Last Call!!!

Registration Ends This Thursday for A Cut Above!!! Don’t delay in signing up for the class(es) of your choice because once registration closes (June 20th) the opportunity ends. I’m offering an optional DVD of both of these workshops that can only be purchased inside of the classroom at a nominal fee. This allows for those who may not have the time to do the class while it’s live, to do it at their own pace or for those who want to have unending access to the videos to revisit the workshop whenever they like.

The neat thing about the Artful Gathering Online Art Retreat is that you can take as many classes at a time as you like-just like a live retreat! There are many wonderful instructors to choose from and a wide variety of techniques to learn.

I hope you’ll consider joining me for one or both of the only online classes I’m offering this year!!

Click on the image above to Register

pcarrikerbadge

pam120revised

999887_10151525884276843_1033915494_n

026_SOM0512

859011_10151329014876843_1340080169_o Frida #2 Frida number three

902607_10151422603111843_578682570_o

SESSION TWO

pamlonggood

pursuing portraits pam carriker

1016272_10151518004396843_753518498_n

305854_10151440331386843_530376874_n 581807_10151482673901843_1041308677_n 472660_10151461799991843_369036849_o 417936_10151468198956843_289671914_n

Online Workshops Start Tomorrow!!!

My only Online Workshops of the year start tomorrow!!! Don’t delay in signing up for the class(es) of your choice because once registration closes (June 20th) the opportunity ends. I’m offering an optional DVD of both of these workshops that can only be purchased inside of the classroom at a nominal fee. This allows for those who may not have the time to do the class while it’s live, to do it at their own pace or for those who want to have unending access to the videos to revisit the workshop whenever they like.

The neat thing about this Online Art Retreat is that you can take as many classes at a time as you like-just like a live retreat! There are many wonderful instructors to choose from and a wide variety of techniques to learn.

I hope you’ll consider joining me for one or both of the only online classes i’m offering this year!!

Click on the image above to Register

pcarrikerbadge

pam120revised

pamlonggood

pursuing portraits pam carriker

Online Workshop Giveaway(s)!!!

I’m really excited about my two upcoming online workshops and the main reason is because it’s the only time I’m teaching online this year! I’d so hate for you to miss the fun. I love doing online classes buy my schedule is just too full right now to more than this. Now, I know it’s durning the summer (all summer long if you take both sessions) but the awesome thing about these classes is that you have the option to purchase a DVD of all of the video lessons from inside the workshop! So if you don’t have time to do all of the workshop this summer you can pop in, say hi and download the written materials, purchase a DVD and do the class later at your own pace, no worries! Almost every person opted for the DVD last year, most just to have on hand to revisit the material later. And seriously, I guarantee you that as soon as registration closes there will be people wanting in-it happens every year! So don’t get busy and forget to sign up today!

artfulgatheringicon

Artful Gathering strives very hard to bring an Art Retreat atmosphere to the whole event. There will be book signings, giveaways, raffles, door prizes and more!

pcarrikerbadge

1st Session Workhsop

Banner

2nd Session Workshop

A Cut Above DVD Jacket 1.31.06 PM

Still Pursuing Portraits DVD Jacket

Optional DVD that can only be purchased in the class!

DSC01541

Workshop Handouts that you can download and print out!

Sponsor Prize

My Sponsor Giveaway (includes a signed copy of my new book hot off the press in September!

So what am I giving away? TWO OF MY WORKSHOPS!!! Your choice of either A Cut Above or Still Pursuing Portraits!!! And if you’ve already paid for the workshop, you will get a refund! Oh, and that’s not all…

I will also draw two names to each receive a FREE DVD if they purchase one of my classes.

So what do you have to do to enter? Leave a comment including your FIRST and LAST NAME and or contact info ( so I can tell you that you’ve won!) and I’m going to ask that you tweet, facebook or blog about this giveaway. Now I’m not going to be checking to see that you did, I’m just asking that you help me share the news about Artful Gathering and my workshop giveaway. Just a quick link share would be awesome!

THIS GIVEAWAY WILL END ON FRIDAY @ 12PM CST

A Tutu, A Tutorial and a Happy Dance!

So you may know I’m teaching at Art Is…You on the East Coast this October but what you may not know is there is a Tutu Revolution going on!! So it’s time to dust off that tutu or get a cool one from Carrie Clayden of Hip Chick Designs and Bring It to Art Is!!!

Stampington & Co has a blog-did you know? It’s full of tutorials and how to’s from guest artists one of which I’m thrilled to be this month! I’m sharing a tutorial on  Shiva Paintstiks and how to create a non-messy ‘oil’ painting. I hope you’ll stop by and check it and the other wonderful tutorials there and don’t forget to sign up to receive email notifications so you can keep up with Stampington’s latest~

And for the Happy Dance…I’ve been sitting on a secret for some time now and it was just reveled in the May issue of Somerset Studio

Yes! My happy dance for a line of stamps coming out very soon with Stampington & Co!!! You can check out my article about my “Lost Journal” (remember the journal I lost last August during our move?) and get a little sneak peek at some of the inspiration behind the designs for my new stamp line! If you’re interested in carving your own lino blocks check out my upcoming classes at CREATE and Art Unraveled.

This has been an exciting couple of weeks and I’m completely honored to be the Profile Artist for the spring issue of Art Journaling. I was in the inaugural issue of this publication and many since and I’m so glad they’ve now made this a quarterly magazine! There’s so much inspiring journaling going on all around us.  If you are of a mind you may want to submit a journal of your own to Art Journaling. You can find all of the information on their website

Carving Time

Summer is speeding by and right smack dab in the middle of it I get sick. This happens to many of us and puts a damper on the outside activities. With my creativity at a low ebb along with my energy, I picked up my carving tool and some Jack Richeson Easy Carve Lino and used some of the designs I’ve been creating for stencil products. This is one of the ways I like to reuse artwork, by making art tools from it.

Focusing on the positive and negative space and the lack of color to distract, forces you to simplify and make every line count. The art becomes a sort of puzzle that you carefully put together to create impact. Less is more when carving stamps. There are no shades of grey, just black and white. Positive and negative.

Summer is a busy time, but it is still possible to carve time for art out of each day. Try something new like carving stamps, it only takes one tool, you can do it outside, and the stamps can be used for future projects.

Carving Tips

Use a sharp blade

Start with simple designs and work up to more intricate ones

Never cut towards yourself! Carve away from your hand holding the Lino

Use a bench hook/inking plate to carve safely http://www.dickblick.com/products/speedball-bench-hookinking-plate/

Cut a groove with V shaped tip around all of the design out lines and the carve away lino to that groove. This will help prevent cutting into the design lines.

Take your time and enjoy the process. This is something that takes time, it’s not a fast process but you can come back to it and spend a few moments on it throughout the day.

Ink your lino cut with a stamp pad to see areas that still need carving (see last two images)

I show some carving tips on my newly released DVD from Interweave Press, you can see a preview and order it HERE