Creativity this week at the Studio

This was a busy and creative week at Upstairs Studio.  Monday is our "Art Coffee" or play day. We set up tables in the Gallery and work as a community. Sometimes we explore a new medium or technique-mixed media collage was a recent favorite and one we will revisit. Experimenting and sharing together is a great way to not only have fun but get fresh new inspiration and ideas that can be used in our usual mediums.
This week there were variety of activities on Monday.  We set out to make paper marigolds for next First Friday-we will be celebrating the Mexican observance of Dia de los Muertos along with the Government Hill 6th grade class. We also have paper plaster cast skulls to decorate for the event and a call for art related to Dia de los Muertos. Information is on our facebook page "The Upstairs Studio" about the call for art.
Kim brought in some frames she wanted to refinish, Erin is our resident expert and got her going sanding, distressing, painting and rubbing-wish I had before and after photos of her frames. They turned our great.  We think Erin is convinced it would be a good class to offer in the future.
Katie started working on her polymer clay flowers and we joined in helping her choose compositions of  shapes and colors to make her flowers. I had to buy one of the flowers that came out of it-a red poppy!

Getting going on projects in the Gallery

Polymer clay flower design

New flower ideas

Paper Marigolds

Erin working on a frame reclaim

The Puppets did not stop moving!

Our day of creating together ended with a Field Trip of the Winterberry Enrichment Program kids to see the working Studios and Gallery.  They were most impressed by the fused glass, polymer clay pasta machine and the Puppets.  The Puppets won them over completely,  Erin let them all play with her puppets and they finished by getting behind a draped table and pretending to put on a puppet show.  It was fun to see the imagination spark on as soon as each child got a puppet in their hands.