New Bronze Clay Classes

On July 28th, I'll be teaching a class on making Bronze Rings.  It'll be at Mary Lynn's Yarn Garden & Off the Wall Gallery at 318 N. Main, Bloomington.  Starts at 1:30pm, will last 2-3 hours as needed to finish.  There are 3 or 4 people signed up, so there's space for 2 or 3 more!  Please contact me at artjools@frontier.com, or Mary Lynn at stitchinggirl_2000@yahoo.com.

We've scheduled a Bronze clay class making whatever your heart desires on August 4th, same location and times.  Please contact either of us above.  There are several openings there.

I did not get called for Sugar Creek art fair.  I did set up a table inside the Garlic Press, uptown Normal, so that helped.  Still..........really wish Rob had called.

We'll be set up for the next 5 Saturdays at the Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market, across from the music on Jefferson St.  This Saturday has the really fun Lincoln Festival going on.  I would highly encourage everyone to attend the market, the activities concerning Lincoln on the museum grounds (old Courthouse) which the market surrounds.  There are a number of other venues with more to offer...

http://www.pantagraph.com/entertainment/go/festival-continues-homage-to-all-things-lincoln/article_4a971f3e-d1a7-11e1-8ed7-001a4bcf887a.html

Still waiting to hear......

We're still waiting to hear from the coordinators of the Sugar Creek Art Festival, which is only 2 days from now, as to whether or not Artjools will be one of the participants.  This depends on another jewelry artist dropping out, which apparently is not going to happen.  If that's the case, we'll be at the Farmers Market in the usual spot on Jefferson Saturday morning. 
    Then, if no word from MCAC, I'll set up a table in the front entrance lobby of The GARLIC PRESS, on North Street in Normal!  So, I'll still be there at the art fair, but not part of the art fair, enjoying being inside in the air-conditioning!!! Hah!!

I've also scheduled a Bronzclay Class on July 14th, to be held upstairs at Off the Wall Gallery, 318 N. Main St, Bloomington, IL.  This will teach you to make the Bronze jewelry components for your own jewelry designs!  Above is a sample of what you can do with this great stuff.  Contact me at artjools@frontier.com, or Mary Lynn at the gallery, actually at her store Mary Lynn's Yarn Garden at the same address, info@marylynnsyarngarden.com, 309-820-0174. 

Above are some Bronze Rings.  I've also scheduled a class in making these on July 28th, also at the Off the Wall Gallery.  Again contact me or Mary Lynn at the Yarn Garden.  These are both going to be lots of fun, and you'll have some great jewelry when you're all done! 

Men's jewelry for Father's Day

This attractive, manly piece is made with silver-coated lava beads, glass beads, and black leather.   It measures around nineteen inches long with a classy toggle clasp.  Can you see your Dad or hubby in this?  Looked verry good on Steve!

These bronze bracelets are made for a man, but, heck, just as nice-looking on a woman! 

Next weekend, June 23, we'll be setting up in Danville, at their Arts in the Park celebration.  This is a very well run event, even giving the artists a very nice Friday evening meal.  Good artists, music, and hopefully good weather!  This show honored me with the Best of Show award last year!!!  So, I guess, no wonder I like it there!

This is another photo I'm thinking of painting.  A very scenic little farm in Dewitt County.    

We'll be leaving the market right at noon this Saturday, which means having to start loading up at 11:30am.  The bronzclay class in Decatur, 40 miles away, is scheduled at 1pm, so we have to hustle down there to get set up for the class.  As far as I know at this time, there are a couple of spots left for students. 

I just read the blog of Dylan Punke, a local photographer well-known to art fair attendees.  He's started on a cross-country bicycle trip to the northwest!  What a brave soul!  Keep an eye on his progress at http://www.departgallery.blogspot.com/.

This is a photo of a field south of Heyworth, one of my favorite scenes to paint.

This Weekend at the Market plus a Bronzclay class coming up!

Saturday I will be featuring some mixed metal jewelry pieces, using bronze, copper & silver.  It's time also to feature jewelry for Dads, with Father's Day arriving June 17th.  Let me know if there is something special I can make for him.

Next Saturday after the market, we're traveling to Decatur to give the second Bronzclay class for that area.  It will be held at MCM Designs Bead Shop, her website is http://www.mcm-designs-beads.com/.  Scroll down to see a little about the last class, even some photos of students work.  If you'd be interested in taking a class in making Bronzclay, please call, email or drop by the market in downtown Bloomington so we can discuss what dates will work for you.  This is exactly what happened last week when Lori Swango stopped by.  We are thinking either June 16 or June 30, after the  market, and held in the former Bead Parlor, located in the loft at 318 N. Main, just around the corner from the market.

We are loving our new space at the market.  Finally, the artists and farmers are integrated again.  It works so much better for everyone, and all booths get the same traffic.  So far the music right across the street has been great, and we're hoping it stays that way, of course that is one of the very subjective areas in life.  Everyone has different tastes, and different levels of LOUDNESS in their music preference!  We'll enjoy it anyway!

Here's a photo of an old, obviously deteriorating building, one side of it with a cool broken window.  It's part of the Weldon Springs State Park southeast of Clinton.  It's a great easy hike to an old abandoned farm that was purchased by the IL DNR a few years ago, so that drainage problems from a creek running through this farm and into the lake at the Springs, could be fixed.  It's very peaceful, beautiful, and we could walk there every day if we could, that's how much we enjoy it.   Some day I am going to paint this window...a picture...not the actual window!!

Downtown Bloomington Farmers Market & Artist's Alley

So I missed opening day of the market.  I certainly wished I hadn't!  We did set up at the Peoria Heights Tower Park art fair...where it rained most of the morning.  Not many attendees or sales either.  So I learned my lesson there. 

I am very glad to be back at the market, in a new space with lots of new work.  I am going to have Free Jewelry Cleaning, limit of 3 pieces per person, that morning.  I use a Speedbrite Ionic Cleaner.  It is perfectly safe for stones and pearls/opals/turquoise.  I also have some new paintings that I am pretty proud of. 

Steve has been working on some new sculptured bronze pieces, not really jewelry, but he uses the same metal clay.  I think he's gotten pretty good.  I will get some photos posted soon of his Rocket, Flying Saucer, and Bronze bells.

Here's a brooch I made early in the bronze clay-making:

Peoria Heights Fine Art Fair

The Peoria Heights Fine Art Fair is scheduled for this Saturday, May 12 at Tower Park, located at 4607 N. Prospect Road.  It will run from 10 am to 5 pm.  I do not know our booth information at this time.  I do know this fair is a high quality fair, with beautiful fine art of all categories.  You will be able to find a perfect piece of art for Mother's Day gifting!!