Art From The Heart of North Carolina - Dreams Come True at ARTworks Vass

Yesterday marked the one month anniversary of the dream-come-true that is ARTworks Vass.  The month flew, and we're enjoying the entire experience even more than we'd ever imagined. 

We love the classroom.  

We love the gallery.  

We love the special events.  

We love creating here.

We love our Artists in Residence.

We love the ART in all of its forms - Visual, Musical, Performing, Written, Culinary.

In fact, we love being even a small part of this wildly creative community!

Thank you to each of you near and far who have supported this dream.  To those who have listened, encouraged, laughed, cried, planned, supported, painted, built, created, displayed, worked, volunteered, cooked, attended, collected, promoted, performed, served, and generally loved us through our first month; thank you.  

We couldn't have done it without you, and we're looking forward to all that the future holds for us in this magical place.

Thank you for supporting ARTworks Vass.

Thank you for supporting ART from The Heart of North Carolina! 

I Am Home.

North Carolina's State Tree,
The Long Leaf Pine

Yesterday as I returned from a week away at our ReMe Retreat on Ocracoke Island, my heart began to fill as I passed the familiar farms and the beloved Long Leaf Pines of my hometown.

A small town whose city limits exist in the shape of a perfect circle, Vass, North Carolina, has been my home for thirteen years.  In Vass, we have two traffic lights, a Piggly Wiggly, and a precious old time hardware store.  Our population hovers at about a thousand people, and the areas that surround us have grown exponentially in recent years due to expansion on nearby Fort Bragg.

When I pulled into my driveway, I noticed that my husband, Ken, had been busy while I was away.  He'd cut and trimmed
our lawn multiple times, and unexpectedly arranged our yard art and planters.  He knows my heart and my quirky sense of humor in ways that still surprise me.

In the house, I was greeted by our geriatric dogs and cats... Penny, Coco, Gracie, Clark, and Patches.  We ate a light dinner on the couch, and I fell asleep soundly as soon as my head hit the pillow.

This morning I woke with the fondest memories of Ocracoke and the amazing individuals who graced me with their presence last week.  At the same time, I became keenly aware of a sense of comfort that had sunk into my bones.  This is Home.  At this moment, in this place, with the ones I love; I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.

Creative Studios NC - Classes With Connie Goodrum & Kristin Spurlock

We're off and running at Creative Studios NC, and I'm so excited about all that this means for each of us, and for our community at large.  During the process of opening the studio, I've had the privilege of meeting two new artist-friends, and each of them will be offering classes here on Saturday, October 24th.  You won't find these classes anywhere else, as each will be taught exclusively taught in our studio.  If you're in the area and available, please join us!

The first class is from 10:00 until 12:00 with Connie Goodrum.  In it she'll lead students in creating two - two page scrapbook layouts.  (That's right; four pages total!)  Each student will receive the Legacy Collection paper pack from Simple Stories along with 6 sheets of coordinating card stock. Connie will walk artists with all levels of experience through tips, techniques, cutting, layering, and design.  She asks that guests bring adhesive, a trimmer and scissors; and everything else will be provided.

The second class, Apron Art Doodling, will be offered from 2:00 until 4:00 on the same day by Kristin Spurlock.  In this class, each student will be provided with an apron of their very own, and they'll have full use of a wide range of Sharpie Markers throughout the class.  Students are also welcome to bring paint pens and other permanent markers for use in the class, and some will be available for sale in the studio.

As an added bonus, any student who registers for both the morning and afternoon class sessions will also be treated to two hours of free open studio time from 12:00 until 2:00.  During this time guests will have full use of our working studio space and tools too.  

For more detailed information about both classes, and to register, please call Jan McClay at 910-245-4129 or email her at jan@creativestudiosnc.com , or visit Creative Studios NC Online.