Ginny's Small Studio

Odd Bits

John and I like to make things. We like to make things together. We sit at my work table in my art room and work at the same time. Sometimes we pass the project back and forth each of us adding or amending the work of the other. That is how we make our punky birds. They were a hit last year in the store and we had so much fun making them, each one different. Here is this year's flock so far. We will let you know when they land at the store:

My bonus daughter-in-law, Jessica, gifted me with this beautiful vase last November when the family was here for Thanksgiving. I adore this vase. Just a few flowers look like a bunch since the vase is narrow. I love the lines.

Store News:

Aimee Kluiber will be teaching her "Faces" class April 20th 9-11 ($15). This is an expanded version of the original class as requested.

Our next FREE Play Day is April 20th from 11-4. Call the store to reserve your seat. 440-808-8599

Margaret Bakke will be teaching an Envelope Book construction class on April 27th. Don't miss it!

Upcoming Workshops:

May 3-5 Tory Brokenshire

May 16-19 Michael deMeng

May 16-18 Andrea Matus demeng

June 7-9 Dan Essig

July 27-28 Carol Owen

Aug 2-4 MaryJo McGraw

Sept 21-22 Ingrid Dijkers

Oct 18-24 Keith Lo Bue

I leave you with this:

Odd Bits

This photo is for my brother Doug and sister-in-law Leslie who visited us last Oct when there was very little Fall color. This year is absolutely beautiful.

Below is baby Orlando playing with our Halloween decorations. So cute.

I have been working on the workshop line-up for 2013. So far we have: Keith Lobue Michael deMeng Andrea Matus deMeng Dan Essig Teesha Moore Tracy Moore MaryBeth Shaw and Julie Snidle Carol Owen Ingrid Dijkers

Save up your pennies for a wonderful year.

Farewell Keith Lobue

We dropped Keith off at the airport early this morning. We laughed. We cried. We will miss him. Keith is a very special, kind, wonderful and talented human being. He has promised to return again next year, maybe for an entire week of instruction.

Here is a photo of Keith and John signing their masterpiece. They sure had fun making it together...like two little boys, especially when they had to run to the hardware store for supplies. I swear they were both skipping out the door, giggling. Come by and have a look at my new and original piece of art.

Last night we had dinner at the Cabin Club in Westlake, a favorite of ours. Keith took this cool shot of us with his iPhone:

I spent the day unpacking goods and arranging and rearranging. Here are some of our new things.

Beautifully handmade dolls with great details and character by Julie Stowe. They would make wonderful Christmas presents.

New designer ribbons for you to play with:

New to the store is this light, floral fragrance line in dark and quirky packaging. Chose parfum, handcreme or lip balm.

We have fun Halloween decorations:

I know landscape photos are boring, but just look at this wonderful sunset we saw on the way home tonight.

I would love to see you at the store SMALL STUDIO 26113 Detroit Road Westlake OH 440-808-8599 Open 10-6 Tues-Thur, 10-5 Fri and Sat

Keith Lobue: A-W-E-S-O-M-E

This post is going to be mostly photos. The weekend with Keith was just wonderful. Full classes. Happy students. Delightful and talented instructor. Happy shopkeeper.

Students diligently working.

Some of Keith's beautiful jewelry.

Entrapment! Students loved making these cages.

Keith and his stylin'trousers.

Work in progress.

Keith with assists from John, spent the day constructing a mobile for the store. Now Small Studio has a cool "Good Junk" mobile made from product available at the store, hanging from the ceiling. Keith, you are awesome. You too, John.

Other People's Art

Sophie Cave's Head Installation:

Burnell Yow walks through this door to get to his studio. Inspiring:

Banksy street art, of course:

Unknown sand artist, but very appreciated:

Unknown "Dust" artist:

Love surfing the net for art.

Keith Lobue is next up for our last Small Studio Workshop Series event. There are just a few spots left.

Show of Hands

Let's have a show of hands.

How many people are ready for Fall? I am looking forward to a chill in the air, the smell of a fire in the fireplace, a pot of soup and cozy sweaters.

How many people are ready for the elections to be over? I have nothing more to say about this.

