What have you signed up to do in 2016?

If you've been reading my blog for a long while you will know that I had/have the tendency to sign up for online classes.  I tried very hard this year not to do too many because

1. I was rather busy with other things and
2. I hardly ever finish the classes

I am currently doing a class called Creative+Practice and today is the start of week 6 of 8 weeks and I am totally up to date.

At the beginning of the class we were asked to write our intentions for the class and I wrote 'I intend to finish the class'.  I'm patting myself on the back that I have got this far - I've got beyond the point where I normally give up.

So maybe that's the key thing when starting a new online class - commit to finishing it!   Sometimes with me it's even the case that I need to commit to starting it.

Currently I have signed up to do several classes in 2016 but maybe I'll just hold a watching brief over some of them and do my own thing rather than follow slavishly along and then feel bad when I fall by the wayside.

So what is on offer?  There's Take Me Deeper-DNA and Logos365 on His Kingdom Come.  Both of these are free and I will probably amalgamate them with other things that I might do.  Fortnightly on TMD-DNA there is a technique prompt and an I Am statement which I hope to play along with.  (For my US readers - fortnight means 2 weeks).

In January I am planning to follow a free bible study and a short art journaling course from Jeanne Oliver.   The Bible study, Listening:Finding the Quiet, is a four week study all about finding the quiet in each day and hearing the voice of God.  The art journaling course, Reflections, is a 'two week art journaling online course all about unraveling your own story and creating authentic art that only you can tell'.

Fortunately the art journaling class starts the week after Creative+Practice finishes.

Also in January I've signed up for Creative Jumpstart.   This isn't really a class as such.  There are 25 downloadable videos with various teachers showing techniques.  You can keep the videos as a reference library for when you are stuck for an idea.

So that brings me to the year long classes or workshops that I've signed up for.   I really like learning techniques and learning about different products so Wanderlust was a must for me.

One Little Word is a monthly class from Ali Edwards which I have done in previous years and will probably combine with Logos365.

I'm going to dip in and out of Documented Life Project - the unplanner.  I enjoyed parts of Documented Life Project in 2014 especially the fact that I combined my one little word with it.

And finally starting on January 6th, there's Glimpses of Jesus in the Old Testament - a Bible Study that I am working on with Simon Clay from Jubilee Church.  This is a free weekly bible study with optional creative responses.

Have I taken on too much?  Probably.

Will I complete it all?  Possibly not.

Will I enjoy it?  Definitely.

What have you committed to doing in 2016?

Thanks for stopping by.
Bernice

Who has influenced my mixed media art?

Over the last few years I have attended lots of workshops and signed up for so may online classes that I've lost count.   I thought I would share with you some of the shops and people who have helped me and taught me over that time.

Art from the Heart is an excellent bricks & mortar shop with a very stong online presence.  I have attended many workshops there.   My credit card groans whenever I go to Harrogate to a class.  I'm going there next weekend for 3 days of workshops with Seth Apter.

Dyan Reaveley is now well known as a Ranger Signature Designer.  However I met her first at Art from the Heart when I went to my first ever workshop there.   She has a distinctive style.  I interviewed her for my series on Celebrating UK Artists.   You can watch her videos on the Ranger YouTube Channel.

Dina Wakely has been a guest tutor at Art from the Heart and I have loved the workshops I've attended.   Several of the classes have involved making books which I love.  She also introduced me to the idea of having white space on mixed media pages.  This really appeals to me.   You can also find Dina on the Ranger YouTube Channel.

Artist Trading Post started as an online business with workshop space and then moved to a b&m shop and has now returned to its online roots.  I love the variety of products that Jamie stocks.  My credit card used to groan when I visited for workshops there too.

Wanderlust is a new year long venture from Jamie and Kasia Krzyminska (aka czekoczyna).  There will be videos& PDFs on techniques but the thing that got me interested is that "Wanderlust will give you an in-depth knowledge about products, media and tools".  Of course I signed up - won't you join me?

Anneliese Bates introduced me to various mixed media techniques.  She held these workshops in Derbyshire which was great for me because it was so much nearer to my house than Harrogate.  I love Anneliese's style and enjoyed her workshops immensely.  I was really disappointed when she gave up hosting them but I am thrilled that her new venture Fox & Bear is doing so well.

Michelle Ward produces amazing stencils both for StencilGirl and for her own website Green Pepper Press.  I have just invested in a whole lot of her stencils for my Venice project.

Carolyn Dube produces the best teaching videos on the internet (in my opinion).  She is so generous with what she shares for free on her blog and YouTube channel.  She also has fee-based classes that are such value for money.  I particularly liked the Stencil Play class.  You really should check them out if you like mixed media art.

And last but definitely not least, Valerie Sjodin.  Her art blows me away.  Valerie is another tutor who is very generous with the skills and information she shares.  I love her online classes but sadly don't give enough time to practice so my art hardly ever looks like hers.

I've really enjoyed looking back to see what and who has influenced me over the years.  What are your favourite shops, favourite artists or online courses?  Please share them in the comments below.
 
Thanks for stopping by.
Bernice