Take a virtual tour of the 2016 ARTfusion show, then come on by this weekend (September 2-4 11 am to 5 pm) to meet the artists and see the show in person!

Just click on this link  2016 ARTfusion on Youtube

More New Work from the Artists!

Here is one of Tuttie's beautiful new pieces for our 2016 ARTfusion Show!

Paulette's been having fun too  ;>)

ARTfusion 2016 Press release

The public is invited to the eighth annual ARTfusion Art Show at The Cutting

Garden Art Center, 303 Dahlia Llama Lane in Sequim. The show, which will be

open Labor Day weekend, (Friday, Saturday and Sunday, September 2nd

through September 4th, 11- 5 pm) features new work by four of Sequim’s

award-winning professional artists.

This year we dedicate our show to our dear colleague, Rocky Fankhouser who

passed away last year. Always generous with his beautiful work, his time and

woodworking expertise, Rocky is sorely missed and continues to inspire us all.

2016 has been a momentous year for the ARTfusion artists. Amazing travel

resulting in new inspiration are reflected in the new works that will make up this

years’ art show.

ARTfusion has a new venue this year. The show will be in Catherine Mix’s airy

new classroom and gallery. Please join us as we reveal a beautiful show of new

work in a gorgeous new space.

Catherine Mix, a founder of ARTfusion and owner of the Cutting Garden Art

Center, began painting in earnest in 1995 and has honed her craft, participating

in and hosting workshops by nationally recognized artists. Catherine paints with

pastel and watercolor (and sometimes both media together) capturing the

spectacular scenery of the Olympic Peninsula, as well as still lifes and portraits..

This year she has been focusing on Plein Aire painting, traveling to France to

study with Plein Aire master, Ian Roberts. The ten day workshop was held in La

Barroux, a tiny village in the Provence region. She extended her stay to continue

to paint this beautiful part of France. She paints to reveal light and shadow and

the electric color combinations they create. Catherine paints for the

satisfaction of solving complex design problems and covets her solitary time

spent absorbed in the process of turning pastel and watercolor into a rich visual

story. Please see some of her work and her painting process at

www.catherinemix.blogspot.com

Paulette Hill, a prize winning jewelry designer, also travelled extensively this

year, taking a long sojourn to the Southwest. New jewelry pieces incorporating

stones discovered on the trip and inspired by the warm textures and colors of

the region will be the focus of the jewelry pieces she will show this year.

Employing the vivid color and sparkle of crystals, stones, metals and pearls, she

creatively incorporates unusual combinations into her lovely earrings, bracelets

and necklaces. Recognized for her wire-wrapping technique, this year Paulette

has been exploring wire weaving. Paulette continues to teach jewelry-making

techniques and has joined the Artists Showcase at Northwinds Art Center in

Port Townsend. Please see her new pieces at

www.artfusionsequim.blogspot.com

Tuttie Peetz, a noted driftwood sculptor, continues to teach, attracting many

new students interested in the art of driftwood sculpting. She is experimenting

with incorporating Guilder’s Copper Paste and other metals into her work. She

is also working with wood from the High Desert of Oregon. Experimenting with

inlay of crushed semi-precious stones adds a new dimension to Tuttie’s pieces.

She looks forward to sharing her new ideas and new works at ARTfusion this

year. Her latest work can be seen at www.artfusionsequim.blogspot.com

Linda Collins Chapman, recognized for her carved porcelain and ceramic

sculpture, is currently working on a large commission in her Penny Lane studio.

This year she continued her support of the Artist Trust by donating a carved

porcelain plate to the Gala Auction. ‘Spinner’ was featured in the silent auction

and sold to a new collector. Shows this year included ‘Small Works’ at the

Northwinds Art Center in Port Townsend and ‘Convergence’ at the Port Angeles

Fine Arts Center. Her work was also included in the ‘Black and White’ and

‘Sculptural Works’ shows at the Sequim Civic Center’s Art Gallery. She will be

showing at the Fifth Annual Soroptimist Gala Gift Show scheduled for December

in Sequim. Linda also looks forward to teaching a mask sculpting workshop at

Western Carolina University this coming year. Her work can be seen at

www.lindachapmandesign.com

ART fusion invites the public to celebrate 2016 with us and to meet the

ARTfusion artists this Labor Day weekend. Artist Demonstrations at 2 pm each day.

Le Barroux, France 2016 Plein Air Workshop

These are some of the 9 x 12 watercolors I painted while in Le Barroux France May 24 through June 13, 2016.

I feel my watercolor plein air work improved under the tutelage of Ian Roberts whose vision, experience and good natured instruction made this trip one of the highlights of my life!

Please save the date for the 8th annual ARTfusion which will be held at the Cutting Garden Art Studio in Sequim, WA on Labor Day weekend September 2-4, 2016 11am to 5pm!