How many people are signed up for Keith Lobue's workshops next month here at Small Studio? Don't miss this last workshop of the 2012 Workshop Series season. Keith is an awesome person, artist and instructor.

How many of you are signed up for our Zentangle class tomorrow with Launie? This is the first in a series of Zentangle classes here at Small Studio.

How many people are stopping by Small Studio today to get one of these cool hands that John just found at last week's antique swap meets?

Small Studio at Jefferson Square 26113 Detroit Road Westlake OH

Some New(s)

A group of ladies came to the store on Saturday. It was hot and they needed to keep cool. They lined up their drinks on the front counter and hit the store running. It was great fun having these ladies led by Teri Whidden back again.

We had another group of ladies show up on Friday. These ladies are pretty laid back and require no hydration. They are hoping to go home with you and just sit around at your house.

John and I finished the last of the birds and they are ready to go to The Summer Market next week at Veteran's Park in Avon Lake. It begins Friday night at 5pm and continues Saturday until 4pm.

WORKSHOP NEWS

Altered Books with Carol Owen is this coming Saturday and Sunday. Don't miss this if books and fun are your thing.

In August we host Teesha and Tracy Moore. We are moving Tracy's workshop to a larger venue to accommodate the wait list people (I will contact you on Tuesday) and a few more lucky souls who may want to sign up. Everyone in these classes will be contacted about directions. There are also a few spaces left in Teesha's Saturday DayPlanner and Sunday's Hand Stitched classes.

In September we have Ingrid Dijkers with 2 one day workshops and Pam Sussman with two one-day workshops. Books, collage, boxes, journals and wonderful fun with both of these ladies. All classes have space in them.

In October, the unique and wonderful Keith Lobue joins us again for three days. Go read all about these workshops on our site and his.

Monday, Monday

What a glorious morning it is here in Northern Ohio. The view from the deck:

And my Hydrangeas are in bloom:

Doesn't all this renewal make you want to learn and create?

Well, my friends, get your act together and sign up for the following instructors in our workshop series at Small Studio here in the Cleveland area.

July 28-29 Carol Owen teaching Altered Books

Aug 24, 25, 26 Teesha Moore teaching Collage and Journals

Aug 24, 25, 26 Tracy Moore teaching Bookbinding, Jewelry and Journals

Sept 21, 22, 23 Pam Sussman teaching Bookbinding

Oct 5, 6, 7 Keith Lobue teaching Metalworking and Jewelry

What are you waiting for? An invitation? Here it is. We have so much fun at these workshops with a whole weekend and just one or two instructors. Most are multiple one day workshops with a couple of exceptions. All photos, descriptions and other details are online at our website. We would love for you to join us.

Let's Talk Workshops

Registrations are coming into the shop on a regular basis for the Small Studio Workshop Series. They are arriving from Michigan, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Arizona, New York, Texas and other far away places. They are not coming in the same numbers from Cleveland, lakewood, Rocky River or Westlake.  This was a common occurance when I hosted Art Continuum too.  I don't understand why. I am happy that people want to travel here to take classes from all these wonderful instructors, but local people who do not have to go to the expense of travel and lodging seem to take the opportunity lightly.  Any comments?

Here is the line-up. Registration is open and simple. Links to their blogs/websites are on the left of this post.

May 4-6th, Leighanna Light

June 1-3rd, Michael DeMeng and Andrea Matus

July 28-29th, Carol Owen

Aug 24-26th, Teesha and Tracy Moore

Sept 21-23rd, Pam Sussman

Oct 5-7th, Keith Lobue

All workshops have openings although some are getting close to being full.

I have been working on store classes too and I am excited to offer you in the coming months classes beginning in April by Barbe Saint John who will be a regular Small Studio instructor.

And Ingrid Dijkers is coming in April, who I also hope to entice to be a regular visiting instructor at Small Studio.  Info for both instructors will be online in the next day or two.

My local customers are so lucky to have all this talent available so close by.

Small Studio

You guys are pretty funny.  Tracey:  John is not laying new flooring although looking back at the photo from yesterday, one could think that.  No, John is measuring and measuring and measuring.  

Because....

