Mark your Calendar for First Friday Downtown, June 7!

The Studio will be *CLOSED* June 1-6 for family time, but we will be
OPEN for FIRST FRIDAY on June 7, 5-8 p.m..
Streets will be closed and much fun awaits! Special welcome and shopping for Dads & Dudes. See you then!
(We are at 811 Bay Street, # 3 – look for the sign on the sidewalk and trek up the stairs.)

Beaufort’s First Friday 5th Anniversary gets 15 Minutes of Fame!

I was thrilled artsyletters was the Spotlight Business for First Friday this month. And icing on the cupcake was this TV coverage from Lyndsey Gough of WTOC in Savannah! Enjoy a taste of the celebration. (Ignore the windblown hair!) Link and pictures below.

http://www.wtoc.com/2019/03/02/downtown-beaufort-celebrates-fifth-year-first-friday/

http://www.wtoc.com/2019/03/02/downtown-beaufort-celebrates-fifth-year-first-friday/
Rhonda and Bernadette from the City of Beaufort had no trouble finding takers for the yummy “5th Birthday” cupcakes!
(Had my own special sign and everything!)

Upcycled Ornament Workshop – Join Us!


It might still feel like summer, but technically, it’s fall – and the holidays will be here before we know it!  Kick the season off with a fun afternoon playing with vintage finds and creating with new friends.  Folks from my spring mixed media workshop at Coastal Art Supply (click here for their contact info) asked for more, so I’m offering an  Upcycled Holiday Ornament Workshop on Saturday, Oct. 13, from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

All materials provided, including vintage postage stamps, antique ribbon, vintage text, vintage brass file cabinet label holders, vintage beads and charms, and vintage clock chain!  Participants will learn collage tips and how to work with jump rings.

Make something for yourself, or to check off a name on your gift list!  Sign up at Coastal Art Supply in downtown Beaufort, SC, or contact me for more info.  :0)

Found Poem-Mixed Media Workshop Highlights!


What fun!  I was honored and thrilled to present a found poem-mixed media workshop here in Beaufort last week, downtown at Coastal Art Supply, just a block from my studio. We had a full table with nine folks, with lots of earnest creating and snips of scissors. (This was a more intimate version of the Found Poem Makerspace workshop I presented in Bellingham, Washington, in the fall of 2016 with a few dozen children’s poets and other brave creative souls. Revisit that link for more of the step-by-step process.)

DSC07450 group shot workshop 2018 03 p a

Our text for finding poems, also serving as our substrate (surface) were Edu-cards from the 1960s or so.  I offered a choice of “shell” or “butterfly,” with complementary vintage bookplates, postage stamps, and bits of stamped brass bling. Of course, the actual subject of the poem and visual elements were up to each artist!  That’s the fun part.  The art (made in just two hours!) was tucked into a 5X7 mat, ready to pop into a frame.

Jill made this gorgeous piece:

©Jill W.

©Jill W.

take a hike

in the spring encountering

Every roadway while

butterflies

rise in clouds

Being strong intelligent

they have 

ability

are

successful

©Jill W.

Yes!  Butterflies as strong and successful!

Jill and Sierra creating mixed media magic!

Jill and Sierra create mixed media magic!

For her collage, Jill’s daughter Sierra conjured up WONDER, from an Edu-card with text about a shell.  (I’m featuring this poem over on my author blog for Poetry Friday, too!)

©Sierra W.

©Sierra W.

WONDER

grace    beauty   perfect

strange

oriental

But, let’s stop and think.  Maybe it is

a builder

for 

ideas.

©Sierra W.

I just love that – and the cool tones and mysterious palette Sierra chose to illustrate it.

Kim Poovey reads her found poem as her mom, Karen, adds finishing touches..

Kim Poovey reads her found poem as her mom, Karen, adds finishing touches..

I was thrilled to have Kim Poovey, author and historic reenactress, join the party!  She came with her creative mother, Karen. In fact, we ended up with three mother-daughter sets – an extra fun element to our creative afternoon. Can you tell Kim is a novelist from her workshop piece below? She picked some lovely language, including “…winged creatures/fairies arising/ nightly wanderings/Luna glow….”

©Kim Poovey

©Kim Poovey

Here’s one last sample from the day – ALL of the pieces were unique and beautiful! This colorful creation is from Mikka Dutton:

©Mikka Dutton

©Mikka Dutton

I love that Mikka included the “From the Library Of” part of the bookplate(!) and followed that with some sassy introductory lines and images – “one courtly/highly prized/”hard to get”/as well…..”

I am always surprised and delighted by what folks come up with, and it’s magical to me to see individual personalities shine through the choices of words, elements, colors, and the particular combinations of all of these.

MANY thanks to all of our afternoon creators – and thank you for letting me share your work.  Thanks also for asking if I would offer another workshop sometime – I am DEFINITELY game!  :0) If you’d like me to keep your email address handy for info about future classes, toss me a line at Robyn@artsyletters.com

Art Workshop! Found Poem / Mixed Media class March 23 in downtown Beaufort, SC


 

Art Workshop with Robyn Hood Black of artsyletters March 2018 flyer 600 X 840

Want to learn fun tips and techniques to create a one-of-a-kind collage?  In this two-hour workshop, we’ll use vintage elements to make a found poem/mixed media piece matted to 5X7 and ready to frame.  Take what you learn with you to make more fun art on your own!  Several customers have asked for fun artsy-crafty class, and I’m delighted to offer this as my first class in Beaufort.

No experience required – just an interest in words, art, imagination, and magical creations.  I’ll supply scissors and adhesives & such in addition to all components.

Date:  March 23, 2018

Time:  1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Location:  Coastal Art Supply, 216 West Street, Beaufort, SC

Cost:  $35 includes all materials.  $15 deposit, refundable until March 22.  Sign up at Coastal Art Supply or with Robyn – robyn@artsyletters.com or 770-654-8104

(Minimum number of attendees required; maximum number of 10.)

What’s in store?  It will be a more intimate version of the workshop I offered in Bellingham, Washington, just over a year ago.  Click HERE for the blog post about it, including links to posts from participants!

Hope to see you there,

Robyn

Happy New Artsy Year!!


 

happy-2017-border-c

Greetings from the New Year side of the holidays!  Thanks to all my wonderful customers who’ve filled a stocking or two with artsyletters wares in recent years. It’s an honor to be a part of gift-giving traditions.

I look forward to creating all kinds of new items this year, and more of the offerings which need restocking.  My studio is my happy place. :0)  I’ll resume more “open” hours in February here in Beaufort on Bay Street (this month I’m hibernating with multiple creative writing projects and traveling some, too).  In the meantime, my Etsy shop is open 24-7.

Wishing you and yours an inspiring and creative 2017!

Ho Ho Ho – Studio/Shop Hours This Week


image

 

If you’re enjoying shopping in downtown Beaufort this week, stop in and say hello! I’ll be open Wed. through Friday afternoons from 1-4 pm, and possibly Christmas Eve too.  811 Bay Street #3.  Look for my sandwich board sign on the sidewalk. If it’s out, come on up. (If you don’t see it, save yourself the climb – ;0) ).

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

It’s NIGHT ON THE TOWN Time – Friday, Dec. 2!


 

anightonthetown-2016

There’s a nip in the air, and the calendar says it’s time to do some holiday celebrating and shopping!  Come by and say hello if you’re out and about in downtown Beaufort this weekend.  (My A-Frame sign will be down on the sidewalk when my studio is open.)  I’ll warm up some cider and have some goodies available Friday night, 6-9 p.m.

Jingle Jingle!