ADULT ART CLASSES STARTING JANUARY 2012

Here's what's scheduled at Casa de Linda Art Center, New Braunfels, Texas, for the first few months of 2012:

FOR ADULTS... Whether you want to paint on canvas, paper or glass, we've got you covered. 

BASIC ACRYLICS These are my on-going classes that let you jump in at any point and renew every six weeks as long as you want to continue to paint with me. Right now, I have openings on Wednesday mornings 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Wednesday nights 6-8:30 p.m., Thursday afternoons 12:30-3 p.m. and Friday mornings 9:30 a.m.-noon. Fee is $135 for 6 classes plus a $95 starter kit for new students.  
OIL PAINTING Gaye Sekula is back this Spring offering a 6-week oil class. The first session that starts Jan. 23 is full. However, we are now registering for Session II, which starts on March 12, meeting on Mondays 1-3:30 p.m. for 6 weeks. Fee is $135 for the 6-weeks, plus supplies (you'll get a supply list when you sign up).  
ENCAUSTICS (NEW!) For the first time at Casa de Linda Art Center, we are offering a workshop in Encaustics. This is a wax-based paint that is applied in a molten state. Laura Ann Beehler will share her love of this unique painting technique during a 3-hour workshop. Choose from 2 dates: Saturday, Feb. 4 (9 a.m.-Noon) or Tuesday, March 27 (10 a.m.-1 p.m.). Fee is $50 per 3-hour workshop, plus a supply fee of $40 to be paid to the instructor.  
WATERCOLORS We are thrilled to have Maren Phillips teaching Intro to Watercolors again this spring. The first 6-week session meets Monday nights 6-8:30 p.m. starting Jan. 23. Fee is $135 for the 6-week session plus supplies (you'll get the list when you sign up). This will repeat for Session II starting March 12.  
PASTELS Learn all about pastels from master artist Mary Johnson. The classes meet for 6 weeks from 1-3:30 p.m.on Saturday afternoons. Session I starts on Jan. 21. The course will be offered a second time starting on March 17. Fee is $135 for the 6 weeks, plus a supply fee of $25 paid to the instructor.  
GLASS PAINTING (NEW!) Shirley Bland is well known for her unique wine glasses and she's now willing to share his tips and tricks with students in 2-hour workshops. Complete 4 wine glasses in each workshop! The first workshop. "Bland's Freeform Landscapes" will be held 10 a.m.-Noon on Thursday, Jan. 26. A second workshop, "Isn't it Romantic?" is set for Saturday, Feb. 11 from 10 a.m.-Noon. A third workshop, "Texas Wildflowers," will be held from 10 a.m.-Noon on Saturday, March 17. Each 2-hour workshop is $30 plus a supply fee of $20 paid to the instructor. You may take one, two or all three workshops. If Drawing is more you style, we have 3 different options this Spring.  
YES, YOU CAN DRAW! Learn the basics of perspective, proportion, line and shape during my 4-week course. I will teach you to see better so you can draw better! Session I meets on Fridays 1-3 p.m. for 4 weeks starting Jan. 13. The course will be repeated in April. Fee is $125, which includes your drawing kit and pad.  
ZENTANGLE® Think of this as doodling with a focus. Zentangle uses repeated patterns to create some of the coolest art you've ever seen. Michelle Robinson is returning this Spring to introduce more people to the art of Zentangle. Choose from 2 dates for the intro session: Saturday, Jan. 28 from 10 a.m.-noon or Thursday, Feb. 16, also 10 a.m.-noon. Michelle will then be back in March and April for another round of workshops, but this time showing you how to introduce color into your Zen designs. Fee is $30 per 2-hour workshop, plus supply fee of $10 for a basic kit or $49 for an official Zentangle kit, to be paid to the instructor.
THE ART OF DRAWING ANIMALS Join Maren Phillips for this one-day workshop set for Monday, March 5. Meeting 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., you'll learn about drawing animals from a master! Fee is $95 plus supplies (you'll get the supply list when you sign up).

