ho-hum...back to italy i shall go.......

our family is leaving for a 3 week stay in italy, first of june.   this year. yes.  like in a month or so....i just found out.   these "visiting"vacations just pop out of nowhere - a family visit - after all my husband was born in the village seen above.   gotta love the family.  and i really do.  gotta see the family and so we shall.

we are also going to check on the family farm - see top picture.  life is tough.  i'm probably going to have to eat my mother-in-law's cooking ........oh dear,  poor me...... :)

just looking at these pics makes my mouth water.

maybe this year i will learn to speak italian.......doubtful.  i'm a bone head that way.

so i guess i will begin packing at the end of may........gotta pack light  nowadays - since airlines have gone berserk and are out of control about luggage weight.  sigh.

*slurp* did you hear that? *slurp*  that's me practicing eating pasta.  i think there is a special trick to the sucking-up-into-mouth motion.   it takes practice, skill and lip agility.

unearthed people......

i love to do "stream of consciousness" type painting.  here i had a glossy pink gift bag that i opened up and began painting odd marks here and there - then i painted out everything until this family arose. 

i am always thrilled with the surprise factor of who lurks in my subconsciousness or maybe unconsciousness.  it is a very spiritual experience - truth be told.

The Retreat of all retreats in late june.....

from my awesome friend and colleague, Renee Richetts: 




June 27,28,29, 2011 Art 4 Healing Art Retreat at Lake Hodges, California with co-instructors  Lisa Bebi http//www.lisabebi.blogspot.com and Pam Carrikerhttp://pamcarriker.com/ $595 includes all materials and lunches. Join us in a relaxing, specious environment steps from beautiful Lake Hodges, California. Each day consists of a morning and an afternoon session, divided by a lunch break (lunch is provided). Lisa, Pam and Renée attend all sessions to assure you personal attention and time with each of us. The workshop series’ enrollment is intentionally low, with no more than one instructor for every 3 attendees. Contact me to reserve your space. General description of session techniques/content: Lisa Bebi’s unique “paint-over” method with acrylics and other media Pam Carriker’s approach to human portraiture using Conte Crayons My signature mixed-media hinged metal books Paper-making using cold-water (one of the most eco-friendly ways to make paper) Paste paper Art journaling—and you will learn to make the journal itself! California Registered Nurses: portions of this retreat have been approved for CEUs by the California BRN. For BRN course description and requirements, please contact me at rrichetts@cox.net .

simple collage - what to consider

"oversaturated polaroid look" snippet

taught at ARTFEST 2011-

(fast paced by x8 and soundless after intro)

the Oversaturated Polaroid Look DVD workshop by lisa bebi *

in this snippet i am painting a certain dreamy-like background. also i show how i achieve skintones on the overpixelated photocopy.

not shown, but in this dvd workshop you learn to saturate a photocopy in preparation to paint. how (and why) to select certain colors, how to create your own background paper and how to flawlessly mount a piece of painted paper onto a support. also,  i demonstrate how and why i paint the way i do. 

all my workshops are developed so that anyone could do them using the cheapest of materials. along with the DVD comes the image, written instructions and a materials list of very affordable supplies.

*she is only an artist and not professional videographer - just sayin'.

10 NEW DVD workshops available

$35.00 each plus s/h and tax

- much cheaper than taking a half day face to face workshop -.

taught at ARTFEST 2011!




each DVD includes a new technique plus each has an an additional PAINTOVER style technique.      


(scroll down sidebar)

boatload images

silhouette painting pattern....

i just walked in the door from a 2 full day driving trip from port townsend, washington to san diego, CA.   thats a long drive.
 a little boring down callifornia via interstate 5.  but, what a wonderful time i had at artfest (port townsend) thanks to teesha moore who puts it all together with her family and all of her heart and soul.

over 500 artists show up for a long weekend of wonderful workshops and friendships.  i was lucky to teach two very full classes.
so for all you boatload people - here is the bird silhouette for your downloading pleasure.  more to come later.

ARTFEST! 2011

goodbye port townsend, washington and artfest.  i truly enjoyed my classes - my students were the best. i wil be posting photos of them when i get home.  but for now, it's a long drive back to san diego.

i'm in port townsend, washinton, waiting.......

 to get this show on the road.

BTW, these characters are my "lefties" - left handed drawing and painting. i can't begin to tell how much fun they are to create - each one is a surprise to myself! :)   i like that they come visit me...., my lefties. fun. fun. fun.

off like a rabbit......

.......a fat rabbit.  we start our long journey up the coast- pilgriming our way to artfest in port townsend washington tomorrow.  it will probably take a few days to get there.  that's by car, not rabbit.

this one is a .......

pony!  no.  horse!  no. dog! no. donkey! no.  hmmmm

artfest 2011 ........

little painting "you".