fabulous fairy footwear this saturday

Come join us in the studio on Saturday, where we'll be designing and sewing our own custom fairy footwear.

All materials will be provided, and no previous sewing skills are necessary! We'll teach you how to draft a custom pattern and use embroidery techniques to embellish a pair of beautiful slippers that make sweet fairy music as you walk!

Ages 6 to adult  •  Class size is limited
Sorry, this class is closed

Email: campcactusmail@yahoo.com

phone: 503.347.2319

Camp Cactus Studio is located here

summer classes

Happy July! The weather's warming up, the sun is finally out, and I'm looking forward to teaching some fun classes for all ages this summer:

New!  Summer Drawing Workshops for Adults

Explore various materials and techniques in these ongoing weekly workshops with interesting exercises designed stimulate your creative juices. Join us as we mess around with a new material and technique each week. From block prints to watercolors, we'll cover the basics to give you a feel for each medium! These classes are open to all levels and experience. Bring an 11 x 14" spiral-bound sketchbook to first class.

Tuesdays, July 12 - August 16          7-9 pm        $25 

Ages 14 - adult  •  Class size is limited  •  Preregistration required

Tuesday, July 12: Charcoal, chalk & the figure  (Sorry, class closed)

Tuesday, July 19: Block prints  Sorry! This  session is closed.

Tuesday, July 26: Pen and ink techniques  Sorry! This  session is closed.
The following dates are still open:

Tuesday, August 2:    $25 Pencil techniques  7-9 pm  Sorry! This  session is closed.

Tuesday, August 9: Exploring watercolor  7-9 pm   $25  Sorry! This  session is closed.

Tuesday, August 16: Scratchboard  7-9 pm   $25   Sorry! This  session is closed.

All-ages Drawing Workshop

An open studio where kids of all ages can come and draw to their heart's content in a supportive, non-critical environment.

Artists are free to choose from a variety of materials such as charcoal, graphite, ink, crayon, pastels, markers and colored pencils; and draw from imagination or various visual sources such as photographs and still life. All materials provided.

Saturday, August 6    1-3 pm         $25 Sorry! This  session is closed.

Ages 6 - Adult  •  Class size is limited  •  Preregistration required 

New! Fabulous Fairy Footwear

Make your very own designer Fairy or Elf shoes. We'll draft a custom-sized pattern and sew and embellish with threads and buttons and ribbons and magic. No prior sewing experience necessary. All materials provided.

Friday, July 8     2-4 pm       $25     Sorry! This  session is closed.
Added session:  Saturday, July 30    1-3 pm         $25    Sorry! This  session is closed.

Ages 6 and up  •  Class size is limited  •  Preregistration required

Design Your Own Prayer Flags

In this class, we'll learn a bit about the Tibetan custom of hanging colorful flags containing mantras and prayers to promote peace and other messages, which are said to be carried on the wind and spread throughout the world. We'll design and assemble our own interpretations of these flags using stamps, paints, stencils and inks. All materials included.

Friday, July 15    2-4 pm      $25   Sorry! This session is closed.

Ages 6 - adult  •  Class size is limited  •  Preregistration required

New! Intro to Life Drawing

Have fun drawing a live, costumed model. We'll learn a few simple ways to capture the essence of the figure by concentrating on gestural lines and quick sketches. All materials provided.

Friday, July 22    2-4 pm               $25  (+ $5 model fee)      Sorry! This session is closed.

Ages 8 and up  •  Class size is limited  •  Preregistration required

Fantastical Fairy Architecture

Along with our imagination, 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 garden, such as pinecones, acorns or seed pods.

We’ll provide ample building materials for everyone.

This 3-hour class is open to everyone ages 7-100.

Saturday, July 23  1-4 pm          $35    Sorry! This session is closed.

Ages 7 - 100  •  Class size is limited  •  Preregistration required

Handmade Recycled Paper 

Explore the art of making recycled paper outdoors on the patio.

We'll make cool papers embellished with dried flowers, leaves and other natural materials. Prepare to get a little wet...it's a messy process!

