Runs With Scissors Sale

Shopping at Heidi's pop-up "Run's With Scissor" boutique at the FAN Retreat.

Mary and Yvonne checking out the items for sale.
Notice Heidi's fibre piece (in progress) hanging on the back wall.

Discussion Carousel

One of the networking activities at the FAN Retreat, was to break into small groups and discuss four different questions that are all pertinent to fibre artists.

1.  How do you price your art?

2.  How do you maintain your focus and creativity?

3.  How do you manage your time?

4.  How do you decide which shows you will enter?

This activity was done as a carousel.  Each group discussed one topic for about 15 minutes and then rotated to the next table, read what the previous group wrote down and added more of their own ideas.  This carousel rotation was done four times until each group got through the four questions.  A great brainstorming strategy where all members should feel free to speak up.

Karlie, Elaine, Paulette and Karen discussing, "How to price your art." discussion question.

Leslie, Thelma, Janet and Vivian discussing another of the four carousel questions.

Jenny, Michelle, Jaynie and Lesley into a deep discussion.

Yvonne C, Terry, Linda, Yvonne BW, and Helen discussing creativity.

Willy's Show at the Gwen Fox Gallery

The FAN group traveled to the Gwen Fox Gallery to visit Willy Carlton's show.  This show is very touching.  As usual, Willy's works are all very unique and use a wide variety of fibre arts.

Jaynie visiting with Willy as she explains one of her pieces at the Gwen Fox Gallery.

The poem that accompanies the following fibre art piece.

Widow's Maze art piece by Willy Carlton.

Willy explaining her piece.

The poem to go with Make Music at my Funeral.

Willy with her Five Stages of Grief art works.

Information explaining the five stages of grief.  

Workshop with Heidi Hunter

Heidi Hunter was invited by the FAN retreat committee to do a workshop on Journaling.  Here is half of the FAN delegates being taught how to do a blind contour drawing by Heidi.

Heidi provided each of the FAN participants with a journal and taught many journalling ideas, such as:  blind contour drawing, one line drawing, framing an entry, using view finders to isolate an image, adding colour to your line drawing, etc.  Heidi's previous life as a mime, was evident as she was able to keep the class in stitches as she presented!

Heidi and half of the FAN participants enjoying a Journalling workshop.

Close up of Heidi demonstrating a blind contour drawing.
She is looking at the hand she is drawing and not at the paper she is drawing on.

Karlie's samples of line drawings.
Oops, sorry, upside down.

Heidi showing some of her own journals.

More journal samples of Heidi's.

One of Karlie's journal samples.  Can you tell she loves numbers?

Sample of a One Line drawing.  

Another close up of Heidi doing her one line drawing.
(Notice Jaynie in the background enjoying the workshop!)

FAN Retreat Begins

The Manitoba organizing committee greeted 37 members to the 2016 FAN Retreat at St Benedicts Retreat Center in West Saint Paul. Members were welcome to doodle and try out some materials and inks as everyone gathered.  

The first thing on the agenda was to collect and display the challenge pieces.   Each challenge piece is to be approximately 8 ½ X 11 and based on this years theme of "Gateways and Portals".

Supper was followed by the annual challenge reveal. Each member spoke about their journal sized piece, on the theme Portals and Gateways. Later during the retreat members will draw the piece they will take home with them!

Challenge pieces.
(left to right - Jan, Alison, Janet H., Helen, Christina, Adeline, Willy, Elaine, Vivian, and Leslie F.)

Challenge Pieces
(l - r:  Terry, Mary, Cathy, Vicki, Coreen, Karlie, Carol, Jenny, Janet B., Yvonne BW, Lesley M., Michelle, Jaynie)

Challenge Pieces
(l-r Judith, Marj, Krista, Pat, Yvonne, Joyce, Val, Rosalind, Susan, Karen, Linda, Thelma.)

Susan, Jenny, Vicki, and Pat visiting and adding colour to their fabric.

Karen and Karlie enjoying the paining activity.
Notice the Play Time display and materials behind them.

Lesley is almost done painting her fabric!

Yvonne, Marj, Elaine, and Thelma (painting).

The first supper in the St Benedict's dining hall.

Broadway Show - Beautiful

Beautiful: A Tribute to Carol King was a wonderful show!  Carol King, originally Carol Klein, became a paid songwriter at the age of 16. She continued with her husband writing songs for many bands in the 60s. After divorcing her husband of 10 years she begins to sing her own songs. 

The cast and set for this show were great. The Stephen Sondheim theatre was a wonderful location - large but still intimate. 

A fun ending, much like an encore to a concert had the audience on their feet and singing!!

Circle Line Tour around Manhattan

Diagrams of footprints being made that are later discovered at Oldivi Gorge in Tansania. 

Fossil remains of Lucy. 

Machalite from Arizona

Tip of Chrysler building can be seen. 

Brooklyn Bridge

Southern tip of Manhattan. 

Lady Liberty. 

Statue of Liberty comes into view. 

Another gorgeous day. We took a boat tour around Manhattan and went to the Natural History Museum.