Make Upcycled Bracelets at Pinole Artisan Meeting

Learn to make fabulous bracelets from old neckties at my hands-on (pun intended) free workshop at the Pinole Artisan’s August 4, 2017 general meeting!

I’ll provide materials and tools – but if you have a tie that you KNOW (check with the tie-wearer first!) won’t ever be worn again, bring it along. Also – any fun buttons you’d like to sew onto your bracelet ….

Pinole Artisans meet the first Friday of every month at the Pinole United Methodist Church, 2000 San Pablo Avenue. Wheelchair accessible. Meetings begin at 7 p.m., are free, with very friendly artists and snacks. All are welcome!

For more information or if you have a question – email me! HeidiRand@gmail.com

Etsy Craft Party: Fabulous Fabric Fun

On June 20th people around the world will meet and mingle to create, collaborate, and just have fun at countless Etsy Craft Parties organized by Etsy artists and crafters in their own hometowns. This year’s theme is “Craft for Community.”

Michele Battise, of Battise Fashions, generously included me in her vision of the ideal Craft Party. Michele is a clothing and accessory designer whose mission is to help women look and feel their most uniquely fabulous.

Animal Print Jacket, by Michele Battise

I met her several years ago through the SF Etsy group, when she contacted me about her idea to use some of my nature-design fabric in her clothing line.We really connected, and bonded over our love of fabric and original design, and the value of collaboration and supporting other artisans. Having Michele include my fabric in one of her dresses has been a high point in my artistic career.  That backstory explains how this Craft Party came to be, and also our philosophy behind it. So, on to the details!

We have planned for you a fun-fest of creativity and inspiration, a chance to learn many different unique and easy techniques for DIY projects. It’s Thursday, June 20th from 7 to 10 pm at the Gateview Clubhouse, 555 Pierce Street, Albany CA. Proceeds from the $10 ticket sale and raffle will cover supplies and your donation to La Clinica de La Raza, a healthcare organization serving low and moderate income families in the East Bay area.

We’ve got projects for everyone! You can learn to print your own artwork and photos directly on fabric with an inkjet printer.  I’ll do hands-on demos all night using your images (see below for details*), taking you step-by-step through the whole process. I’ll let you know what equipment works best, show you how to prepare your files, give you all of my secret tips to get fabric successfully through your printer, and much much more.

Pillow made with inkjet print fabric

Expert photographer and printer KG of daydreaming arts, will demonstrate printing lengths of fabric (think scarves). She’ll show you the great potential in using a large-format inkjet printer, but also scale down her advice so you can get similar results from the smaller inkjet printers that most people use at home.

kg’s large-format printer setup

The most exciting thing about teaching printing on fabric is watching people get their first print! kg and I will have time for at least 15 (hopefully more) people to print their own images at the Party. To be fair, it’s first-come, first-served, so if you want to get your own photo or artwork printed, register for the Party and then email me (at HeidiRand@gmail.com) a jpg of your work. The file should be 8 x 10 inches, at around 300 dpi. Email me any questions as well.

What else? You can learn to print on fabric using stamps and stencils with Grace Taormina, author of “The Complete Guide to Rubber Stamping” and “The Complete Guide to Decorative Stamping.” Grace will bring a huge variety of stamps, stencils, paints and other supplies and equipment for you to create and experiment with. She’ll have 12 inch muslin squares as well as other fun fabrics for you to use in your projects.

And the marvelous Michele will teach you several quick-sew or no-sew projects using felt for ponchos, scarfs, and more! She’ll have sewing machines for you to use so you can complete your project at the Party. And since one of her specialties is designing and sewing clothing, purses, and accessories with leather, she’ll have recycled leather pieces that you can use in your designs and projects.

Michele Battise leather purse

Do you have a fabulous fabric technique you’d like to share?  Let us know so we can include it.

We’ll provide all the crafting supplies and equipment needed, but feel free to bring your own favorite supplies, fabric, stamps, paint, paper, etc! Oh, and last but not least – plenty of refreshments to keep our creative fires stoked!

You can register by clicking on this link. See you there!

