2013 classes so far

Cold-Enameled Heart Necklace class. Learn all new enameling techniques for adding color to metal and also advanced resin techniques as well.

I’m still working on building my new website. My goal is for it to be up and running by Jan. 10. which is the in-store date for Making Metal Jewelry. The site will have a gallery of my work, my class schedule, an option to purchase signed copies of my books, etc. Since I’ve been getting questions on my Facebook wall about next year’s teaching schedule, I thought I better put it on the blog now.

Susan and myself and many of the ICE Resin team will be at the Craft and Hobby Association trade show in Anaheim Jan. 11-15. Susan and Kristen are teaching sold-out workshops during the show and I’ll be in the background helping them TA since the classes are maxed out at 50 people. This trade show is open only to members of the crafts industry and is one of the big shows we do each year to introduce our new products. We have some amazing new things coming out next year and are thrilled for this show to get here.

Then, a mere two weeks after CHA, we’re heading to the Tucson gem show — To Bead True Blue — where the team is teaching lots of interesting workshops. If you love making jewelry and you’ve never managed to get to Tucson in February, I suggest you put it on your bucket list right now and find a way to make it happen. Anything and everything with gems, minerals, beads and unique objects is found and focused on at these shows. I’ll be teaching five classes in Tucson and registration is going on now.

Feb. 28-March 3, I’m excited to be teaching classes at Linda Young’s event Adorn Me in Houston, Texas. There are still spots left in many of the classes, all featuring metalwork and/or mixed-media jewelry with top instructors. Take a peek at the workshops here. A couple of classes, such as  So You Want to Write a Book, are classes I’m only teaching at this event for 2013.

I’m thrilled to be back for my third year at CREATE, hosted by Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine in Orange County, California. I love this show so much because the event organizers always let me teach both straight mixed-media and also mixed-media jewelry classes. I’m thrilled to be doing a journal, as well as some very cool new classes using our brand-new products and techniques that we’re introducing at CHA and Tucson. Registration for this event just opened yesterday, and my journal was featured on the announcement email. So very cool to see as an instructor! I’m in such amazing company at this event and a few of the instructors are my very dear friends. I get a smile on my face every time I realize I’m going to get to see them very soon.

The last event to tell you about for now is the Bead and Button Show in Milwaukee. This is another one of our annual big shows for ICE Resin. I’ve been at the show the past three years with our company, but this is the first time I’ll be teaching there as an instructor. Honestly, this is an event I never thought I would be instructing since it’s home to many of the best of the best master silversmiths and jewelers. It was kind of a pinch me moment when the acceptance email came in. I’ll be teaching resin, of course. (grin)

There are a couple more events I’ve applied to that haven’t been announced. I’ll be adding those to the calendar as soon as I hear (fingers crossed) that I’ve been accepted. Just a little note on this, I’ll be writing a future column on the teaching application process for those of you who wonder how this all comes to pass. I did write a basic one for CreateMixedMedia last year. If you didn’t get a chance to see it, you can click over to my columns on the website.

For any of you whom are thinking of going to an art retreat for the first time, but are maybe wondering if you can afford it or if it’s worth the time and expense, let me tell you they are! When I fell in love with mixed-media all those years ago, it was these retreats and the amazing, giving and wonderful instructors that set me on my path. It was a journey that’s been life altering for me, and I’ve seen the same story told again and again for many others.

Here’s wishing you a truly Artful day as you head into the final stretch of the Holiday season.

Handling Fear as an Artist

This month’s column for CreateMixedMedia.com I’m talking about fear, well more about handling fear by gathering the courage to take a giant leap in your creative journey as an artist.

I share a story in the column about my recent experience of writing a book. Since I don’t want to give it away, you’re going to have to head on over to the website to read more. But I can tell you this, now that my manuscript and images are turned in, I’m breathing a HUGE sigh of relief. It really is a labor of love. So much introspection comes up during the process that there is no way to write a book and not be forever changed by the experience.

Thanks for stopping by today. I truly wish you an Artful day!

