Congratulations to our "Favorite Things - Art Supplies" Giveaway Winners

First off, we would like to thank EVERYone who participated in our latest Blog Series:  "Our Favorite Things - Art Supplies!"  We had great fun sharing our Favorite Things, and enjoyed learning about some of yours.  We loved all of your comments, and appreciate your taking part.  Stay tuned, we have more creative sharing coming your way!

AND *drumroll, please...* we are tickled to offer our congratulations to our latest Winners!  We drew one name from among the entries from current and past ReMe Regisitered Attendees, and one from all other comments/shares.  The Winners are:  Audrie Prince (ReMe Guest, October '15), and Victoria Burgess (whom we hope to have with us at a future event)! Please contact us at:  reme@remeretreats.com with your mailing info., and we'll have your sampling of some our favorite things on its way to you!

Audrie shares:  "I enjoy a good art store; not just a craft store. The art supplies challenge me because we all know about paper and pens but I like to look around, inspect closely, and find something that I know nothing about. A new challenge or toy helps me to expand my knowledge. It's loads of fun."

Victoria notes:  "Haven't tried the Catalyst tools yet but I have used silicon kitchen utensils for mark making. :)  It is very simple, but one of my go-to tools is bubble wrap. You can make marks in wet paint, molding paste or mediums as well as stencil with it. Plus, you can relieve stress by popping it too! LoL"

We're only SIX weeks away from our return to Ocracoke in October!  Make sure that you are subscribed to our Newsletter (link on left side of BLog home page) and have liked our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/RemeRetreats) for all the latest news and fun updates from the land of ReMe.

We'll be seeing you here again, soon!

Day 6: Our Favorite Things-Art Supplies Series: Paper - Pt. Deux!

Welcome to Day 6 of
"Our  Favorite Things - Art Supplies!" Series.  

In no particular order; Jodi, Penny, and Jean will take turns sharing a few of
their creative must-haves.

Hello, gang -- Penny here, again.  Did I throw you with the title for todays post?  My love of paper is indeed voluminous -- quite worthy of spilling into another rapturous post.  Today, I am speaking specifically about handmade papers.

There is something of the luxuriant and exotic inherent in handmade paper.  Many of them have the feel of fine textiles.  The crisp translusence of rice papers offer myriad possibilities; while sturdier natural fibers in banana paper or Nujabi can easily be finished to mimic leather (!) If bold, vibrant color is your thing, there is a world of color at your fingertips as you peruse lokta, mulberry, and other handmade varieties.

I had the good fortune to meet a family of paper-makers on a trip to Seoul, South Korea in the spring of last year.  In the short time I was in their tiny, street front shop *practically a stall* I encountered fellow shoppers that included:  a mother and daughter buying HUGE sheets of handmade paper to cover the walls in their dining/living room, university students purchasing papers for art projects, and a handful of fellow lovers of the refined pulp.

Another of the many reasons I love handmade papers is for their versatility.  They make for lovely additions to many forms of creative expression -- collage, card-making, home decor, and *of course* book making.

Patchwork Papers
A sewing-themed collage with a background of handmade papers
"quilted" with smaller squares of seed catalogue illustrations.

Grass (2 of 3)
Collage on 300 lb. water color paper.

Handmade paper as book covers
highlight the construction of this journal.

So...  How about you? 
What is your favorite way to
incorporate the beauty of handmade papers
in your creative endeavors?

For your chance to win our Fabulous ReMe Favorites Prize Package, please post your answer to the question below, in the comments section.  You'll also earn an extra entry for each time you share this post on social media.  Just be sure to post a link to your share here for us to count your extra entries.  (All entries must be received by 12:00 Noon, EST, on September 3, 2015.) 

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It's not too late to join us on Ocracoke in October!

Please use the link on the upper left side of this page to register.

When the link disappears, we’re full to capacity.

Stick around as the countdown continues.  We look forward to sharing with and learning from YOU.  

Day 5-Our Favorite Art Supplies: Gel Mediums and More!

Welcome to Day 5 of "Our  Favorite Things - Art Supplies!" Series.  In no particular order; Jodi, Penny, and Jean will take turns sharing a few of their creative must-haves.

Jodi here for day 5 of our ReMe favorite supplies countdown.  I think I'm probably cheating because I'm lumping tons of things that I love within my posts and counting them as one thing, but oh well.. :)  Today I'm featuring  what I'll just refer to as "Mediums" for acrylic paints.    Brands can vary but I can see from my collection which is probably just a bit larger than the average bear, that I prefer Liquitex and Golden products for my mediums.   

Again, these are well loved and used quite regularly.  I do love to do special textural tricks with my mediums and have used many in my various classes.  Using some mediums in classes can be tricky as the dry time or curing time can vary from a few hours to a couple of days or weeks.

I get it.  It can be sooooo overwhelming to understand what does what with what. :)  And no, you do not need all of these to create fantastic pieces. However, if you are trying to move from flat to a more textured look,  acrylic mediums are a great option.