We signed a lease today on a new store!  Small Studio will be a brick and mortar store. I am over the top excited and so is John. We have not stopped talking about what we will do with the new space.

We will have a classroom in about half of the space.  We already have Keith Lobue, Michael DeMeng, Andrea Matus, Pam Sussman, Teesha and Tracy Moore lined up for the summer. John has strong opinions on how the classroom should be designed since he taught high school art for many, many years.

We will sell paper goods and artsy goods and vintage goods and gifty goods. You know, all the stuff we like and want.  

Stay tuned for updates.  It will take us awhile to change what appears to be some sort of carpeted race track into a viable fun and creative store space.

We can't wait for you to come visit.

Odds and Ends

Last week we filled our room at the antique mall with 1920s linen bus numbers.  They sold the next day. Back we went and put up the remainder and that same day all the single numbers sold...all 17 of them! So again we spent our week cutting and framing bits of those rolling signs that tell one where the transport is going. Our wall at Brothers Antique Mall (Medina OH) is now loaded with 1940s London bus signs.  I forgot to take my camera so you will just have to be satisfied with seeing the one that came home because it wouldn't fit on the wall.

I am so enamoured with these signs and we have quite a few to sell at our antique mall shop. Too big to ship. Sorry.

John and I really enjoyed the Small Studio Workshop Series that we did in 2010.  We had to cancel it for this year due to some pesky medical stuff, but we are planning our Series again for 2012 and we have lined up Keith Lobue and Michael deMeng already! All info will be available on this blog when dates have been confirmed.  I am awaiting word from other instructors.

Last, but certainly not least, I am abandoning John for a whole week while I go make books at Pam Sussman's.  She hosts and teaches 6 students in her home studio for a one week intensive workshop.

Here is what I made last time:

I can't wait.  Working with Pam is always fun, well organised and so instructive.  I haven't made anything artsy in quite awhile so I am excited to begin.

While I am gone my etsy shops will be closed and will reopen Aug 27th or 28th. 

Odds and Ends

Keith was successfully launched toward home this afternoon complete with three huge suitcases and two carry-ons.  We really enjoyed his visit.  Keith is like one of the family.  We will miss him, but at least we have his two blogs to read. Have you seen his newest blog "Stuff Smith Times"?  Currently he has a post with a number of music covers that he designed before he became Lo Bue Art full time.  Go have a look.

While Keith was here, I received a book I had ordered after reading about it on Kelly Kilmer's blog.  Kelly always costs me a bunch of dollars because she finds the most interesting things.

It is the true story of mail art pioneer Reginald Bray who in 1898 began testing the British postal system regulations by mailing all sorts of objects adorned only with a postage stamp. Eventually he mailed himself. Keith was so taken by it that I gave him my book and ordered another from Amazon.  It came the next day! It is full of interesting illustrations.

Kelly also posted a note about Vintage Magazine.  I ordered it and received it.  This is also very interesting.

 It is an oversize magazine and appears to be hand-bound and includes all types of inclusions like this book within a book:

And this shopping bag with pull-out story:

There are pop-out ads, folded pages and a number of different types of paper within the magazine.  The only trouble I found with it was that I could not discern the focus or the purpose of the magazine.  There were stories and articles about old hotels and old typewriters, but nothing really held together for me. Has anyone else read Vintage Magazine?

 

Papering Over with Keith Lo Bue

A wonderful workshop today again with Keith.  I am so sorry to see the weekend end.  I learned so much that my head is ready to explode.  John and I are going to have spend some time this week doing all the techniques so we do not forget them all.

Below a bunch of photos of workshop student work:

A few of the students had already packed up their work by the time I got around to photograph everyone.  It was a wonderful workshop weekend and a wonderful week with Keith.  He is an excellent instructor, a talented artist and generous friend.  John and I are really going to miss him when he leaves tomorrow.  Thank you so much Keith.  We love you.

We are hoping that Keith will return next year to teach a Small Studio Workshop.  Yes, you heard correctly.  John and I have decided to do this again next year.  With only Lynne Perrella's workshop left, we find we don't want it to end, so....