Learn to sell your art online

Are you an artist or crafter who has been thinking about finally taking the plunge to sell your artwork online? How long has starting an Etsy shop been on your “To Do” list? Are you stymied by not knowing where to start, confused by all of the options, uncertain where you fit in?

Bay Area artists, this workshop is for you! Introduction to Selling Your Artwork Online is my overview class designed to teach you the many different options to market and sell your artwork and/or crafts on the internet. Learn the pros and cons of having your own website, selling through print-on-demand websites, selling your handmade work on Etsy or similar sites, using blogs and other social marketing tools, and much more. This information will save you countless hours you’d have to spend to do the research and experimentation on your own, and save you from wasting time and money on the wrong kind of venue for your situation.

The workshop will be held on Sunday April 14th from noon to 3:30 at The Village Shops and Galleries, 10330 San Pablo Ave (between Stockton and Eureka), in El Cerrito. The cost is $65, which includes an extensive handout.

Facebook business page

If you have a smartphone or laptop, you can bring it, but it’s not required.  We’ll cover what has been preventing you from beginning to sell online, what kinds of skills you need, how to keep yourself motivated, social media marketing, and much more.

Twitter page

Space is limited and pre-registration for the workshop is required.  If you have any questions or want to pre-register, just email me at heidirand[at]gmail.com
If you’re not in the Bay Area, check out my book. You’ll find links to see a preview of it at Amazon, and to order it in pdf format, kindle format, print, and more!

Grand Opening Village Shops and Galleries!

Start with a dream, add inspiration and a lot of luck, stir in hard work and sweat: lifting, carrying, arranging and rearranging, then combine with laughter and friends coming through big-time … and what do you get? We’ve got a brand new Village Shops and Galleries to show off at our grand opening, Saturday March 16th, from noon to 8 p.m. Please join us for wine and refreshments, music, great art, and lots more!

Mixing the best of old and new, we’ve got vintage collectibles and antique furniture alongside brand new unique handmade art by amazingly talented (mostly local) artists and crafters. And we’re so excited to introduce our new gift shop featuring work crafted by independent artisans, including fine silver jewelry by designer Lis Mahnken of ME Designs; 

artful clothing and accessories by Michele Battise; wooden bowls, boxes and pens by David Earls;

David Earls’ wooden bowls and pens

exquisitely designed and stitched quilts by Carolyn Earls;

mixed media and textile crafts and jewelry by Grace Taormina and Rachel Taormina; handcrafted soap by sassafras and Bubble Queen Soaps & Scents;

and my own photo arts and crafts. We’re also proud to be the only place you can get the full line of collage artist Tamara Holland’s wonderful new line of inspirational greeting cards – and believe me, you will want one of each!

Tamara Holland’s cards

The walls are bursting with color, from resident artist Mark Canepa’s metal artwork and paintings to hand-pulled linocut and woodblock prints by Rich Fowler, vivid mixed-media paintings by Rachel Taormina, large-format photographs by John Hanses, and much more!

Rich Fowler’s prints

Looking for a classy, convenient meeting space for a private or public event? Searching for studio space? We have many options for rental -by the hour, day or longer. And it’s a dream come true for my co-manager Grace and myself to offer a wide variety of art workshops and classes in our brand new classroom, fully stocked with art supplies and equipment. We’re offering high-quality art and craft instruction at affordable prices in a range of subjects, for adults and children, and for all different skill levels.

The Village Shops is at 10330 San Pablo Avenue, El Cerrito, between Eureka and Stockton streets. There’s plenty of free parking. Starting March 16th, we’ll be open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 6 p.m. Are you an artist or crafter interested in learning about opportunities to show and sell your work, or to teach? If so, come on by to meet us and fill out an application.  Questions? Call (510) 525-5661 or email me at heidirand@gmail.com  

Sneak Peek Open House!

If you made it to the ArtFirst! Holiday Show and Sale, you know what a wonderful space we were lucky to be able to hold it in. We rented space for the pop-up show from Mark Canepa, resident artist and owner of The Village Shops and Galleries, 10330 San Pablo Avenue in El Cerrito. 

