Plaster Studio Workshop Online!!!!

{ink painting - me, face sculpture and stone painting - Judy, ink painting - me, "messenger" painting - Judy}

Holy Cow. You can only imagine all that has been going on to get us to this point. Judy and I have been working together on the book for months and months and {eons} and months. We've just reviewed the final copy of the manuscript, we have the beautiful image of the cover and we are so excited to see so much of our energy and passion condensing into this place!!

A little history, k?

Years ago...I'm thinking it's been 7 now though I can't remember for sure...I attended my first major art retreat. With over 550 attendees/artists, it was overwhelming and mind-busting-open for me, to say the least. I remember thinking later I had never been so quiet around that many people for that many consecutive days before in my life and I know now that it was nothing less that total and complete holycowness that caused me to just stare and observe and admire.

While I was there, I met an organizer of another major national art retreat. She had seen something I had created somewhere along the way (it's all kind of a blur) and there in the cold concrete cavern of the artist vendor sale, asked if I'd be willing to submit classes for the following year. I had to work a bit to keep from laughing. I was sure she had me mistaken for someone else. When I returned home, mind still buzzing from that event, I told theman about being asked if I would submit to teach. He asked, in his usual matter of fact way, "What have you got to loose?"

And so I pulled together a few workshops. {I was so nervous}. I kept with the mediums I knew and loved. No one was teaching anything about plaster or anything even close as far as I could see {What am I thinking?!?!, I'd ask myself}. One of those first classes was called "Totally Plastered". Judy was there. I didn't know who she was but she buzzed with such inviting energy that she burned herself into my mind. She was so playful and unattached to her work. I was so nervous teaching those classes. I don't even remember what they all were now but I do know that when I got home, I realized I didn't remember much of what I had just taught. I was certain it was because I had done a total botch job and that though I had given it a fair enough shake, certainly I would NOT be invited back.

Quite the opposite happened. I got great reviews and I didn't really know what to do with that. I hadn't set out with plans to teach. Not one speck. It would have never occured to me that it was even an option because it seemed to me that only accomplished, educated artists taught {and I admired them so!} I mustv'e been in a little drunken on my reviews or something because I got a bee in my bonnet and decided to submit a couple of plaster-focused classes to Artfest for the following year....and got accepted. Everything went well there also. Another fluke?

It was about this time that I really started to understand the idea of doing what you love and letting the universe take care of the rest. I loved plaster. I loved what I could do with it. I loved knowing that I still had so much to learn before I would ever even BEGIN to tire of the medium (I'm still not there yet).

Fast forward to a couple of years ago. I started following Judy's blog and she'd post these pictures of her journals and her John's garden abundance. I had become so busy teaching {the whirlwind} that I had left my first love and passion, the garden, sorely neglected. I missed it like a sailor would miss his true love across the vast sea. I would stalk her blog to see more pictures - to live vicariously through her potato or winter squash or onion harvest. I left her a comment somewhere along the way confessing that her post brought me to tears - that they awakened a sense of lost belonging in me that I was SO grateful she had awakened.

{brilliant painting by Judy}

Over time we became friends.

I wrote a book about jewelry. It did very well.

I shifted directions and followed the interest and the interest was mostly in my jewelry. The plaster was still there but a bit neglected.

I decided I wanted to explore it more fully, to revisit my love for the medium. I'll spare you the details but I will tell you this - it was over two years of talking with my amazing editor about a plaster book before it finally felt right. She was pumped about it but I just kept feeling like something was missing. For reals. I didn't know what and it wasn't until on a road trip one summer crossing the desert of Nevada and staring out the window (like I mostly do on those 13 hour trips to Utah) that a lightning bolt hit me and I knew how this plaster book was going to be right, if it had any hope at all.

I called Judy and asked (begged?) if she would be interested in joining in with me on the adventure. She had so much history with many mediums, had explored the science and application of other plaster forms herself and had knowledge of other wonderful mediums that combined beautifully with plaster that I knew little about. It just seemed right. I can't tell you how excited I was when she joined in on the book project!

{Finn's Boat - plaster sculpture by me}

Let me just tell you that it was mostly smooth sailing from beginning to end. TONS of hard work with the usual places of pushing through, but the energy was there and it was right and I was so glad I had waited until it felt right to write this book.

I'm getting to the point. Promise.

Over the past year Judy has gone through some pretty intense physical stuff. Serious stuff. She just proves over and over to be so incredibly resiliant and I can't even put into words what this single, tiny woman has taught me about being truthful, brave, bathing in humor {because life could really suck without it} and being transparent. I look to her example so much and feel so hopeful in myself because of who SHE is. She just brings that out in people who know her.