Etching With Keith Lo Bue

What a fabulous two day class with Keith this has been.  We all hated it to end.  This was a technique workshop without the intent to actually make a finished project.  We worked through several ways to etch on metals and patina metals. If I say I loved the class, I would have to triple that emotion for John. He had an absolutely great time.  Here are just a few examples of what some of the etchings on metal looked like:

I will have more tomorrow night after our last workshop with Keith.

Our next workshops are the first weekend in November with Lynne Perrella. There are still a few spaces in the two day workshop: The Robes of Autumn

 

I Don't Care (Keith Lo Bue)

I don't care too much that some of the other students had cooler stuff than I did.

Keith didn't seem to care too much that his students seem to fall asleep half way through his demo lecture.

None of us seem to care too much that Keith had a 3:30 meltdown 

We had students from Ohio, Canada and California and what we all cared about was that we learned how to etch using copy machine prints and using rubber stamps today.  Everyone worked hard, learned, laughed and created the beginnings of something cool.  I can't wait for tomorrow to see what else we can do.  

I am Not Sure (Keith Lo Bue)

Photographic proof of Keith's obsession with making morning expresso.  See the tiny whip he is using in the pitcher for the hot milk.  See the intense concentration and irritation at being interrupted in his quest for the perfect cuppa?  I am not sure if he can speak before the cup of expresso.

We got an advance look at Keith's jewelry.  Photographs do not reveal how wonderful the jewelry feels in your hand or around your neck.  Photographs cannot do justice to the detail, the reverse side (just as wonderful as the front side) or to the careful detail and story that each piece projects.  I am not sure if anyone can come close to his talent.  Enjoy:

This evening the three of us went to an opening exhibit at The Morgan Conservatory.  You readers know how much I respect and enjoy the Morgan.  I was excited to introduce Keith to our friends there.  The show consisted of an exhibit of abecedarian books wood block prints.  Below are some pics of our evening starting with a 20 foot print:

Keith and I wearing our original Lo Bue neckwear. His is a spectacular new piece he has recently completed and I am wearing a piece from the late 90s.  I have always loved owning this piece. We had a great time at the Morgan, but Keith is like a baby.  He hears the hum of the car motor and he os off to sleep.  I am not sure, but I think he may be suffering from jet lag.....thank goodness for seat belts.

 

When we got home tonight Keith shared his collection of 3-D slides.  The camera has two lenses located the same distance apart as human eyes.  When viewed through the special viewer, the pictures are perfectly 3-D.  Eat your heart our Mike Meador and Tracy Moore.  This is very cool.  Now John wants to pursue this too.  

John and Keith are in the man room playing their nightly pool tournament. I am not sure, but I think they are having a great time.  There is a lot of yelling and laughing wafting up the stairs.

Workshops begin tomorrow.  We are all set up and ready to go.

 

I Don't Know

The day started out okay with a good breakfast and our dear houseguest, Keith Lo Bue making John an expresso using Keith's own handy dandy mini expresso maker that he travels with.  Who travels with their own expresso maker?  Mr. Lo Bue apparently.  It is a beautiful little machine.  We did a few things around the house like Keith hooking up our wireless system.  Keith showing me how to use my Photoshop program. Keith giving up on teaching me the Photoshop program.  Keith photoshopping some things for us. And so on. I don't know, but I think we all were having a good time.

Then after lunch this is all the three of us saw for most of the afternoon:

We had a long list of errands to complete for Keith and for the upcoming workshops.  We laughed, we talked, we told stories, we laughed some more in the car.  Then after the first hour Keith remarked what a good time he was having:

They were HIS errands.  I don't know.  Do you think he was having a good time?  He wouldn't lie to me, I am sure. We go back quite a few years, maybe twelve or fifteen.

Awhile later I looked back and he definitely was enjoying himself.  What a uper guest. Never complains, although the errands were all his errands.

I don't know.....

No cameras were harmed in the taking of these photographs.

You have just a day to arrange coming to his workshops here and then he goes back to Australia.  This is his last US appearance this year.

