My womens art gathering from back in August (Click HERE to see the post about it)has continued and is giving birth to some new opportunities! Sharon will be hosting another one (a Ceramics one) next and hopefully with some deliberate intentions on my part we will have our over night retreat soon! We need to name ourselves still, but so far Creatively Conscious has stuck!

Sharon reading her quote

Busy Bees - Mandi, Linda and Esther (my momma)

Kesha working on her design

Sharon working on a silkscreen with glitter

Sharon's card

The Art & Design Girls (highschool mates)

This weekend I get to start my holiday vacation with a blast- the continuum of my Creatively Conscious Ladies Art Class! During our last August Retreat day we started Altered Books, which can be very much like a sketchbook or more highly resolved pieces of art. I just realized there are many pages of which I never shared here- so I thought it seemed to be a fine time to do so.

My altered book cover by m.diaz

Altered Page

altered page by m.diaz

matador altered pages by m.diaz

Barren Queen altered page 1 by m.diaz

Barren Queen altered page2 by m.diaz

altered page by m.diaz

Ausencia altered page by m.diaz

Rue de Reves altered page by m.diaz

Would have been nice if I would have shown you what the book looked like before I messed with it! Well hope you enjoy!

With a jam-packed, super-loaded day of original rubberstamp carving and altered book-making, my first women's art retreat was a great success! Our only need - more time of course!

This is why I my original intent was a weekend retreat, because I've always known the work there is for us to do in claiming our right to a creative life despite our daily demands is just so great! But no worries there is always NEXT TIME!!!

Powerpoint for Retreat Beginning- Sharon, Linda and Manon in front Sharon at work Sharon's Station The beginning of Annamarias book cover Luz and her station Visual journalling prompts for book altering beyond the day of retreat! Linda at work Lindas station Annamaria working Sharon working All my rubberstamps and our option supplies table Naaja, her self portrait stamp and her print in her altered book Annamaria's cover almost but not completely Manons cover in progress detail shot of crackle effect on Manon's cover Naaja working in her book with alcohol inks All of us Creatively Consious girls- back row Manon, Sharon, Naaja & Annamaria- Front row -me, Linda & Luz

So along with saying goodbye to one of the best summers in a while and adding an insane amount of color onto the chicken coop, saying farewell to the college bound in my life and working on my physical self, I have just developed a mini one day Women's Art Retreat to kiss away the year. I hope it is the first of many.

I am super happy with the write up, a two page brochure, which you can see by clicking here:

I only feel remiss about the space limitations of 7 participants which is practically complete pending on one last confirmation. But like I said, hopefully this is just the beginning of many more in a variety of locations.

Caring deeply about empowering women to live with confidence and creativity in their daily lives is something that I am very passionate about. On too many occasions I find myself coaching women who I know are bursting at the seams with untapped potential to let it out and shine. So why not create a master place and time for it? Better yet, why not set a day to support, playfully push, creatively prod and unleash each other!

This weekend's class will use press-less printmaking techniques and the altered book as a vehicle for expression, investigation and rejuvenation. Altered books allow for so much creative versatility and are the perfect fusion between sketchbook and journalling. The following pics are some examples of altered books done my hub and I.

Being the artist/cook that he is, my hub is making tea-sandwiches despite the fact that he will not be attending the day!

I've developed a syllabi and lesson plan for the day that is enlightening despite skill and comfortability level. I just can't wait!

I'll be sure to document it all here so that you can join us despite distance.

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Ciao Amarettogirl