Friday, July 29    2-4 pm             $25   Sorry! This session is closed.

Ages 6 - adult  •  Class size is limited  •  Preregistration required

Fanciful Fairy Furniture

Come and use twigs and moss and leaves and flowers to build a tiny chair or a bed or table (or whatever else you might be inspired to create to furnish a fairy house or garden).

Set your imagination free and let it fly!

All materials provided, but feel free to bring your own materials for embellishments, like acorns and moss and leaves from your garden.

Friday, August 5  2-4 pm          $25    Sorry! This  session is closed.

Ages 7 - 100  •  Class size is limited  •  Preregistration required

Camp Cactus Studio is located at 4458 NE Brazee, between 44th and 45th Avenues in Portland
Click here for a map to the studio
Questions? You can contact us by email: campcactusmail{at}yahoo.com

summer sale ends sunday

Last night's opening reception was a fun event!

 Wine flowed, scrumptious appetizers were eaten,

 and lots of beautiful art went to new homes... 

and did I mention the appetizers? And the wine?

My son Matt and daughter Caitie and Art Camp sidekick Liz catered all the food,

 and wowed us with their culinary skills. 

(Awesome bird paintings by Chris McLaren)

 Here's some

 colorful and durable oven-safe dinnerware by Darris Dietz

 Jewelry by Holly Hestand, Chris McLaren and Kelly Boverman

groovy little garden faces by Dan Ennis

we still have a few baby quilts and tiny knitted socks by Kathy Kearns

and last, but definitely not least, ceramic birdhouses by Elisabeth Cook Sullivan.

We'll be open for one more day tomorrow from 10 am - 6pm

Camp Cactus Summer Sale

NE Brazee between 44th and 45th Avenue

Portland, Oregon

here's a map:

View Larger Map

happy summer!

This weekend's summer sale at Camp Cactus
will have lots of gorgeous garden art

like these lifelike concrete leaves by artist Roberta Palmer.

This beautiful plaque can hang indoors or out.

Come check it out!

Opening Friday evening, June 24th • 6-9 pm

Saturday and Sunday, June 25th & 26th • 10 am - 6 pm

NE Brazee @ 45th Avenue, in Portland's Hollywood neighborhood.

a little color to cheer you up!

Glass artist Kelly Boverman will be bringing her bright and cheery creations to the Summer Sale next weekend.

Kelly's fused glass garden ornaments will brighten up dark corners of your flower beds, and are great for adding a bit of playful color to your indoor potted plants.

And you can even brighten up your wardrobe with her fused glass pendants made in the same exhuberant color combos!

The Camp Cactus Summer Sale hours are:

 Friday, June 24th • 6pm - 9pm

Saturday & Sunday, June 25th & 26th • 10am - 6 pm

we're located on NE Brazee, between 44th and 45th Avenues in Portland's Hollywood district. 

Click here for the map:  4458 NE Brazee

helping our community

Local craftswoman and nurse Kathy Kearns has been involved for years with  the Passage Quilt Project based at Providence Portland Medical Center. Volunteers like Kathy sew beautiful lap quilts from donated fabrics and materials. Chaplains then give these small quilts to dying patients, which provide comfort for the patient, family and caregivers. The quilts are then presented to the family as a gift of love, comfort and remembrance.

Kathy, in addition to volunteering to make quilts for the patients, has also made a few sweet baby quilts to sell at the Summer Sale here at Camp Cactus.

Kathy is donating all proceeds from the sale of these gorgeous quilts to the Passage Quilt Project for the purchase of supplies.

art for your garden

The Camp Cactus Summer Sale is coming up soon! Here's a sneak preview of some fanciful art to decorate your garden:
Artist Michelle Gallagher will be bringing her whimsical ceramic Man in the Moon garden heads.

And when we're talking whimsy, we can't leave out potter Dan Ennis, whose crazy and colorful faces and plaques are a fixture on many NE Portland porches:

summer's almost here!