Here's one that every acrylic painter should have--Gesso.  There are many brands to choose from. This is a tiny bottle, it's a travel bottle for me. My actual gesso is gallon pail!!!!  Used to prime your surface and create a ground to which to paint on, it's also can be used to paint over mistakes and not waste more expensive paint trying to cover up something.  Veil over collages with a wash of gesso or scrape into thicker layers for a sgraffito look,  you name it, you can probably do it with gesso.

Another must have  in my opinion is glazing medium.  While you can (and I do) add water to acrylic paint, if you add too much it will break down the paint and dull your colors.  Add glazing medium to thin out your paint, and you will keep the brightness of the paint plus create a translucency when you layer over another color.

On many of my larger pieces, I will use a mixture of satin and matte varnish to finish my work.  This part can be tricky, too, if you use a lot of drawing media or water soluble media over top of your work. If you add a varnish without a barrier layer (or 2 or 3), your dry media will smear.  I use a spray varnish or fixative before I varnish with several days of dry time in between (ideally) the spray coat and wet varnish.

Over the years, I've educated myself by diving in and playing with the mediums,  reading the specs on the manufacturers websites  (check out Golden and Liquitex for lots of information), and studying books like Acrylic Revolution by Nancy Reyner or Rethinking Acrylics by Patti Brady.  Definitely buy books like these, take technique based classes (I know...everyone wants a pretty project but sometimes you just have to learn the basics!!!), and or read through the websites mentioned previously so you can make an informed decision on what you will need to create a look you are desiring.  

So what are some things you can do with gel mediums?

*Create stone like surfaces
*Use as adhesives
*Add to paint to create thinner or thicker applications
*Prime and tone surfaces
*Create a porous or non porous surface for your substrate
*Create faux finishes
*Use for image transfers
*Create dimension using stencils or other templates
*Scrape into and create patterns
*Drip tar like strings onto a canvas (think Jackson Pollock)
*Create transparency or on the opposite end, increase opacity
*Layer with one another to create untold amount of fascinating effects!

*Matte medium and Polymer Varnish used to create this image transfer of my niece (plus transfer images of several papers you can see on the left).

Many layers of glazes  and  dimensional texture created from gel mediums  (samples from my projects found on Extreme Portraits)

I used  pouring medium and tar gel for glass like finishes on my abstract textural samplers from my class "Texturize This".  

Here I use a soft body gel medium to create dimension from a stencil and gesso to veil over layers and layers of paint.  

More  effects to create the illusion of depth using glazing medium,  veiling effects using matte medium, and a top coat of self leveling gel to create a glossy/glass like surface.

Really, the sky is the limit!  

I can't live without my acrylic mediums.  

Okay, maybe that's a bit dramatic but they do make me excited to see what can come of the various uses of each and every one of them!

So for your question of the day---do you have a favorite medium that you like to use when painting or collaging (or whatever you are doing)?  Or, is there something that you'd like to learn about?  Curious minds want to know~!

For your chance to win our Fabulous ReMe Favorites Prize Package, please post your answer to the question below in the comments section.  You'll also earn an extra entry for each time you share this post on social media.  Just be sure to post a link to your share here for us to count your extra entries.  (All entries must be received by 12:00 Noon, EST, on September 3, 2015.)

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BTW-----We would LOVE for you to be with us for our flagship ReMe retreat on Ocracoke Island this fall!


There’s still time to join us on Ocracoke in October!

Please use the link on the left side of this page to register.

When the link disappears, we’re full to capacity.

Day 4: ReMe Retreats' Favorite Things - Art Supplies - Wire!

Today we'll continue the "ReMe Retreats' Favorite Things - Art Supplies!" Series.  In no particular order; Jodi, Penny, and Jean are taking turns while sharing a few of their creative must-haves.  In the following, Jean's will share her passion for wire.

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A happy find from the construction zone that is my studio!

As a child, I fondly remember my cousins fashioning rings and people from brightly colored telephone wire.  It was magical; they were older, and I was jealous!  I never would have guessed then that my creative path would bring me full circle to my love affair with wire.  If I were stranded on a desert island with only a few supplies, wire would be one of them. 

This year, when my Mother spent time as an inpatient at our local rehab center, I decided to work while I visited with her.  When I arrived and opened my tool box, I realized that I didn't have what I needed to complete my intended project.  

Instead of being disappointed in this discovery, I issued a challenge to myself.  I allowed myself to create with wire and found objects from Mom's room alone...no beads...no pliers...no other tools of any kind.  I find that limiting the materials, tools, or color palette of my work can stretch me creatively in ways that are hard to imagine.

These photos illustrate a few of the results from this project...

Day in and day out, wire also serves as the basis for many of the cold connections in my work.  From wire wrapped connections to links fabricated from wire alone to rivets made exclusively of wire; I can't get enough of this stuff! 


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For your chance to win our Fabulous ReMe Favorites Prize Package, please post your answer to one of the questions below in the comments section.  You'll also earn an extra entry for each time you share this post on social media.  Just be sure to post a link to your share here for us to count your extra entries.  (All entries must be received by 12:00 Noon, EST, on September 3, 2015.)


