Creative Arts Eliot 2023: Your choice of workshops

Our workshops for 2023 are listed below. Check out the nine amazing options!! They are irresistible; please join us for an amazing creative experience! If you haven't registered for camp already, go to our home page and click on the Big Blue Button.

If you want to apply to be our children's art workshop coordinator this summer or to be a presenter for a future camp, please scroll all the way to the bottom of this page to find links to information and applications.

Bryan Willis - Writing Your Story

Biography:  Bryan Willis serves as playwright-in-residence for the Northwest Playwrights Alliance at Seattle Repertory Theatre.  His work has appeared throughout the U.K., China, Israel, Japan, Canada and U.S., including New York Theater Workshop, Milwaukee Rep, Unseam’d Shakespeare Co., Book-It Repertory Theatre, Riverside Studios in London and Seattle’s ACT where John Langs directed the mainstage premiere of Seven Ways to Get There.  His collaboration with Kenneth Lonergan and Frank Pugliese, Woofer the Psychic Dog, has enjoyed success in many theaters on both coasts and in Japan. Bryan’s work has also been featured on NPR, BBC Radio 4 (commission for Sophie) and German Radio NDR (collaboration with novelist Peter Mountford). Bryan worked in new play development in New York at Playwrights Horizons and later worked in the literary department at Lincoln Center, serving as NYU's Playwright-in-Residence while completing his MFA in Playwriting & Screen Writing at Tisch School of the Arts.  He is a proud member of Artist Trust and received a gold medallion from KC/ACTF, where he served on the National Selection Team in 2011.  

Lynn Ungar - Poetry as a Spiritual Practice

Program Description:  Poetry as a Spiritual Practice

Beloved poets throughout the ages have turned to the natural world for inspiration, finding, in Shakespeare’s words, “tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones” and the wisdom that we need to find our place in this world. Participants will be invited to investigate both poetry and nature as inspiration for creating their own wisdom poetry.

Biography:  

Rev. Dr. Lynn Ungar is a poet, Unitarian Universalist minister and dog trainer who lives in Vancouver, WA with her two Australian Shepherds. Her books of poetry include Bread and Other Miracles, Breathe, and These Days: Poems of the Pandemic Age.

Jude Siegel - Simple Drawing and Watercolor: Nature Journaling

Program Description: Simple Drawing and Watercolor: Nature Journaling For joy, not for mastery, this way of keeping a journal with drawing, watercolor and writing is about each person's unique interpretation of the surrounding world. With simple exercises and guidance, we will learn and practice seeing in a new way. Then, drawing simply, and using watercolor easily, we shall create a visual record of our experiences. We will add writing as we wish, and embellish our pages with other fun techniques. No art experience needed, just willingness and curiosity. Lots of encouragement and support. We work inside and outside. Some walking is included, but individuals can modify as needed.

Biography: Jude Siegel has been teaching children and adults about nature and art for many decades. Artist, educator, and naturalist, she has long taught in Oregon, including for Portland Audubon, Sitka Center for Art and Ecology, Multnomah Arts Center, as well as in other states, and in Italy. She wrote A Pacific Northwest Nature Sketchbook (Timber Press 2006).

Kat Rose - The Magic Egg - Modern Pysanky

Program Description: The Magic Egg - Modern Pysanky 

All over Eastern Europe, since Pagan days, people have inscribed eggs with sacred symbols to bring blessings. We will be making Pysanky with hot wax delivered by an electric tool, then dyed vibrant colors. The design is revealed when the wax is removed.

Whimsical, modern or traditional, each egg carries good wishes for it’s recipient. This is a meditative craft with deep spiritual roots. Pysanky is so much more than making pretty eggs. Kat will share stories of how the eggs are used as talismans in everyday life.

Even if you think you can’t draw straight lines, you can make marvelous eggs with squiggles and dots. Young people who enjoy quiet focused work are welcome. You can expect to make 1 dozen amazingly colorful eggs during the workshop.

More information on Pysanky and the class can be found at www.flamingchalice.com/themagicegg

Biography: Kat learned to write pysanky at the age of 4 from her Baba (Grandmother) who immigrated to the US from Austria Hungary. She has taught others to “do eggs” in Pittsburgh, LA, Santa Fe, Seattle and Friday Harbor. Kat attended Northlake and East Shore UU. Retired from a high tech career, she now lives on San Juan Island. When not writing pysanky, she spends her time in her clay studio making chalices for UU’s or working her organic garden to grow for the food bank.