{Hang on...I need some tissues....}

I'm back. In the beginning we did some day dreaming about what we'd do with ourselves when the book came out. We talked about team teaching and hosting our own workshops. With energy levels shifting, so have our plans a bit and we are SO excited to have come up with an idea that can include everyone who has expressed excitement about the book, everyone who has asked "when are you going to teach a workshop about this?", everyone who wants to explore the medium we both love so much. Best of all, it honors each of our energy levels. We are both sliding into a bit of a quiet time in the coming year and love that this solution will enable us to boil over with our plaster passion without burning the candle at both ends. Well...I'm sure there will be SOME of that, but not nearly as much as if we decided to go on tour and teach in every major city nationwide. :)

This is so awesome. I'm biased, I know. But it really is!

Check this out...we've made a blog JUST for Plaster Studio!! The focus is, of course, the book. The heart of it all. Where we have poured heart and soul over the past few months. Lots coming down the pike on the blog as we go, but for now, the MAJOR activity going on over there is that we are teaching a four week plaster-smithing workshop this summer! Let me tell you, we are stoked! Stoked! We have SO much to share and can't wait to explore the medium with YOU! We're going to be taking some of the techniques from the book and dig into them even further as well as introducing a ton of information that couldn't fit in the book. (The book and the workshop make the PERFECT companions. You can follow AND play along!)

The class starts June 13 and will run for a full four weeks with another four weeks of class site access. We have posts planned for six days a week - these are PACKED posts with videos, PDF's, detailed stepped out instruction with pictures. Judy and I are holding nothing back. I won't go into it more. You'll want to go HERE for ALL the details because REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!!

While you're visiting the Plaster Studio blog, be sure to check out our "what is plaster" page. Who knew there was so much to learn (it's the condensed version on the blog. The full version is in the book. We both believe that truly knowing and understanding your medium on an elemental level allows you to alter it to your needs as much as possible. This is what artists do.) When you're done reading over that, you can peruse the beginnings of a list of artists we admire who also use plaster in their work. And to cap it all off, you can check out the photo albums of Judy's artwork and my artwork showcasing our recent plaster work.

For those of you who haven't bought the book yet, Judy and I are taking preorders now for an autographed copy which includes a print from each of us! You can order it on my blog here, on the Plaster Studio Blog, or on Judy's blog. If you are so inclined, you can also register for the class AND receive a autographed copy of the book. Either way, we're just so excited to share this with you. So very excited!

And so I ask you, who among you is ready to get totally plastered!?!?! Bring it on.

{abstract painting - Judy, boat sculptures - me, "bundles" painting - Judy, plaster coffer - me}

 

Comments

[Sandy]

this is soooooooo exciting! Also looking forward to seeing you in Danbury,CT at the Art is You retreat.

[regina]

This looks soooo fun! I'd love to experiment with plaster.

[lindy mcclellan]

I will be at taking your class at An Artful Journey in Feb. So excited! I can't wait to see the possibilities.

[TE Willans]

Oh my, I just went with my gut and signed up. I am so excited even if I do have to wait what seems like forever to get started. I am so glad I made an Etsy sale just this mornign so could do this. The universe works in mysterious ways.

[lorraine lewis]

stephanie i love the story that you shared and i am SO excited for your on-line plaster class with the amazing judy!
i don't know if i shared with you how much i loved the art nest class you taught last summer but i did - i loved it.
i bought plaster and some of that gauzy plaster stuff - I AM READY!
sign me up :-)

[nina]

i want to preorder that book for SURE. tell me what to do.
and you know i'd be signing up for that plaster class if i had a better computer connection!!!!
i'm so proud of you and judy, both. such talented women, so true, the both of you. so dear. xo

[wanda]

YA HOO wah HOO..HOWDY DOO! oh, i'm in and i'm elated!!! A great and endearing story. XO

[Mary Beth Shaw]

You two rock. Pure and simple, what a synergy. You *totally* have it going on and I adore the way you are promoting your book....just might need to take this plaster class myself, sounds so yummy!!
xoxo

[Jo]

Wow! This so amazing! I've been so excited about the book and now to see that you two are offering an on-line course AND the accompanying blog too..... goodness, I'm lost for words. Thank you so much!
Hugs xxx

[Laurie]

I'll be signing up for class!!! Its the next best thing to taking a "in person" class. Cant wait to get my hands on your book!!

[Becky Caldwell]

OMG.... I am going to plaster myself all over this workshop... wait that may not be good... :)

I CAN'T WAIT! YAY for you and for me!

Take Care.

[bridgette]

oh stephanie, this post spoke to me in so many ways!
Sounds like a fantastic workshop and I can't wait to see your book! Congratulations again to both of you.

[Shelley Whiting]

Cool sculpture. Very beautiful and intriguing.