The show went so well that Mark and my fellow ArtFirst!er Grace Taormina and I decided to take The Village Shops to the next level. We’re busy plotting, planning and painting walls, and we’re very proud to announce that our Grand Opening will be on March 16th.

Mixed Media artwork by Grace Taormina

You won’t have to wait that long to see what we’re up to, because we’re holding a sneak peek Open House on Saturday February 9th from noon to 6:00 p.m., and you’re all invited! Come by for a preview of what we’re working on: new art, a new gift shop with a wide range of art and crafts, collectibles, and much more!

We’re also excited for you to check out our brand new classroom, where experienced teachers will offer a wide variety of workshops and classes for children and adults of all skill levels and interests. We’ll take you on a tour of the event and studio spaces that will be available for individuals or groups to rent.

In honor of Valentine’s Day we’ll also have some great surprise activities, including a “make and take” where you can make a free valentine for your sweetie.

And if you’re an artist or crafter interested in learning about opportunities to show and sell your work, or to teach, come on by to meet us and fill out an application.

Questions? Call (510) 525-5661 or email me at heidirand@gmail.com

And Our Host, Artist Mark Canepa

For the last few posts I’ve been introducing you to the awesome artists in our ArtFirst! Holiday Show and Sale. If you missed any, see the links at the end of this post. We’re in our second and final week of the Show, and I have just two more artists for you to meet. First, our host, Mark Canepa. Mark, the resident artist at the Village Shops and Galleries, generously let ArtFirst! show our work alongside his.

Mark is a well-known artist in El Cerrito and throughout California. He specializes in metal art, but excels at any medium he turns his hand to. His work has been shown at many prominent art galleries and he has a large client base that includes many of Hollywood’s  famous musicians, actors and actresses. Mark has also won awards for numerous parade floats in The Tournament of Roses. Click here to see a YouTube video showing some of Mark’s work.

Hard to follow that act, but last up is me! I figure since you read my blog you already know all about me. If not, I’m a nature photographer and mixed-media artist. 

I use my images and designs to create a wide range of arts and crafts, some decorative, some useful.

Peacock design light switch plate

I love to design fabric, which I print on cotton or silk and sew into purses, pillows, vases, bowls, and more.

You can see more of my photos, blended collages and designs  at my website, or click here to see some of my arts and crafts at my Artfire online gallery.

Now that you’ve met all of us, we’d love to meet you! We’re open at Mark’s Village Shops and Galleries, 10330 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito, from noon to 6, today through Sunday December 2nd.

This is my original post with all of the information about the Show.  Here’s the one about Grace and Rachel Taormina.  In this one I introduced you to Jane and Nadine Robbins-Laurent, George McRae and Laurie Stern. And click here to read about Beka Brayer, Holly Wallace, Victoria Veedell, and Julie Long Gallegos.

Follow ArtFirst! on Facebook. And please check out our website.

August Workshop: Sell Your Art Online

Etsy shop

Are you an artist or craftsperson who has been thinking about finally taking the plunge to sell your artwork online? How long has starting an Etsy shop been on your “To Do” list? Are you stymied by not knowing where to start, confused by all of the options, uncertain where you fit in?

Zazzle shop

Bay Area artists, I’ve put together a workshop just for you  — Introduction to Selling Your Artwork Online is my overview class designed to teach you the many different options to market and sell your artwork and/or crafts on the internet. Learn the pros and cons of having your own website, selling through print-on-demand websites, selling your handmade work on Etsy or similar sites, using blogs and other social marketing tools, and much more. This information will save you countless hours you’d have to spend to do the research and experimentation on your own, and save you from wasting time and money on the wrong kind of venue for your situation.

This workshop will be held on  Saturday August 11, 2012 from 11 to 2:30 in Pinole. The cost is $60.

Facebook business page

If you have a smartphone or laptop, bring it along, but it’s not required.  We’ll discuss what has been preventing you from beginning to sell online, what kinds of skills you need, how to keep yourself motivated, and more.

Twitter page

Space is limited and pre-registration for the workshop is required.  If you have any questions or want to pre-register, just email me at heidirand[at]gmail.com
If you’re not in the Bay Area, check out my book. You’ll find links to see a preview of it at Amazon, and to order it in pdf format, kindle format, print, and more!