If you share my passion for wire, please tell us how you use it or what you love most about it?

If wire isn't your thing, what is?  Please describe it to us, and tell us why you love it like you do.

Thank you for visiting; be sure to check back tomorrow for another chance to win.

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There’s still time to join us on Ocracoke in October!

Please use the link on the left side of this page to register.

When the link disappears, we’re full to capacity.

Day 3: Our Favorite Things-Art Supplies Series: Paper!

Welcome to Day 3 of
"Our  Favorite Things - Art Supplies!" Series.  

In no particular order; Jodi, Penny, and Jean will take turns sharing a few of
their creative must-haves.

Hello, gang -- Penny here.  In the continuation of our current series, I'm excited to share one of my favorite things with you:  Paper!  I fully realize that, to many, this will come as no surprise at all.  I am known to be quite the Paper H.O. *Heartily Obsessed*  Today, I am speaking specifically about art paper(s).


Far and away, my favorite Art Papers to work with are those from Strathmore.  I work most often from padded stock.  This is for several reasons:  
    -  it is economical (allowing one to accumulate variously sized papers for customization without multiple cuts to acheive 'standard sizes')
    -  it is frequently available at local retailers (either through Art Supply outlets, such as Jerry's Artarama -- or through mass market retailers, like Michael's or AC Moore)
    -  it is readily available in many formats/finishes, and allows me to tailor the finished project to the job it is designed for.  My favorite papers for Art Journaling are Mixed Media and Watercolor papers; while a better/less bulky choice for writing and/or sketching is Hemp Charcoal Paper
    -  it is rather easier to store than larger/bulkier parent sheets of paper. 

Plenty of options in size, format,
and paper finishes

Speaking of parent sheets (or, whole sheets of paper -- often 22x30 in. or larger), when it comes to working from larger stock it is hard to beat the luxuriant feel and substantial structural flexibility of Stonehenge -- a 100% cotton, printmaking paper made in US.

Luminous, rich, and with a superb feel
Stonehenge offers limitless possibiltiies for the book maker.

So...  How about you? 
Do you have a favorite Art Paper that is your "go to"
when building a book or
working within a commercially produced journal?

For your chance to win our Fabulous ReMe Favorites Prize Package, please post your answer to the question below, in the comments section.  You'll also earn an extra entry for each time you share this post on social media.  Just be sure to post a link to your share here for us to count your extra entries.  (All entries must be received by 12:00 Noon, EST, on September 3, 2015.) 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - 

It's not too late to join us on Ocracoke in October!

Please use the link on the upper left side of this page to register.

When the link disappears, we’re full to capacity.

Stick around as the countdown continues.  We look forward to sharing with and learning from YOU.  

ReMe - It's All About The Art!

The calm before the creative storm of ReMe!

When ReMe was just a twinkle in its founders' eyes, they set out to design an all-inclusive mixed media art retreat.  The three of them... Jodi, Penny, and Jean... joined forces because of their similarities and their differences.  At their core, each of them is big hearted and hard working; they love to create; and they have what appears to be a compulsive need to share their love of creating with others.  (What more do they need to have in common?!?)  As for their differences, one of the most apparent is the manner in which they express themselves through their art.

Jodi's Dirty Flirty Birds

Jodi Ohl loves to paint.  Yes, she's multi talented.  Collage, stamp carving, lettering, journaling, and more are all well within her areas of expertise.  Regardless of what Jodi creates, she does so in her very own big bright beautiful style.  From birds to hearts, from villages to abstracts, from sea creatures to pods, Jodi's enthusiasm is contagious in the classroom.

Penny's recent demo at Jerry's Artarama

Penny Arrowood loves all things paper.  Penny binds books, alters books, and knows more about paper itself than almost any person we can imagine.  Each piece of her finished work is a treasure and a testament to her love of her craft.  The precision with which she works is one of her greatest strengths, and it's absolutely amazing to watch her students flourish under her enthusiastic
tutelage.

A few pieces from Jean's collection.

Jean Skipper loves metal, found objects, and stuff in general; and she's obsessed with incorporating these materials into her sentimental
and whimsical jewelry and mixed media assemblages.  In the classroom, Jean thrives on translating metalsmithing techniques in a manner that relates to each students at his or her level of experience.

Begin with the diverse interests of ReMe's founders...

Add the enthusiastic wildly creative spirits of eight or nine guests from across the country...

Shake it up with a healthy dose of The Spirit of Ocracoke...

Then sit back and watch the ReMe Magic happen!

 

 

At ReMe, it's all about The Art.  

Or is it? 

Our guests, our ReMe Sisters, are really the most important part of each ReMe Retreat!

Of course, some of our Guests are more "special" than others!  ;-)

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Please stay tuned, as our next post will share a bit more about our guests!

(Special thanks to Patty Sieck for allowing us to use this "special" photo of her!!!)