Camp Cactus Summer Sale

Cool stuff handmade by local artists

Preview evening: Friday June 24th 6-9 pm

Saturday & Sunday, June 25th & 26th

10:00am - 6:00 pm

NE Brazee at 45th Avenue in Portland

click here for a map to the studio 

a few of our artists:

Darris Dietz

Holly Hestand

Judee Moonbeam

Dan Ennis

Tamara King

TigerPup Embroidery

Pauline Dugas Tait

Elisabeth Cook Sullivan

Jane Russell

Kris Zorko

Nosivad Fine Art
Geraldine Foote/Peace Leaves

Matthew Brown

Chris McLaren

Roberta Palmer

Michele Avanti
Michelle Gallagher/The Funny Thing
Carol Sands
Maura Greenblum
Ann Wilson
Rachael Ramos
Kelly Boverman

Stay tuned for more info on these wonderful artists!

spring break fairy and drawing workshops!

There are still a few spaces available for our spring break classes this week...

New!    Let's Explore Drawing!

An Open Studio where kids can come and draw to their heart's content in a supportive, non-critical environment.
Artists are free to choose from a variety of materials such as charcoal, graphite, ink, crayon, pastels, markers and colored pencils; and various visual sources such as photographs and still life.
All materials provided.

Saturday, March 26th (Spring Break)       1-3 pm     $25 
Ages 6 - 14 • Class size is limited • Preregistration required

choose date(s)

February 26th $25.00 March 26th $25.00

Fantastical Fairy Architecture

Along with our imagination, 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 garden, such as pinecones, acorns or seed pods.
We’ll provide ample building materials for everyone.
This 3-hour class is open to everyone ages 7-100.

Thursday, March 24th (spring break)       1 - 4 pm   $35
Ages 7 - 107 • Class size is limited • Preregistration required

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Fanciful Fairy Furniture

Come and use twigs and moss and leaves and flowers to build a tiny chair or a bed or table (or whatever else you might be inspired to create to furnish a fairy house or garden).
Set your imagination free and let it fly!
All materials provided, but feel free to bring your own materials for embellishments, like acorns and moss and leaves from your garden.

Friday, March 25th  1 - 3 pm   $25
Ages 7 - 107 • Class size is limited • Preregistration required

february and march classes

After a month off to regroup and recuperate from the holidays, I'm pleased to offer a new lineup of classes and workshops in February and March. We'll have loads of ways for kids and adults to jump start their creativity in the new year.

Now you can register and pay for classes on line with your debit or credit card through our secure server at PayPal. Just click on the "Add to Cart" button below the class or classes you want to register for, and it will take you to our checkout and registration page. (If you don't have a PayPal account, you can simply click on the "continue" button on the PayPal home page under "Don't have a PayPal account?" and you can register and pay without setting up an account. Or, you can email me at campcactus{at}yahoo{dot}com to reserve your space. I'll send you a confirmation within 24 hours.

Camp Cactus Studio is located on NE Brazee at 45th Avenue in Portland's Hollywood neighborhood.

~ Drawing Classes ~

New dates     Anyone Can Draw!

Have you always wanted to learn to draw, but just don’t know where to start?
Are your drawing skills a bit rusty and do you need to refresh your fundamentals?
This is the course for you!
We’ll teach you the basic principals of drawing, through creative exercises designed to stimulate your imagination. Hands-on explorations of materials, techniques and principals of design.
What are you waiting for? Get drawing!

Bring an 11"x14" spiral-bound sketch pad, kneaded rubber eraser, and 2H, HB, 2B & 4B pencils to first class.

Revised Dates: Thursday Evenings, 7-9 pm,  March 3 - April 7 (6 sessions) $125
Ages 14-adult • Class size is limited • Preregistration required
A few spaces are still available

*  *  *  *   *   *  *  *   *   *

Intermediate Drawing

This course is designed for beginning artists wanting to improve their skills.
The emphasis is on seeing, using right-brain techniques, line contours, shading, perspective, proportion, texture and contrast. We’ll further explore mark making and composition, drawing a variety of subjects, from photographs to still life to live models, using an assortment of materials.

