Category: BE creative!

2019 Art Retreats

Posted on by Melissa

I’ve been teaching painting lessons for 7 years.
I’m now taking my teaching on the road with ART RETREATS!
I will be hosting several throughout the year in various places so
stay tuned to the blog and all social media sites for upcoming retreats.
All will be sure to allow plenty of relaxation and creativity.

South Lake Tahoe – photo from Google images

Summer 2019! South Lake Tahoe, California.
Join me in South Lake Tahoe, CA for a 5 night/ 6 day art retreat.

We’re going to be in South Lake Tahoe with in July for a family reunion on Micah’s side. I’d love to extend this trip for another few days and do another art retreat! Here are some details:

We would be doing acrylic paintings, plein air, as well as art journaling and a couple of abstract pieces. The trip would be July 16-21. (All paintings would be done on the 17th-20th, leaving the other two days for travel.)

Each person will complete 5 Acrylic paintings which will be a variety of seascapes, floral and landscapes. (1 per day, about 2-3 hours each) 2 Abstracts which will be paint pouring and resin. (Each will be worked on a little each day. About 30 minutes/day)

Each person will also receive a wonderful art journal and some journaling supplies too, so we can continue being creative outside of the classes as well as back home. You can choose to journal with me each day to learn some techniques and/or journal in your own time, anytime!

The cost of the art portion of the trip would be $350/person and includes all art supplies, standing easel (to use during trip only) and instruction from me. Travel arrangements can be made individually but I will offer suggestions for places to stay.

Nearest airports are Reno, NV and Sacramento, CA.
Plane tickets for that week to Reno are around $400 (from IND) right now. Sacramento prices are about $50 Higher at the moment, but I always check prices for both before booking. (Check out Kiwi.com, Skyscanner.com and Southwest.com for great deals!)

I love to rent via AirBnb, VRBO and HomeAway instead of booking hotels. Check out this 2 BDRM Cabin for $153/night! All in all, you could easily do this trip for around $1500 per person. Which is a great price for some R&R in the sun with plenty of creative juices flowing…surrounded by beautiful scenery!

$50 Deposit Due by April 20, 2019 to reserve your spot.

Click here to register.

Cardiff By The Sea
Cardiff By The Sea

September 2019! Southern California.
Join me in Oceanside, CA for week long art retreat.

My art was accepted for an art show in Newport Beach on September 21 so I will be out there for the weekend. Why not extend the trip for the entire week and do another art retreat! This time we would be doing paintings on four days (Tuesday-Friday) Sept 24-27.

We will be doing acrylic paintings, plein air, as well as art journaling and a couple of abstract pieces.

Each person will complete 4 Acrylic paintings which will be a variety of landscapes, plein air. (1 per day, about 2-3 hours each) 2 Abstracts which will be paint pouring and resin. (Each can be worked on a little each day. About 30 minutes/day, until you decide it’s finished.)

Everyone will also receive an art journal and some journaling supplies so we can continue being creative outside of the classes as well as back home. (If you don’t need a new journal, let me know and I can hook you up with some extra supplies instead!) You can choose to journal with me each day to learn some techniques and/or journal in your own time, anytime! Outside of these designated class times, the rest of the time is yours to relax and explore the beauty of So Cal!

Outside of these designated class times, the rest of the time is yours to relax and explore the beauty of Southern California! The cost of the art portion of the trip would be $300/person and includes all art supplies, standing easel (to use during trip only) and instruction from me.

Travel arrangements can be made individually but I will offer suggestions for places to stay. My first choice of location would be Oceanside/Carlsbad because I’ve been there a few times and have friends there who’d possibly like to join in on some classes.

Nearest airports are San Diego and Orange County/Santa Ana. Plane tickets for that week to San Diego are $250-300 (from IND) right now. (Check out Skyscanner and Kiwi for low prices! Or Southwest because bags fly free!) I predict they will stay around that price or maybe a bit lower as long as they are purchased by end of February. Orange County/Santa Ana which is about the same distance as San Diego, prices are about $50 Higher at the moment, but I always check prices for both when I go.

Check out VRBO, HomeAway and airbnb as well as hotels. Sometimes you’ll find much better deals on vacation rentals and they are more unique than hotels. There are plenty of 1 BR rentals for around $100/night or grab some friends and find some 3-4 BR for $200-250 per night. All in all, you could easily do this trip for around $1500 per person. Which is a great price for some R&R in the sun with plenty of creative juices flowing…AT THE BEACH!

