Retirement: Online Art Workshops

I feel like it's been weeks since I posted and yet it was only a few days ago.
I'm getting ready to go up to Danville, CA this weekend-Stampers Warehouse for classes. Can't wait! It's one of my favorite stores and places to teach at. I always manage to get into trouble there and am hoping I don't this time -LOL, yet Phyllis always manages to find new goodies!

Lately I have found that my favorite supplies to use are my pens (like my Sharpie poster paint pens), a couple of tubes of acrylics; a glue stick (so called "permanent" ones); scissors; "found" collage stuff-paper "ephemera" in my purse, scraps from my table, etc...; and my caran d'ache neo art crayons. Some days all I need are a couple of collage scraps and a glue stick. Of all the supplies I have these are the things that I reach for again and again. I always like to use my rubber stamps-but they tend to be "backgroundy type things"-word fragments, postoids, figure sketches, repetitive images, etc... over and over and over again-how many times can I use the same stamp? Lots I am finding over the years ;)

I've been finding lots of inspiration from "street art" aka graffitti art. There are a plethora of books devoted to the art form these days. Amazing how many artists that there are in the world, huh? What would it be like if there were art centers-with plenty of paint, paper, canvas, wood, glue, -whatever-for people to experiment and explore with on a daily basis? What if we all reconnected with each other instead of going home nightly and being glued to the TV or the computer? What was life like before the TV? Before the radio? What were the days like when people gathered on their porches, in front of their homes, on their stoops, in their living rooms-people actually sat with their neighbors and TALKED. Now a days we don't even KNOW our neighbors. I live in an apartment building-the same building for the past 10 years. There are a couple of people in here that I talk to-the ones that have been living here as long (or longer) as I have...but the new ones-the new ones almost all are grumpy and want nothing to do with anyone. A smile or a "hi" gets a grumble or a frown instead of a hi? What kind of a world is that?? Any ways, we don't know our neighbors. People look at you with suspicion now a days when you smile or say hi...it's like you want something. I guess the only thing that would be nice is a smile or a "hi" in return...

My thoughts for the day...