 

 

A Few Things

Have I mentioned my dear friend Keith is arriving in less than 48 hours?  I can't wait.  Keith is a wonderful guy, full of humor, talent, charm and just a bit of quirkiness.  But then you already know all that.  I am so pleased that we get to spend a little time together to catch up before the Small Studio Workshops.

I own a few Keith pieces, but the very first one in my collection is an old piece of his that became mine in 1998. The man in the photo reminds me of my dad. Keith has gone on to much more complicated and intense pieces, but I still love this little piece that started my collection.

There are still a few spaces left in his workshops.  E-mail me if you want to be a last minute addition. John and I are taking the workshops also.  John took a few jewelry and metalwork classes in college a few lifetimes ago, but this will all be new to me. I am a total novice.  So don't be afraid to join us if you are also inexperienced.  And if you are already experienced, there will be plenty of opportunity to learn new techniques in these workshops.

We went to see Social Network this afternoon.  It is a good movie, but made me wonder why we support Facebook.  Oh yeah, it is fun and I get to easily stay in touch with a zillion friends and family.

Several of you dear readers have e-mailed me for my Tortilla Soup recipe.  I must admit that it is a mix. I follow the directions, adding cooked chicken and a bit more cheddar cheese into the soup.  I cook up some white corn tortilla strips to add to the top.  It is really an excellent soup.  I used to buy the mix at my local CA Von's, but here in OH, I have not found it on the shelves and so I order it online.  Several companies carry it.  Here is a pic of the triangular shaped Turtle Island Tortilla Soup con queso box:

Don't Get Your Panties in a Twist

In my ever vigilante quest to bring you the unique in chandeliers I offer you this:

My niece, Eithne,  in Ireland found this unique chandelier via this site. It is really an art installation, but very cool.  

John and I spent the day trying to fulfill our supply list for Keith Lo Bue's workshop coming up in  two weeks here. John found a scrap metal place not too far a drive from us. I am pretty much a girlie-girl.  I don't like to get too dirty, I hate spiders and try to avoid creepy places.  The scrap metal building was filled with guy stuff.  Barrels and bins were filled with motor parts, huge sections of old machinery, shreds of metal, wire bundles and other dirty, sharp, creepy stuff.  John was in scavenger heaven. I swear I heard him actually say "Arggghhh".  John started pulling out brass scraps and copper tubes and brass goodies and metal thingies until the pile was pretty big.  They charge by the pound and the pile was much heavier and much more expensive than I thought it should be, but then I am just a girl.  John thought it was a bargain.  He piled it in the trunk and the back seat.  Thank goodness we had a supply of wet-naps to clean out hands.  As antiquers we never are without hand cleaners. We hadn't traveled more than a mile or two before we were overcome with the oily smells. We stopped and John made room in the trunk for everything. Aside from the dirt, it was interesting to talk to the guys working at the scrap place.  They buy all scrap and resell it to small manufacturers who make the scrap into something else. Great recycling.  Great education.  Great adventure.

Keith Lo Bue

There is still time to sign up for the Ohio portion of Keith's Fall Tour.

Keith will be teaching a two day workshop on Sat-Sun, Oct 16-17th and a one day workshop on Oct 18. 

Go here to register: Workshops. 

The last workshop of the series will be Lynne Perrella and you may sign up for her classes now also.

Bookish Things to Look At

Don't Forget to Sign Up for Keith Lo Bue's Workshops Coming in October and Lynne Perrella's Workshop Coming in November.    

 

Do You Believe in Angels?

Years ago I heard Oprah say that she had a team of angels. Some were for keeping her safe. Some were to guide her decisions and some were to help her find her shoes in the morning.  I always liked that concept. Shoe Angels.  That certainly takes all the responsibility off one's shoulders for even the smallest problem. I think many of our everyday problems are a lack of taking responsibility.We all play the victim sometime in our lives.  It is energy draining and deteriorates our character. 

Clutter is energy draining, too.  I really, really try to put things away, but somehow they come back out again. I swear that they do it on their own.