$50 deposit due by July 20 to reserve your spot.
Click here to make your deposit.

Upcoming: Fall 2019! TBD

I’m likely going to do a weekend retreat in Brown County, IN sometime in October, also considering a 4-5 day retreat in Colorado. When do you think the best time to travel to these places and enjoy the Fall colors?

Comment below with feedback on other places you’d like to art in.

Have you been on an art retreat before? If so, where did you go?

Are you creative? or Artistic? Do you know the difference?

Posted on by Melissa

I’ve been teaching acrylic painting classes for several years now. There are a few phrases that I hear quite often at the beginning of a class that always strike me funny.

Keep in mind, most of my students are first time painters, or at least haven’t painted since childhood. They usually show up doubting themselves and assuming the worst. They can’t imagine how they will be able to paint something in a couple of hours and actually like it! So they typically arrive, laughing, and saying things like…

OH BOY! this will be good!”, “I can’t even draw stick figures!”,
or “I can’t even draw a straight line!”
OH yeah, I hear these all the time! !

I realize they’re exaggerating, but still. I just like to point out that nearly EVERYONE, age 2 and up, can draw a stick figure!
It’s one of the very first things we ever learned to draw, all of us! And none of us ever forgot how.

Stick figure painting stick figures
Even a stick figure can
draw stick figures!


And the straight line bit? Well, most people CAN’T draw a straight line, without a ruler or a straight edge of something! (Granted, some of us can get it pretty close, but usually in paintings and most art forms, a perfectly straight line isn’t necessary, anyway. Just as long as it’s straight-ish. – obviously architects would disagree! But then again, they use a ruler!)
Anyway, although I realize the things they say are exaggerations,
my point is…most of us don’t give ourselves enough credit.

Semi straight, free hand lines.
Straight-ish is good enough for me!

Other popular phrases include:
“I’m not creative at all!” Or “I used to be decent but haven’t painted/drawn/whatever since I was younger.”

First of all, if you were ever good at drawing, painting, or any creative art form, you’re most likely still good at it now! It’s also very possible that you’re good at other creative things as well. I believe every person I’ve ever met who has or at some point had some form of creativity in their lives, whether it’s music, drawing, baking, writing, or whatever, are very good at painting as well. They often surprise themselves!

“Every child is an artist, the problem is
staying an artist when you grow up.”
-Pablo Picasso

So many people leave those fun creative things behind once they’ve left school. Whether it was college, high school or grade school the last time you touched a paint brush or pencil, if you now feel like it’s been so long that you are no longer good at it, or maybe even feel you don’t remember HOW to do it…trust me, you can! It’s like riding a bike, you just have to get back into it. Give it a try, and give it some time. You’ll soon remember how enjoyable it is and likely realize how good you actually are. Find that inner child and let your creative wings fly!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BuG8n-Oh7w8/

And speaking of creativity, let me now get to the title of this post!
(I often get off track… or most often need a preface to my stories.
But don’t we all?)

SO! What is the difference in being artistic and creative?
I believe that an artistic person is someone who is capable of drawing, painting, sculpting, etc. They know how and have the talent to do it. Even if only when looking at another person’s work for inspiration. However, an artistic person is not always creative.

While an artistic person may be able to look at a picture and draw it pretty well, a creative person is someone who either had their own idea to begin with, or put their own creative spin on a concept inspired by someone else. Creative people create their own ideas. Being creative doesn’t always mean you are artistic either, you may be creative in certain ways but not in painting, drawing, etc. But then again, have you tried? Maybe you are artistic and don’t even realize it.

“Creativity is intelligence having fun” – Albert Einstein

We are ALL inspired by others!

Regardless, there is no right or wrong here. Being creative is a win win every time! Even if you don’t consider yourself as ‘artistic’ strive to be creative! Whether it’s arts n crafts, cooking, writing, scrap booking, anything! Having a creative outlet is always good for the soul. Creativity never runs out either. The more you create, the more creative you become. The most important thing is to believe you can do it. Try it! Don’t sell yourself short, you know it’s in there somewhere… find it and unlock it!

“You can’t use up creativity, the more you use, the more you have.”

-Maya Angelou


https://www.instagram.com/p/BnZOsyglGha/
Resin art pieces by Melissa Cain – photo by Katie Brown

~melissa