true, 

I thought it a very fitting time, to Celebrate and Give Away 

a copy of Where Women Cook, 

to someone in my Hastypearl blog family.

Its over 150 blog postings and I hope 150 MORE to come !

The Giveaway time frame will be 10 days (from September 16, 2015) 

and Larry will do a scientific drawing, 

for a Free Copy of the Sept/Oct/Nov issue of 

Where Women Cook.

If you've never read it, you're going to Love it.

Leave a comment here, or on my Hasty Pearl FB page, 

so that I can find my way back to you for your address 

on announcement day...September 26, 2015 !

If you would like to sign up to receive a notice when I next post on my blog, 

you can do so in the blank on the right column.

I say that column is the Mothership for all things...Hasty!  

As always, I hope that you have days full of Wonder, 

and Thanks so much for stopping by!

Gotta go now...tonight is Mexican Food Night!

:) Best, Laura

One Thing Leads To The Other... Hastypearl

One Thing Leads To The Other...

Hastypearl

As you well know by now, 

half of my heart resides in the Hill Country, in Texas, 

and the other half belongs to the Rocky Mountains, in Colorado.

Right away, you can see that I have Great Taste, right? :)

A while back, one of my favorite Art and Business Mentors, 

(I have quite a few), 

told me to start submitting my art, 

and One Thing Would Lead To The Other.

 I took her advice.

After all, What Would I Have to Lose? 

While I always know that Providence is in control 

of everything 

that happens in my life, 

including the good AND the bad, 

I still love watching it play out.

For instance...

A Colorado Home Owners Association reply letter from me 

and sent to a neighbor Betty Bradley,

with my Hastypearl Etsy and Blog addresses in the signature, 

led her to explore my Etsy shop.

After that, 

she asked if I would submit a piece of my Mixed Media Art 

to a fund raiser for a ministry, that we have known about for years.

Of course I said, Yes!

I didn't know that she was the President of the Redstone Art Foundation, 

that holds an annual Art Show, to raise money for 

Art Scholarships for High School students 

headed to Art Schools.

She asked me to participate in that Art Show

....my very first Show Ever!

Again, I said, YES! 

See?

One Thing Leads To The Other...  

I'm sure that you have had similar things happen to you, both large and small.

This past 2015 Labor Day weekend, was when the Redstone Art Show took place.

It wasn't easy long distance preparing, shipping and setting up

...but I am So Glad that I did it.

It has given me a total new respect, 

for those of you who do this on a regular basis.

Now I can see what you guys go through :)

It was a wonderful learning curve and I feel so much better for it.

I am thrilled that I have been invited back,

 and even asked to make the name tags!

So, while I worked Many hours daily at the Art Show, 

I also found time,

 to practice shooting in Manual mode with my camera

...another wonderfully steep learning curve!

Lets face it, every where in America is beautiful, 

so all you have to do is look around, and snap!

Below, are various photos that my husband took of my space.

The weather was all over the charts, 

but the fantastic enclosure that it was held in, was not only charming, 

but also very safe for the Art.

At closing time, we enjoyed the great restaurants in the Redstone area, 

and as Always, found a few necessary minutes out in nature.

One day at the Art Show, was funny hat day.

I had a hat, but didn't have the Funny!

Larry suggested that I find and attach something that I had made, 

so I used my handmade leathery envelopes and lavender filled pouches.

The side benefit was that it smelled great :)

I'm not sure how people Actually took me serious, but I had to get in the game!

Larry took the following pictures of me with my customers.

I was actually Emotional when I downloaded them and saw them for the first time.

Whether they were buyers or not, it gave me such joy, 

to expose people, and some for the first time, 

to my idea of story telling with Vintage Items.

It was a brand new concept for many.

I told them, that I have a philosophy, that Art doesn't have to be Flat!

And, that there are more kinds of art than Oils and Watercolors

...both of which I love.

I want my Art to reach OUT AT you and beg you to touch it.

I want it to Move.

I want it to flutter in a breeze.

And most of all, I want it to do that Over and Over again.

I have had patrons tell me that they can see something new 

in my pieces, every time that they look at it.

High Compliments...the Best !

So, Look at their body language as I help them find their own stories.

If that is all that I came away with, it would have Been Enough.

Makes me soooooo happy!

These Mixed Media Angels, are a few of the pieces that found new homes.

I was Thrilled to learn that the angel above, named Beauty, was featured in 

Both the Aspen and Glenwood Springs newspapers.

With so much great art to choose from, 

I was Really Honored.

I was surprised when my friend Janette, still wearing her pajamas,

 appeared at my door with one of the newspapers one morning !

Beauty, was sold to a customer, that didn't know about the features!