Allison King - Move Your Body, Move Your Spirit.

Linda Horton - Mosaics

Program Description: Create Your Own Glass Art Mosaics
Mosaic is an ancient art form, made accessible to beginners or those with some experience in this workshop.  Participants will learn about choosing materials (iridescent or textured glass, small ceramic tiles, beads to embellish, etc.), glass cutting, composition and tips for constructing simple pieces. These can include a small (5") picture trays and pendants, or a more challenging 8" plaque for those with some experience. Using glass triangles or slivers primarily, rather than squares, allows a more dynamic, flowing and quicker creative expression.  New skills, plus original, durable artwork to take home!

Biography: I have been involved in the arts since childhood, when my mother took me after church (San Diego 1st UU) to sketch in the park or at the harbor. In high school, I Illustrated the literary magazine, in my 20s I worked for an art gallery and sold my etchings, and in my 30s assisted an art therapist in senior homes.  While I have been involved in many art forms, I kept coming back to visual arts.  Abut 30 years ago I took up stained glass, which evolved into a passion for glass mosaics. Early in my retirement, I began designing pendants, beginning with flaming chalices and branching out. Between my Etsy site and craft fairs, etc., I have sold more than 300 pendants, as well as contributing both pendants and plaques to church and charity fundraisers and making larger pieces for gifts and the occasional commission. Now I am finding decorative plaques a more interesting challenge. During my 25+ years as a parish minister, I regularly offered adult ed classes in “Art and Spirit.” Leading a mosaic workshop in 2022 at Creative Arts Eliot was even more enjoyable than expected, and the creations of the participants quite delightful.

Leela Grace - You Can Sing Harmony

Eduardo Fernandez - Acrylic Painting

Program Description: Painting 1-2-3!
     Explore the art and craft of acrylic painting in a studio offering personalized instruction, demos and feedback. Students will learn and gain inspiration by painting directly from life and by copying a master artist's work; a tried and true way to learn and create fresh and interesting work. While some attention is paid to theory, the workshop is meant to be hands-on, engaging, and fun. Painting 1-2-3 includes lively discussion of artists and their work to explain and illustrate: essentials of picture-making like value, color, and composition; painting technique such as color mixing, brushwork, and building a painting step by step; how to start strong and block-in a painting. Painting 1-2-3 is open to all levels and beginners are welcome!

Biography: Eduardo Fernandez is inspired by the effects of color and light, direct observation, imagination and love for oil painting and drawing. Portraits, still-life, and landscapes are ongoing themes in his work. Eduardo is know for his portrait work and has exhibited in several Pacific NW venues. He greatly enjoys teaching and has been an instructor at the Portland Art Museum, Pacific NW College of Art, and Multnomah Arts Center. To view his work, visit: www.eduardofernandez.com.

Drew Betz - Felted Wool Embroidery

Program Description: Wool is one of the oldest materials used by humans. It is incredibly easy to sew through and felted wool is the perfect medium for using decorative stitches and creating gifts for beloveds. This workshop will focus on learning and practicing embroidery with Perle cotton and other threads on felted wool. Other embellishments may be added as desired. Each participant will be able to work on a sampler of stitches and create one or more projects that can include a needle case, a candle mat, or a smal quilt. All of the work will be done by hand.

Biography: Drew Betz has been an instructor at previous Creative Arts Eliot camps, the focus being on quilt making. The opportunity to do handwork as a creative endeavor is a logical next step. Drew has been working in the wool medium throughout her practice in quilt making and fiber art. She enjoys the freedom that using wool provides.

Drew has recently shown her piece, Pomegranates, in the 2022 International Quilt and Fiber Art Festival. The piece is 18 x 18 inches and is created from a recycled wool coat, hand-dyed felted wool, thread, sequins, and beads.

Calling All Artists!

Are you interested in presenting a workshop at Creative Arts Eliot? If so, you can find more information at this link: Workshop Presenter Information

Ready to apply to present a workshop? Please complete the application found at this link: Workshop Presenter Application

To apply to be the CAE Children's Art Workshop Coordinator, please complete the application found at this link: CAE CAW Coordinator Application