A few more days on CMM

 

This month’s column for CreateMixedMedia.com is still up on the homepage for a few more days, if you haven’t had a chance to read it yet. I talked about my new Toms Shoes (pic above, aren’t they cute?), a gift from my sister and then worked my way into giving away your art to charity and how it’s really a wonderful marketing opportunity if done properly. I know it seems like a stretch, but I somehow made it work. You can find a direct link to it here.

In other news, I am working hard on my manuscript and there just doesn’t seem to be enough writing/working hours in the day. I’m sorry to have to say this, but my blog is going to start getting a bit neglected again. It’s going to be worth it though, in the end, because I’m SOOOO dang excited with how my book is coming together so far.

The pieces are made, I’ve taken the photos of projects (called Beauty Shots) and worked through some cover image options with my wonderful editor. Now, I have to write, write, write.

Please bear with me over the next few weeks. I haven’t left. I’m just taking a “strategic break” from social media. Wink to my friend Laura Fraderich, who taught be this very useful term and life lesson last month!

Here’s wishing you a truly Artful week!

 

I’m up on CreateMixedMedia.com

My January column is now up on CreateMixedMedia.com. This month, I’m talking about something rather serious, such as what happens when you find yourself  either stuck in a non-creative job, or worse, laid off from a job you may or may not love. It’s not so much that have a ton of answers with this column, but I am asking some questions that might help someone in this type of situation gain a new perspective.

I got the idea from my Facebook friend Laura Fraderich, who found herself in exactly this kind of situation. How she overcame her experience and what happened to change her life in a new, positive way is such an inspiration to me that I had to share with others. Since, it’s Laura’s story to tell and not mine, here’s a link to her blog post on the subject.

If you have some time, please check out my column and also Laura’s post. As always, I hope you find something in my words that you can relate to. The column stays up for a week. I’d love if you share the link with other people whom you think might enjoy it.

 Thanks and have a truly Artful day!

Teaching Q&A’s

The best part about teaching is seeing students get in the new techniques. Here is my fellow instructor Liz Hicks and the so talented Camille McClelland, ask Wonder Cam

My December column is live as of today on CreateMixedMedia.com. Since I’ve just returned from the most amazing time being one of 3 instructors at Seaside Soiree, I thought I would tackle the topic of teaching. It’s a subject I know many people are interested it, so I give some insight as to how I began my journey as a mixed-media educator, along with some helpful hints on terminology and getting started.

I hope you get a moment to check it out. There are four contributing editors and each of us writes a column that stays up for a week at a time.

Speaking of Seaside, here are some pics of me and my incredible students creating wondrous goodies with ICE Resin and SLK handcrafted bezels.

Over at Create Mixed Media

Another quick note today to let you know my monthly column at CreateMixedMedia.com is up as of this morning. It’s not a typical marketing column for me, rather a kind of introspective post reflecting on a recent book I’ve read called The Noticer by Andy Andrews.

If you have 10 minutes or so to spare, click on over the CMM and take a read.

Back to work. I have a designing deadline for my Industrial Chic samples and the creative mojo is flowing. I don’t want to interrupt the groove with too much time on the computer. (LOL)

Up Today on Create Mixed Media

Normally, I don't stick my bio photo on my blog, but this image is a hint to the topic of this month's Art Choose you column at Create Mixed Media. Can you guess the topic? Look at my necklace!

I realized it’s been a while since I’ve talked about Create Mixed Media on my blog. Since I was recently required to review my website stats for an upcoming project, I now know that some of you are finding me from this amazing website. I figured it was a moot point to tell you about it if you’ve already been there and done that, but a closer look shows that some of you are finding me through google and bing searches. This makes me want to take a quick moment to tell you about CMM.

Create Mixed Media is a community portal website that opened last year. It belongs to, and is run by, F&W Publications, which has the imprint of North Light Books, a large and important publisher in our industry.

The editors debuted CMM right before CHA Winter this year. I remember it being an awesome moment when Editors/Executives Nancy Sorieno and Christine Doyle came to the Susan Lenart Kazmer ICE Resin booth to let me know the website was live. I proudly wore my Create Mixed Media button the entire 4 days of the trade show, even though it really didn’t go with any of the outfits and jewelry I brought along.