Bring an 11x14” spiral-bound sketch pad, kneaded eraser, and 2H, HB, 2B & 4B pencils to first class. Additional materials list will be given at first class.

Tuesday evenings, 7-9pm Feb. 22 - March 29 (6 sessions) $125
Ages 14 - adult • Class size is limited • Preregistration required

*    *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Figure Drawing

Come experience drawing a live, costumed model. Emphasis is on warming up with gesture poses, then short poses, ending with a 30 minute pose. Classes are self-directed and all levels are welcome. Please bring paper and drawing materials to class. $5 model fee due at beginning of class.

Friday evening, February 18   7-9 pm   $15
or
Wednesday evening, March 30   7-9 pm   $15
Adults • Class size is limited • Preregistration required

choose date(s)

February 18th $15.00 March 30th $15.00

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

New!    Let's Explore Drawing!

An Open Studio where kids can come and draw to their heart's content in a supportive, non-critical environment.
Artists are free to choose from a variety of materials such as charcoal, graphite, ink, crayon, pastels, markers and colored pencils; and various visual sources such as photographs and still life.
All materials provided.

Saturday, February 26th   1-3 pm     $25 (Sorry, this class is closed)
or
Saturday, March 26th (Spring Break)       1-3 pm     $25 (Space still available)
Ages 6 - 14 • Class size is limited • Preregistration required

choose date(s)

February 26th $25.00 March 26th $25.00

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

~ Special Interests ~

New!   Recreate Your Wardrobe

(Sorry, this class is closed) 
Contact Jude directly for more info about future classes

Create a new wardrobe through inventive re-design. With help from an expert clothing designer, you'll learn what to do with those "un-wearables" in your closet. Lots of ideas, inspiration, examples, help and hands-on direction. Bring several "needy" garments to the first meeting. Prior sewing experience is helpful, but not necessary.

Jude Cornwell (aka Judee Moonbeam) holds a degree in clothing design and creates a well known line of wearable art accessories.
This workshop has been presented numerous times through Portland Community College with great results. Be creative, think green and save money with artistry and alteration!
Questions? Contact Jude: (503) 285-1875

Wednesday evenings, March 16th and 23rd  7-9 pm  (2 sessions)   $50
Adults • Class size is limited • Preregistration required by Friday, March 11

*  *  *  *  *  *   *   *   *   *

New!  Product Photography Tips for Artists and Crafters

A workshop for artists and crafters who need help photographing their art to sell. We'll cover lighting fundamentals, composition, and styling tricks, and how to use your simple camera and readily available, inexpensive lights and materials to make beautiful product shots. We'll help you solve common photography problems without need for fancy equipment or huge budgets. You'll see lots of examples, of great and really bad photography, and get hands-on experience shooting a product.
Artists are encouraged to bring a piece of work you need help with and your digital camera.

Jane Russell studied commercial photography and art in San Francisco and Los Angeles and is a professional photo stylist with over 20 years of experience, whose client list includes major department stores, athletic wear companies and home stores.

Saturday, March 5th   1-5 pm   $65
Adults • Class size is very limited • Preregistration required

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

~ Fun Classes for All Ages ~

Fantastical Fairy Architecture

Along with our imagination, 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 garden, such as pinecones, acorns or seed pods.
We’ll provide ample building materials for everyone.
This 3-hour class is open to everyone ages 7-100.

Thursday, March 24th (spring break)       1 - 4 pm   $35
Ages 7 - 107 • Class size is limited • Preregistration required

*   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *   *

Fanciful Fairy Furniture

Come and use twigs and moss and leaves and flowers to build a tiny chair or a bed or table (or whatever else you might be inspired to create to furnish a fairy house or garden).
Set your imagination free and let it fly!
All materials provided, but feel free to bring your own materials for embellishments, like acorns and moss and leaves from your garden.

Friday, March 25th  1 - 3 pm   $25
Ages 7 - 107 • Class size is limited • Preregistration required