I have another theory that can be Patience Testing.

Maybe you already know about it.

The piece above, was called, Thimble Heart and 

was far and away, my most "Favorited" Art item on Hastypearl Etsy.

Way over 1000 people gave me the thumbs up on this piece.

The cost was unbelievably Affordable.

(I have a friend on Etsy that tells me that I should raise my prices:)

So, why hadn't it sold?

Poor SEO? Too much Art on Etsy to choose from? Some other reason?

No.

Here's my theory... 

I think its because it was WAITING for its owner.

I've finally learned that Everything that I sell, 

has a special owner just waiting to find it 

and it makes me Crazy Happy 

when I can introduce them !

I had a wonderful time visiting with literally hundreds of people 

from the Aspen area and Much farther afield.

I made New friends, which was High on my trips Goals list, 

and I visited with others that I had already given my heart to.

Wonderful things happen to ALL of us.

Sometimes, we can believe the lie, that things like "That" just don't happen to me, 

but if we live long enough, Things like "That" happen to ALL of us.

For me, this past weekend will be one that I wont Ever Forget.

My Biggest THANKS to All of You that 

contributed to my Very Happy Weekend! xo 

Thanks as always for stopping by my blog...

I'm so glad that you did !

 Laura aka Hastypearl

...please check my shop as I will be listing many new pieces of Art and Vintage Parts.

It may seem early, but many pieces that I sold this weekend, 

will be gifts for the upcoming seasons!

It gave me great Joy, to hear my buyers say that they couldn't 

wait for their loved ones to see their one of a kind, finds!

How Many Plates Can You Spin? Hastypearl

How Many Plates Can You Spin?

Hastypearl

Most everyone has been to a circus, or has  

seen someone spinning plates!

Its a race against time, that the spinner doesn't let one fall and break.

It can be Dizzying for sure, but if done well, the spinner can win.

Observers certainly hold their breath and cheer the spinner on!

Have you ever thought about the phrase as an applicable analogy for your life? 

With say Activities being your "spinning plates" ?

There are lots of plate "spinning rules", to consider.

First, are you Inclined to spin or are you more comfortable with an observers amblers pace?

Do you like the thrill of spinning two plates 

or being an Experienced spinner 

do you want Lots of plates to spin?

Do your plates need to spin quickly, 

or do you like the thrill of catching a wobbly plate, 

right before it falls?

Do you see someone with less spinning plates than you

 and judge them for not having as many?

Do you like to have helpers spin With you or 

are you a solitary spinner?

Do you feel guilty if you don't have lots of plates?

Are your plates all one color and size, or are they patterned, 

different sizes and chipped?

I'm pretty sure that I could go on forever with these questions!

Its really fun to think about.

Of course, there are no right or wrong answers but in a way, 

they are pretty revealing, about who we are.

I am in a time in my life, when my kids are grown and gone.

I am through with most of my Required goals.

From here on out, (and I plan on that "out" being quite a ways a way :), 

most of what I do, is really optional pleasures.

For that, I am extremely blessed.

When we are young we think... 

I wish I could just have some quiet time, and maybe sleep late.

Be lazy.

Do nothing for a change.

I guess there's really nothing stopping me from doing just that!

However...I'm finding that how I am choosing to live my life, 

is exactly the Opposite.

I cant WAIT, to get up every morning and see what the day brings.

I am experiencing an EXPLOSION of creativity, 

not only in art made, but also in ideas in general.

Ironically, only ONE thing that has happened to me in the last 5 years, 

was actually something that I imagined doing.

The rest, has just Happened!

(or...Providentially Happened)

Occasionally, I will say...

I don't have a good enough Imagination to have 

Dreamed Up the things that are happening in my life.

And I think that I have a Great imagination!

Its all actually been quite surprising!

So, back to the original questions that I asked and some of my answers...

I don't spin a lot of plates at a time.

Well, I probably spin more than I credit myself, 

but compared to some people...I don't.

I like spinning by myself.

My plates are different sizes and colors,

 and chips are NO problem for me.

I think wobbling is fine. 

I'm OK with restarting a dropped plate.

I'm not competitive about spinning. 

I'm happy for you to have hundreds...or none.

Or, for you to get there long before I do.

I can be hasty(pearl :) about starting to spin a new plate...

I love to try new things.

I mean... 

I Really Love to try new things!

I was thinking about this topic while photographing 

in the garden this morning.

The morning was cooler...our days are brutally hot right now.

There were some clouds.

It was VERY quiet. Which I love.

I have been spinning the photography plate for what seems 

like a very long time now, 

but truthfully, its probably not as long as it seems.

