MY NAME IS ELENA: March 2012

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

KEYS 4 ART DAY 4: GIRLS GONE WILD IN KEY WEST!

After two very intense days with Lynne Perrella, we were all ready for a little "down" time. We had never gone to Key West during Keys 4 Art because there was always so much to do that this year I really wanted there to be a field trip. So it was off to Key West on Thursday morning.

Everyone went except for Kathy and Lil, Linda and Jacquie . Kathy stayed behind to wait for the chipboard which had not arrived yet for her class the following day. Lil took the day off I think to just get away from everyone!! She lives - almost literally - in the North Pole and is not used to having so many people/noise all the time! Linda lives here in the Keys and was totally exhausted so stayed home to rest. My BFF Jacquie went to spend the day with her little boy Luca, who was on Spring Break and missing his mom. The remaining 13 of us piled into 3 cars and headed for Key West.

There is a little beach on the way to Key West called Anne's Beach. I love it there and wanted the girls to enjoy it so that was our first stop. Also a pitt stop for those of us who drink too much coffee!!!

Anne's Beach is a quiet getaway for the locals mostly.

Sue Young, Teri Flemal, Gina Goodling and Jennifer Rogers-Daniels

Jennifer Rogers-Daniels, Gina and Teri Flemal

Teri Flemal

The Gang!

We arrived at Key West at around 1:00 pm and everyone was starving!!! We went to Margaritaville on Duval Street and had their Cheeseburger in Paradise which is always delicious! Their Margaritas are pretty damned amazing too!

Gina found the LOST SHAKER OF SALT!!

Once our bellies were full and the Margarita's had relaxed us all, we took the trolley to see the sights of Key West.

These are some random pictures taken on our day in Key West.

There are so many great pictures of Key West that I really need to share a few more!

On the way home to Key Largo we stopped at a great restaurant in Islamorada called Lazy Days for their wonderful lobster sandwiches!! They only serve the lobster sandwich for lunch but the chef was nice enough to make us all one for dinner and everyone loved it!

If I had an award for best picture of the year, THIS one would be it!!! As we were leaving the restaurant Eileen was making fun of someone that was leaving - can't remember who or why - and I got her right in the midst of it!!! I have looked at his picture 20 times and still laugh out loud every time I see it!!! Eileen, you should really make this your blog picture!!! It is so YOU!!!! LOL!!!

FRIDAY!! The final day of Keys 4 Art 2012. A phenomenal day with my pal KATHY ORTA (FILES) from Paper Phenomenon. Kathy created a project for Keys4Art which would be the centerpiece of our Letter Love project!!! More on that tomorrow!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

KEYS 4 ART DAY 2 AND 3 AND THE WONDERFUL LYNNE PERRELLA!!

We are so blessed to have such wonderful artists come teach at our little retreat! Last year we had Ingrid Dijkers whose art is just amazing and Julie Nutting who is not only a fabulous artist but a good friend of our group. This year????? Well....... READY FOR THIS?????? LYNNE PERRELLA!!!! WOO HOO!!! Yep!!! This wonderful artist agreed to come teach a two day workshop for Keys4Art 2012. Not only did she come teach, she actually stayed with us for the three nights that she was here. Not only is Lynne a fabulous artist, but she is the nicest - well COOLEST person I have met in a LONG time!! I had seen pictures of her and for some reason I had this image of a very serious... very, well... okay, I will admit it. I thought she would be stuffy and arrogant!! Boy was I surprised!!! She had just sat down in my car after arriving in Miami when she came out with a cuss word!!! GOTTA LOVE HER!!! She is fun and funny and just a pleasure to be around. She sat there talking to us about her vision of what art is or should be... about her life as an artist and her amazing work. She is articulate and intelligent and I could have sat there for hours just listening to her speak!! Every time we pulled out an image, she would not only recognize it, but give us the history on the image in order to put it into perspective for the art piece! This was my first class with Lynne and I hope to take many more. If you ever get a chance to take her class - jump on it. It will not only be a class - it will be an experience. I truly believe my art will change immensely after spending time with this amazing woman/artist! Lynne, Teri and I made it back from the airport just in time to eat Jacquie's wonderful paella!!! Welcome to So. Florida Lynne!!

Lynne is very hands on. She walked around the room constantly looking at everyone's work, giving advice and sitting down with us to show us different ideas and techniques. It is amazing how she was able to make such an impact. I know I will never do art quite the same again.

Everyone was so very excited to experiment with these wonderful new techniques!

Here is some of the amazing art work created! I should probably give each person the credit for their work but I do not have the patience to figure out whose is whose!!! You can also visit Val's Blog and Eileen's Blog. They have fabulous accounts of our retreat and are much more organized that I am!!! LOL!!! OOPS!!! Published too early!!! Here are the pictures!