We spent the evening with my son Tim, wife Karen and their two boys.  Joey and Tony are 8 and 10. They are obsessed with sports, reading and goofy jokes. I love their exuberance, innocence, quick laughter and affectionate natures. They are this way because of their innate personalities, but also because of the gentle and respectful way their parents treat them. Joey almost beat John at chess.  Tony declared that our house was perfect, except we did not have Wii and since they are only allowed to play on the weekends, this was an important point. I was happy to be around a dinner table with family and know they are okay and happy.  Now if only our other kids could stop by for a visit, dinner and hugs.

By the way the angel above is from Ballard catalog, the necklace she wears is an original Keith Lo Bue piece and the rusted sphere at her feet is a very heavy ball bearing (we think) that was dug up by Susan Kelley (Morgan Conservatory) near Lake Erie and gifted to me this summer.

Keith Lo Bue

Keith and I have been friends for years.  He grew up in the same part of CT that I brought my kids up. The first time I saw a piece of Keith's work was 1992 or 93 when he was part of an exhibit in Westport CT where I lived at the time.  The exhibit was called "The Boxists" and included many local artists. Keith's piece caught my eye and stayed with me.

A couple of years later I found myself living in Ohio and planning the first Art Continuum.  I looked up Keith on the internet and e-mailed him to ask if he taught and, if so, would he teach for me. His response was kind, but firm that since he lived in Australia, he could not.  Bummer.

I asked again the next year with the same response.  Then one day I answered the phone at the store and it was Keith.  He was in the US and had a free weekend.  Did I want him to teach at my store?  Did I???? Of course.  I gathered together a good group for him, many of which were close friends of mine. We were relentless pushing him to say yes he would teach at AC.  Mike Meador was among the students and he made Keith laugh so much that Keith agreed to be added to the instructor's roster.  He taught at Art Continuum every year thereafter. Several other instructors joined us at Keith's prodding (Dan Essig being one) and I have been so grateful to Keith.  He and I have remained friends ever since, but then Keith remains friends with everyone he meets.  He is one of the truly good guys and truly an original. 

Keith returns to Ohio to teach in October for Small Studio. There are a few spaces remaining in each of the two workshops he is teaching.  Go here for complete info and registration form. 

Thanks for the responses to yesterday's post.  I will look up the suggested books and video. 

 

Ingrid Dijkers Workshop

 

What a wonderful weekend here at the Small Studio Workshop event.  Ingrid Dijkers came, showed us her beautiful books and showed us many techniques that we can incorporate into future projects.  Ingrid is a delightful woman, full of smiles and laughter.  Thank you Ingrid for a great time and thank you to all the students who joined us this weekend.  You were a very special group!

Enjoy the random selection of photos:

Next up in the workshop series is Keith Lobue October 16, 17 &18.  You will not want to miss this!   

    

Small Studio Workshop Series

SMALL STUDIO WORKSHOP SERIES: I have a friend who celebrates her birthday all month.  I love that idea and being one who likes to go one step further I decided to celebrate my birthday all year this year. It happens to be not only one of those landmark birthdays for me but also marks our 5 year wedding anniversary. What do I want for my birthday, you ask? What do we want to do to celebrate our anniversary?  We talked it over and decided that we want to learn stuff.  We started with learning how to solder (Kathy Herda, thank you again) this month. Then we decided we want to take classes from as many of my favorite instructors as possible: Pam Sussman, Michael deMeng, Teesha and Tracy Moore, Ingrid Dijkers, Linda and Opie O'Brien, Keith Lobue and Lynne Perrella.  So I invited them over to play. Good News!  They all said yes! Better News! You get to come too!  Each month from May to November we will be hosting one of the instructors, or two as in the case of Teesha and Tracy.  For three days each month we can learn and play from one of these greats.  Come join us.  Read through the workshop descriptions. Pick the ones you want. Fill out the registration form and mail it.  Then sit back and gather your supplies and anticipate the fun. We are really looking forward to not only taking the workshops but also sitting next to you in class.

Here is the link to get to the workshops.

Links to instructors websites are on the left column of this blog.

Logo designed by David Simon. David is a Cleveland Graphic artist who has illustrated a number of books, book jackets and numerous ad campaigns for large companies.  He taught at Creative Block and Art Continuum. David designed over 150 Stampers Anonymous stamps when I owned that company. He is an all around talented and great guy and I am proud to call him a friend.