I’ve added PDF files of my class descriptions to the Workshops page…those are definitely worth checking out!

San Jose, CA - April 5-6, 2008: This is a hybrid class that will be taught for the first time ever.  Students will learn 3 flower canes, my faux wood grain, and how to construct a tile pendant.  There is still room in this class so if you live anywhere near the San Jose area please get in touch with me right away, or visit http://www.sbpcg.com/.  Email riverpoet@comcast.net and I will get you signed up for this exciting class. 

I’ll be cruising with the “Claydies” from April 19-24 with Lisa Pavelka, Desiree McCrorey and Christi Friesen…I am really looking forward to this trip, as I have never cruised before.  When I get back, I am only home for a week and then I am off to Albuquerque.

Albuquerque, NM classes: May 2-4, 2008:  Friday is my 8 From 1:The Foliage Edition class, that you can read about and see pictures if you click the link.  We make a simple base cane and then cut, combine, twist, turn and create a whole host of different types of leaves from it.  It teaches a whole lot about component caning and it’s so much fun to create all these different leaf types from one blend.

The Saturday and Sunday workshop (May 3-4) is the Caning in Monochrome Class, which I am excited to be teaching again!  I taught this in Baltimore last year and it was a fabulous class.  I love monochromatic caning, but adding the color tints makes something really special.  Read all about this class here.

Finally, here’s a picture of a new necklace I created this month…I LOVE making dimensional flowers and leaves.  This piece will probably become the basis of a new class, since there’s a LOT more that goes into the leaves and flowers than meets the eye…they are armatured in a special way and are extremely strong and even flexible.  The pods I used on the closure are my favorite part, though, I think!  Watch for more new designs in my gallery section soon. 

A little more about the class:

In this intensive caning workshop you’ll learn to make eight different flower canes from ONE skinner blend. You’ll make realistic-looking rose and daisy canes, tiny accent flowers, flowers with spots, variegation stripes, “folded petals” and several other designs.
This class teaches the fundamentals of caning and skinner blend manipulation. Learn to tint or “shift” the color of your blends, choose the best translucent clay for “caulking” the canes, fast and easy cane reduction with very little waste, and cutting thin slices.
At the end of class, students can swap pieces of their canes so they can leave with a whole bouquet of flowers.  (Note: we can take some time in this class to arrange the cane slices into tiles or beads, but the class is mainly focused on making the canes, rather than using them.  Not all 8 canes will be completely caulked and reduced in class…there is much repetition in the process, and in order to teach as many caning techniques as possible, the repetitive steps are left for after class time.)
To register or learn more about this class please visit www.thebeadhouse.com/Lynne.html  

Personal embellishments - including jewelry, buttons, purses, and anything wearable

First place and Best of Show:  Lynne Ann Schwarzenberg
Second place:  Christi Friesen
Third place:  Judy Kuskin
Finalists:  Barbara Sperling and Christi Friesen 

Figurative sculpture - including human, fantasy, animal figures, and masks
First place:  Doreen Gay-Kassel
Second place:  Doreen Gay-Kassel
Third place:  Doreen Gay-Kassel
Finalists:  Chris Rutter and Layl McDill 

Non-figurative sculpture - including home decor, lamps, frames, etc.
First place:  Barbara Sperling
Second place:  Cathy Braulin
Third place:  Beth Wegener
Finalists:  Suzanne Ivester and Jana Roberts Benzon 

Containers, vessels, boxes, vases, baskets, bottles, bowls - anything that might contain something else
First place:  Barbara Sperling
Second place:  Karin Noyes
Third place:  Lindly Haunani
Finalists:  Karin Noyes (2 pieces) 

Dolls - must be at least 1/8 polymer clay

First place:  Lucky Stradley
Second place:  Lorie Follett
Third place:  Lorie Follett
Finalists:  Lucky Stradley and Lorie Follett 

Miniatures

First place:  Michele Raffaele
Second place:  Michele Raffaele
Third place:  Randi Taylor
Finalists:  Emily Blair (Junior Member) 

Beads and bead sets - any object or related setsthat are pierced by a hole, not finished jewelry

First place:  Lynne Ann Schwarzenberg
Second place:  Jana Roberts Benzon
Third place: Julie Picarello
Finalists:  Julie Picarello and Varda Levram-Ellisman 

Alternative use - polymer clay used in place oftraditional materials, prints, paint, wood, ceramic, etc.

First place:  Suzanne Ivester
Second place:  Denise Graham
Third place:  Judy Dunn
Finalists:  Denise Graham and Suzanne Ivester 

Mixed media - including journals, fabric arts andother work not falling into other categories

First place:  Heather Campbell
Second place:  Laurie Mika
Third place:   Laurie Mika
Finalists:  Carol Blackburn, Laurie Mika, and Dianne Quarles, (tie)
Congratulations to everyone!  I am so eager to see everyone else’s pieces!

Lynne’s Class in Leesburg  (And contrary to what the picture shows, I was not really choking Nancy out…nor losing my patience!  She’s a doll, and this pic is my favorite one from any class I’ve taught so far!)

I have to really buckle down now and work on production so that I will have lots of things ready for a couple of major shows I have signed on for in late 2007 and early 2008.  I will be exhibiting at the To Bead True Blue show in Tucson, AZ in February and will be applying for a booth at Bead and Button next year as well.  I better get my nose to the clay tile…Here are some of the newest tiles that I’ve made…they are just waiting to be set into faux wood pendants.

 Click the photos in the post for a better view.

I also want to express my congratulations to the other finalists and winners in the competition.  I am honored to be in the company of such talent!

While I’ve got your attention, go take a look at the websites of some of my fellow artists who also are finalists and are probably eagerly awaiting the news from the show like I am!

Julie Picarello

Jana Roberts Benzon

Barbara Fajardo

The class will be my 8 From 1: Intensive Flower Caning Workshop, and since the venue is very small will be an intimate setting with a lot of individual attention.  There are only 5 spots left, so if you would like to sign up, please contact Tricia soon!

Although this class sticks with my floral theme, it is a totally new concept in caning and surface design that allows you to use the same canes in different color themes, and works great with geometrics and other types of canes as well.  Click the photo for a larger view.

Click here for the materials list for the class.

I will be teaching my 8 From 1: Intensive Flower Caning Workshop with the Orlando Area Polymer Clay Guild on June 9-10. There are a few spots left, so if you would like to attend please contact me through the contact form, or Jeanne who is coordinating the class for the OAPCG. The cost of the class is $130 including the materials fee. The above photo shows the canes Jenny Patterson made in my class earlier this month in Minnesota. I can’t wait to see how she uses them in the beautiful Quilted in Clay pieces!

CLICK HERE FOR THE SUPPLIES LIST FOR THE CLASS