Inch by inch, I have learned Just What I Needed to, 

to keep me coming back for more.

As I was photographing the garden, I would see weeds.

I would question myself and it sounded something like...

Why are you playing (with your camera) 

when you should be pulling these weeds, or pruning?

Apparently, I felt like that the garden plate needed spinning.

The garden plate ALWAYS needs spinning :) 

Happily, the questions weren't so compelling to me, 

that I was in danger of stopping snapping these pictures!

It was time to for me to relax and let the (gardening) plate go, 

so that I could practice shooting in Manual mode, 

like I knew I wanted to.

Maybe you are like me...

when you are doing something that you love, you THINK!

When our minds clear, it seems like we can sort through things easily.

Its good to have daily, monthly, yearly and lifelong goals, 

but we cant let our goals be what Control us.

Sometimes, we have to grab and stop some of those required plates 

and instead, do some things that Feed us.

That bring creative growth to our lives.

I think its actually those special things that we love, 

that refuel us and energize us to grab a stick and start those 

necessary plates back up again!

I hope that you have wonderful, beautiful, gently spinning plates, 

in your life... 

that Feed you!

I would love to know what they are!

Thanks for stopping by for a while...

I Hope to see you again, soon.

Laura aka hastypearl 

p.s.....if you are in the Redstone/Aspen Colorado area, Sept. 4-7, 

I would love to meet you at the Redstone Labor Day Art Show 

at the Redstone Inn.

I've heard that the art coming is fantastic!

Its not too early to start filling your gift lists.

Say Ahhhh....and Breathe! Hastypearl

Say Ahhhh...and Breathe!

Hastypearl

I love my life.

For the most part, I have weeks, that are equally divided with 

part required events and part fulfilling events.

Even most of my 'have to's', are nice.

Like, I have to garden...

Or, I have to grocery...

This week was a heavy on the 'have to' list, but all of it was for things that I love.

And, early in the week, two unexpected deadlines appeared, but for totally wonderful things.

So, when you already have a full week, what should you do?

Why, throw on a monster boiling pot and dye fabric, of course!

Yes, I turned the pieces into runners that I can sell at an upcoming Art Show, 

or on Hastypearl Etsy, 

but I already had plenty of pieces that were ready for both.

:)

But the gathering and fragrances, the ins and outs of the needle, 

made it all worthwhile and reminds me of my theory that says 

that everything basically always gets done.

Maybe one day, I will tip the scales to where its impossible to 

finish and it wont get done, but until then, 

I will keep living my lot of easy weeks and full weeks.

So, in case you are wondering...

the recipe was....

Alkaline water

Two iron spikes

Two black walnuts

Cotton fabric wrapped around copper pipes

Vinegar

Rose, eucalyptus, red bud, red oak, artemesia, purple potato vine, 

and Mexican plum leaves. 

I Hope that you will Ahhhh...and Breathe, through a wonderful weekend :)

xo Laura

Photography Learning Curve

Hastypearl

Understanding Exposure

How to Shoot Great Photographs with Any Camera 

by Bryan Peterson

If you had ever told me, that the hardest part of opening an Etsy shop was going to be the photography, I'm not sure I would have even been educated enough to argue with you.

Now, I know better:)

Anyway, I march on.

I wanted to share with you, a book that Anne Christian Lory's

suggested to me.

I've read it through, thoroughly and now, am going back through

it and taking notes.

I'm guessing that I will do that a number of times.

As another bold step, I've taken the first part of a beginner photography class at the Camera Exchange, in San Antonio.

(also a suggestion of Anne's. I don't know what I would do without you, Angel Anne :)  

I was VERY thankful, that I had read this book first.

To practice what I had learned to date,

I made myself shoot only in Manual Mode,

while we were just in Colorado.

Shooting the same scene, over and over,

while changing the settings helped immensely.

There is Nothing like repetition to bury something inside us.

Anyway, I just thought that for those of you

struggling with your photography,

I would share.

Plus, I JUST now figured out how to blog on my IPad,

which is another thing that has baffled me.

I ask you one final question...

Why do our children grow into wonderful adults and

contribute to our society and yet leave us at home,

to figure all of these things out for ourselves:)

Just listed some terrifically massive vintage scissors over at hastypearl etsy,

HTTPS://www.etsy.com/shop/hastypearl

(Curious to see if that will be a link when I publish...if it doesn't, pop over to Etsy.com and type in Hastypearl...until I figure out how to make a link on my IPad :)

Or, you can see a button on the right side column that will take you there!

Hope you will head over and see what you think:)

Thanks as always, for stopping by to visit.

It makes me so happy that you do!!

Best...Laura aka hastypearl