august classes!

It's been so busy around the studio lately, I'm afraid I've fallen behind getting out the news on classes. It's the beginning of August, and summer's half over already! As I type this, it's a cloudy and cool morning, and I'm hoping for the sun to peek out soon...on the plus side, the clouds keep us cooled off, but I'm sure wishing for some cheery sunshine!

Fantastical Fairy Architecture

Along with our imaginations, we'll use natural, recycled and found materials to design and build tiny dwellings for those magical beings who live all around us. Feel free to bring materials from your own woods or gardens, such as pine cones, acorns or seed pods to decorate your abode if you like, but we'll provide ample building materials for everyone.

(ages 7 - 100)

Register by Friday, August 6th

Saturday, August 7th • 1-4 pm

$35

* * * * * * * * * *

Magical Fairy Wands and Accessories

Make a sparkly magical wand or handy little pouch to hold your pixie dust (included) and help your fairy tales come alive! All materials provided.

(ages 6 - 100)

Register by Monday, August 9th

Wednesday, August 11th • 1-3 pm

$25

Hope to see you in the studio soon...let's make some sunshine!

to reserve your space,

email Jane and the fairies here: campcactusmail{at}yahoo{dot}com

or call: 503.347.2319

holly hestand at camp cactus

Here's a sneak peek at Jeweler Holly Hestand's beautiful work.

Come by and try some on at the Camp Cactus Summer Sale!

Friday, July 16th • 6-9 pm

Saturday & Sunday, July 17 th & 18th • 10 am - 6 pm

summer sale!

Camp Cactus Summer Sale

Cool stuff by local artists

Preview evening: Friday July 16th 6-9 pm

Saturday & Sunday July 17th & 18th

10:00am - 6:00 pm

NE Brazee at 45th Avenue in Portland

click here for a map

a few of our artists:

Gretchen Boylan

Anitra Cameron

Darris Dietz

Holly Hestand

Tonia Twigger McConnell

Judee Moonbeam

Dan Ennis

Tamara King

Papaver Jewelry

TigerPup Embroidery

Pauline Dugas Tait

Elisabeth Cook Sullivan

Jane Russell

Kris Zorko

Nosivad Fine Art

Matthew Brown

Chris McLaren

Roberta Palmer

Marla Munnich

Michele Avanti

Stay tuned for more info on these wonderful artists!

fairy architecture 101

Last week, I was joined in the studio by four very creative kids eager to build houses for the fairies who inhabit their gardens. They all had very definite ideas of what features their fairies would like in their homes, and figured out how to make them.

These girls collaborated on their houses.

This one had a swing, a ladder to the second floor, and monkey bars

(because fairies love to play!)

She built a beautiful beach house for her fairies, who obviously need a vacation spot.

Here's house number two, a modified teepee.

It has two stories, a ladder, a nest and a hammock

for lazy summer afternoons...

This one comes furnished with deep, fluffy moss carpets,

plates and platters, and a slide!

fairy furniture this saturday!

We'll be making fairy furniture in the studio again

on Saturday from 1-3. So far only girls have been interested, but I'd love to have some boys sign up some time.

Just think: we could make thrones for the Elf King!

Stools for Leprechauns! Ladders for Dwarves!

Fairies are not all about just flowers and pixie dust, you know.

They can be very fierce creatures.

Like this one:

(image borrowed from here)

and let's not forget him, perhaps the most famous fairy of them all:

(Sorry, Tinkerbell - The Tooth came first!)

And on that note, here's a schedule of summer classes:

(click on the image to enlarge)

she sells seashells...

Pleuroploca trapezium,

"Horse Conch" shell

Bic ball point pen on paper, 7" x 7"

Originals available in my etsy shop now.

homework

I've been giving my students homework sketchbook assignments, and I thought it would be a good idea to do the assignments myself. Last week we worked on shading and cross-hatching, and I introduced them to the wonders of the Bic ballpoint pen. So far we've only worked in pencil, and I wanted them to expand their horizons.



The assignment was to sketch a still life, but for some reason I'm kind of fixated on chairs...I've been doing one or two a day and I don't think I'll be running out of subjects any time soon.

catching up

Before I forget, here are some highlights from the last couple of shows I've been in...

This is our "fairy" tent at the Alberta Art Hop...it was very swanky in a rustic sort of way. We even had a cushy old wool rug to cover up the asphalt and make everyone feel comfy. Every little kid (and dog) who wandered in wanted to lie down on it and take a nap.

Gretchen made sure she got a hug from this one before he plopped down on the rug in the shade.

The street was crowded, and even though the sales were sluggish, the people watching was excellent.

And despite the fact that we didn't make the big bucks we were hoping for, it turned out to be a very enjoyable day.

Here's a group shot of my fellow artists from the Art Over Macleay Park show last weekend:

(photo courtesy of Kris Zorko)

Once we started in on the margaritas I almost forgot I even had a camera!

left to right: Holly Hestand, me, Elisabeth Cook Sullivan, Lonnie Nosivad, Missy Lambert, Judee Moonbeam, Kris Zorko, and Judy Green

One of Liz Sullivan's political sculptures...does that face look vaguely familiar?

Here's another one...can you name all the seven evil dwarves?

Okay, last one...how many people do you know who have a seven foot giraffe in their dining room?


Everyone I know is doing their part to Keep Portland Weird.

art over macleay park

I'm in yet another show this weekend...but this one is really sweet. It's located in a cozy little Victorian cottage perched high in the trees above Macleay Park in NW Portland.
Come on by and check out the art by some very distinctive NW artists:

Elisabeth Cook Sullivan - ceramic birdhouses, animal art and unique prayer flags
Roberta Palmer - realistic concrete leaves and garden art
Judee Moonbeam - colorful wearable art and accessories
Holly Hestand - contemporary jewelry
Missy Lambert - stained glass mosaics
Judy Lane Green - woven baskets
Kris Zorko - paper arts and journals
Nosivad Fine Art- fine sculpture for home and garden
(and me) Jane Russell- fairy couture

We'll be serving up wine and nibbles...come and stroll the garden and take in the fine art and forest views...

Click here for more details. Or click here for a map!

open space!

On Monday, I finally moved on to the next phase

of the endless studio remodel...

Matt and Dave helped me take out the divider in the center of the room, and voila... we have open space!

And by Monday night, I had students drawing self portraits!