8th annual ARTfusion

New Sculpture by Linda Collins Chapman

A New Direction!

       

         New works combining hand sculpted elements and slab built vessels.  

   Ebony and Ivory   glazed porcelain    15"h x 8"w x 9"d

                                              Garden Party    glazed porcelain    18" h x 11"w x 5"d

                                  Forest Wind   porcelain, celadon glaze   13.5" diameter x 3"d

                                              Snow Queen   glazed porcelain   19" diameter x 3"d

                                         Forest Nymph's Gift   glazed porcelain   20" h x 9"w x 5.5"d

                                 Forest King's Treasure Box   glazed porcelain   14"h x 9"w x 9.5"d

                                             (Thanks to Patti Warashina for the inspiration!)

                                   

Tuttie Peetz Sculpture

New Carved Porcelain by Linda Collins Chapman

                                        New Spinner   carved porcelain   19" diameter x 3"d  

                                                         Altered Vase   carved porcelain  9'h

                                                           Carved Porcelain Vase   11"h

                                                            Carved Porcelain Vase   9"h

                                                      Altered Carved Porcelain Vase   9"h

Painting outdoors - Plein Air

I (Catherine Mix) am getting ready for the 3rd annual Paint the Peninsula plein air competition this fall (www.paintthepeninsula.org) so I have been painting outdoors quite a lot lately.  

These and other small paintings, done on location, will be a prominently featured at ARTfusion this year!

Please share the link to this blog with your friends, we'd love to see you at the show!

Getting to the Cutting Garden MAP

The Cutting Garden Art Center is just 3 miles north of the town of Sequim.

We have 2 acres of parking and in addition to the wonderful art show, we have lovely garden grounds.

Ready, set, GO...

Here's Tuttie, working on a new project for the show.
And this is where the magic begins!

From pieces to the whole...art from beginning to end

Catherine made these stunning polymer beads some time back.  She asked me to make a necklace for her using them.  What FUN!

Just the opportunity I love:  Looking through my "stash" for potential components to complement and complete the design.


The end result...and you should see it on Catherine! 

Some of Paulette's Work in Progress

  

Earlier this year I began a project with this beautiful stone (composition unknown) from friend Susie.  I used a Cubic Right Angle Weave (CRAW) stitch to form the geometry around the stone and for the necklace straps.  Lots and lots and LOTS of stitching!  Below is the end result:

P.S.  The driftwood "neck form" is a beautiful sculpture that husband Rick created.

Down the Colorado III

Down the Colorado III

This is the third in a series of paintings from our trip down the Colorado through the Grand Canyon in May.

If you would like to see step by step how I painted this watercolor, please go to www.catherinemix.blogspot.com

Linda's YouTube Video

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ylxhNZiAhNU7list=FLIMRTJ69wHIfZBol8_2w&index+3

After purchasing a new wood lathe last year, Rocky has rediscovered how much he enjoys making round things!

The last few months, he has focused on turning gorgeous segmented bowls.

The following is a brief look at the not so brief process for a 15 inch diameter bowl:

Gluing up wood strips:  Purpleheart, yellowheart, padouk, sapele, alder, poplar, maple and wenge.

Gluing up wedges of yellowheart

Thickness standing

Bandsawing

Cutting rings

Gluing up the rings

Turning and finishing using shellac and wax

Spinning

Sometimes I feel like I am just spinning my wheels. No traction, no progress, just frustration.
As an artist, one can consider times like these a blessing, because frustration is the foundation for growth.
Artists are never really satisfied, always searching for a better, more beautiful solution.  No matter what media we work in, the answer is simply this:

JUST DO THE WORK

Making art is a process, an evolutionary practice.
One thing leads to another.
The real meaning of making art lies in the process-not the end product.

What's not to love about Rhyolite paired with Sterling Silver?!  This is an example of one of many necklace and earring sets that I've wrapped and strung for this year's show...

Here we are, the ARTfusion artists (Linda, Rocky, Catherine, Paulette, and Pat (not pictured)), at the beautiful Cutting Garden Art Center in Sequim.  We are very excited for our 2014 show,  this year's dates being Friday August 29, Saturday August 30 and Sunday August 31, 11am - 5pm each day.
We look forward to seeing you all there!

Getting ready for the 2014 Show...

As one of the five artists of ARTfusion, I am so very excited for this year's show!  I've been working on new jewelry designs, experimenting with new techniques and in general have been having a blast!  My motto...if you can imagine it, you can do it.  Here's a glimpse of a piece that I currently have in work for our 2014 show:
  

Here's a completed set, made with dreamy ocean blue Larimar, a stone found only in the Dominican Republic:

Please come join us for what promises to be a wonderful Show, August 29th - 31st, 2014!