I’ve been continuing to write a monthly blog column for CMM, along with some awesome people who are also contributing editors for the website; Lesley Riley, Quinn McDonald and Karen Wallace. Each week, we take a turn writing about various topics. Lesley talks about making art every day, Quinn is the creativity coach and gives great advice and Karen writes about art’s restorative and healing attributes. We all write under the title of Creative Insights. My topic is public relations and marketing your art.

So far, I’ve written about QR codes and MOO cards and Summer CHA (Craft and Hobby Association). This month’s blog post is on one of the easiest and most affordable marketing things you can do to get your art noticed.

I’m always keeping my eye for ideas of what I think might make good topic of conversation. If you have an idea of things you might like to hear more about when it comes to pr and marketing, please comment here or drop me an email at jencushman@ymail.com, I’d really love the feedback.

In addition to Karen, Quinn, Lesley and my blogs, there are all kinds of giveaways and book reviews and free e-book downloads, as well as Podcasts by Ricë Freeman Zachary and artist profiles. Good stuff.

My October blog column is up now, if you’d like to take a look. Also, check out the great week in art visualized this week by Patricia Seggebrush, who does the coolest paintings with encaustic and has written a great book on the subject.

Doing the CHA, cha, cha

Each year, I attend the Craft and Hobby Association Trade Show and Conference. If you’ve been reading my blog (and my old one prior to this one) you’ll know I’ve been doing this for the past six years and it’s a big part of my life every year. I always attend the winter show, as it’s the largest and the easiest for me to get to because it’s in California.

This is the first year I will be attending the summer CHA show in Chicago. I really hadn’t of planned on it, but when the head honchos made the theme mixed-media, there was no way I could stay away. This is the first time since I’ve been attending CHA that the art genre so near and dear to my heart has been spotlighted. They are calling it “Craft Fusion” (sigh); The Selling Power of Mixed Media (yay, for the second part!). Obviously the editorial comments in parenthesis are mine opinion.

I feel this is going to be a great 5 days. I’ve been asked and also lined up a number of promotional opportunities. Here’s a schedule of events:

Monday July 18th (educational program day) is will be participating in the Designer Roundtable Discussions where I’m moderating one of the tables. My topic, from 9-10 a.m. is “Catching an Editor’s Attention”. I will be talking about things that designers can do to get recognized by editors, as well as telling some of the things that people inadvertently do that turn them off quickly.

Also on Monday I will be meeting up with my friend and artist extraordinaire Claudine Hellmuth where we will be putting together our mixed media dress for the CHA Crafty Couture display. Neither of us sew so we have something really interesting planned. Pics and video to come next week. The display is being co-sponsored by the fabulous Cloth, Paper, Scissors magazine so the best six (as chosen by attendees) will be featured in an upcoming magazine issue.

Tuesday at 5 p.m. and again Thursday at noon, I will be hosting the “Minute to Craft It” crafting contest. Remember the old tv show Craft Corner Death Match? Well, this is CHA’s version of the show. Three audience participants will come on stage and have 10 minutes to create a mixed media project using the inspiration project (created by moi) as a starting point. The winner gets a Teresa Collins Stampmaker by Photocentric. Other participants leave with cool prizes too that are generously donated by various craft manufacturers. My job: to be silly and funny and informative. Can I do it? (wink).

Tuesday I will be shooting my very own QR tag to add to my written promotional material and for a secret project coming up. I am jazzed about doing with WCK On The Spot. I wrote my most recent column on this for CreateMixedMedia.com and will link to it as soon as it publishes.

Wednesday from 1-1:30 p.m., I’m meeting up with Elena Lei Etcheverry and Charity Wings to do an interview and give away lots of fun ICE Resin goodies, including some necklaces I’m making specifically for their live-streaming event. I met Elena Lei at this year’s Winter show and immediately fell in love with her sweet personality and her passion for helping raise funds for hardworking non-profits. There is still time to sign up for the event, I believe, so check it out.

Now that I have my new iPhone, I plan to do plenty of Facebooking and Twittering at the Show. I’ll be doing it from my Facebook Fan Page at Jen Cushman Artist. My Twitter account is just JenCushman, so please sign up to follow me. I plan to take lots of pictures to upload to both social media sites too.