Painting, drawing...and more! Keep reading!  
PAPER MACHE Back by popular demand, my paper mache GECKO class for adults! Create a 3-foot critter in this 4-week course. Meets Tuesdays from 2-4 p.m. starting Jan. 17. Fee is $125 and that includes all supplies. Get ready to get messy!
STAINED GLASS Our master glass artist Lynette Clauser is back sharing her knowledge of working with Stained Glass and more. She will start the year off with BASIC LEAD classes. Choose from Monday nights 6-9 p.m. starting Jan. 23 or Tuesday mornings 8:30-11:30 a.m. starting Jan. 24. Meets for 5 weeks and each is limited to 5 students. Fee is $225 which covers EVERYTHING including glass, supplies and use of tools and equipment. (Lynette's INTRO TO COPPER FOIL classes are set to start in March and April).  
PHOTOGRAPHY David is back this Spring teaching folks about those camera settings and giving them lots of tips on how to improve their photography. Course meets for 4 weeks, on Wednesdays from 10 a.m.-Noon. First session starts Feb. 8. The course will be repeated in April. Fee is $125, which includes use of camera during class, CD of images shot, plus a couple of enlargements and mats.  
FUSED GLASS AND JEWELRY MAKING Did you know that you can fuse glass in a microwave? Lynette will teach you how to do just that and more in this 3-hour workshop that meets 9 a.m.-Noon on Saturday, Feb. 18. Fee is $75, which includes all supplies.  
MOSAICS Learn all about turning ordinary objects into extraordinary works of art though the use of mosaics. You bring something cool to cover and Lynette will provide the rest. We will offer two, 2-week sessions in the Spring. The first will be held on Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to Noon on March 3 and March 10. The class will repeat in April. Fee is $95 per 2-week workshop, which includes all supplies except the object to be decorated.

To sign up, simply drop by CASA DE LINDA ART CENTER or call us at 830-624-5302.

MIAMI ART SHOW REPORT

As you may know, David and I flew out to Miami after Thanksgiving weekend to check out some of the art shows that turn Miami upside down the first of week of December every year. While there, we visited Art Expo Solo, the main objective of our short trip, plus Red Dot and Art Miami. We arrived on Tuesday, Nov. 29, in time to take in the opening gala for the Solo and Red Dot shows. We returned on Wednesday for another visit and to walk the mammoth Art Miami. Unfortunately, we had to leave early Thursday morning, the same day that many of the other shows opened.

This Miami art phenomenon started about 10 years ago with the first Art Basel, an international, high-end show that attracts artists, art collectors and celebrities from around the globe. Generally held the first week of December, Art Basel started a trend of art shows that has grown every year, filling up empty lots with pop-up galleries and hotel rooms with hundreds of guests. (Here's a view of Miami at night from our room on the 16th floor of the Marriott Biscayne Bay.)

We were there to check out Art Expo Miami, which is put on by the same people who do the long-running Art Expo NYC every year. We want to see what it was all about and get to meet, face-to-face, with reps of the company. (David and I at the entrance to the Solo show. It was held in the same building as the Red Dot show. And I need to mention that we had a celeb-sighting of our own...Jane Seymour! Yes, Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman, who is also an artist. I mustered up the courage go up and talk to her as well but drew the line at asking for a photo!)

While we've done shows in NYC several times (Art License Expo International and Surtex), our objective in the past was to promote the licensing of my wildflower art. We had talked about doing the Art Expo but had not taken that step...until now. After walking the shows and meeting with the reps, we signed up for Art Expo NYC that's scheduled for March 22-25. I'm taking my wildflowers to the heart of Manhattan! We'll be in the Solo portion of Art Expo, in booth #1145. The last photo posted here is a night-time shot of one of the many palm trees draped for the Art Miami show. Look closely...these are men's, long-sleeve shirts! I just love artists!! We look forward to returning to Miami for next year's shows and to have a little more time to check out the city! Our 2-day+ trip only whetted our appetite for both. We took out a little time to walk the downtown area and spent a few hours at a market overlooking the bay. Can't wait to check out the art deco buildings and Coconut Grove. So much to see...so little time. We will be back!!