Photo Art : Altered Imagery Workshop

Do you have folders-full of photos stashed on your computer that are okay, but that you dream of transforming into unique art that you’re proud of, that you can print and frame — for yourself, for gifts, or to sell?

Odontoglossum orchid

Ready to take the next steps with your photos, to stretch your creativity and artistic imagination?  I’ve got just the workshop for you! On Saturday July 14th from 11 am to 2:30 pm at Joan Landis’s Pinole Art Studio I will teach you how to transform your photos into works of art with image processing software and techniques.

Digital collage, Monarch and Woods

We’ll explore how to enhance your original photos to achieve unique and artistic effects using Adobe Photoshop Elements. Elements is a very powerful, but affordable, image processing program.  The techniques that I teach can also be accomplished with other programs, and we’ll discuss them as well, including GIMP, a free image processing program.

Kaleidoscope creation

Space is limited, and we’ll work on your images at the workshop, so pre-registration is required.  For more information, or to pre-register, email me at heidirand@gmail.com.  The cost is $50. If you can’t make the workshop, email me for other options, including private classes, books, and ebooks.  And here’s a list of my other art and craft workshops.

Peacock feather kaleidoscope

California Native Plant Society – 2011 Native Plant Fair

Leopard lily, Mt Tam

The East Bay Chapter of the California Native Plant Society presents the 2011 Native Plant Fair on Saturday, October 1, from 10 am to 3 pm, and on Sunday, October 2 from noon to 3 pm at the Native Here Nursery, 101 Golf Course Road, Berkeley, in Tilden Park across from the entrance to the Tilden Golf Course.

20,000+ plants, including bulbs and ferns, will be offered for sale.  Come for  a wonderful selection of local native plants, seeds and bulbs, lectures, books, posters and gifts — as well as to see local photographers and craftspeople with their native and nature-related arts and crafts.  Free admission!

I will be there both days — please stop by my table to say hello.  I’ll bring a great selection of my original nature-based arts and crafts works, including many prints of native plants, butterflies and insects, my fabric art, tile boxes, cards, silk scarves, and much more!

Bay leaf mandala

This event is a major source of funding for the East Bay CNPS.   Over twenty people volunteer regularly at the Native Here Nursery, open year round to benefit the chapter through sales of local native plants.  Click here for more information about the Fair, including a catalog of plants that will be for sale.

Butterflies in Your Garden

My butterfly display at the El Cerrito Library  is up! It’s in the glass case at the front of the library.  It will be there from June 5th through mid-July.

One of my aims is to show people how to garden to attract and nurture butterflies in their gardens.  Along with some of my photos of the life cycle of the monarch butterfly and of the anise swallowtail butterfly, and my artwork and crafts from my butterfly photos, I’ve put together some lists with information about local butterflies, their food sources and helpful plants.  I’m attaching the lists to this post as pdfs for you to read and print out for your own use.  If you want to copy them for any other use, please contact me for permission.

First, a partial list of Bay Area butterflies, with my photographs of a few of the butterflies:

Bay Area Butterflies

Second, a partial list of larval host plants for local butterflies. These are the most critical plants, because the butterflies need them to lay their eggs on. When the eggs hatch, they eat the plant to survive until they change into chrysalises:

Gardening to Attract Butterflies: Larval Hosts

Third, nectar plants for butterflies. This is also a partial list to give you some ideas about what you can plant to provide nectar for Bay Area butterflies. Most adult butterflies feed on flower nectar. Not all flowers provide nectar, so if you really want to help the butterflies, try to include as many nectar-providing plants as possible. The butterflies will waste energy visiting flowers that don’t provide nectar. And of course butterflies are great pollinators, and as they feed on the nectar they carry pollen from previously visited flowers:

Bay Area Butterfly Nectar Plants

Fourth, I compiled a bibliography of books related to butterflies, native plants and gardening that are available in the El Cerrito Library.  This is the link:

Books about Butterflies and Native Plants at the El Cerrito Library

Last, but not least, George wrote a wonderful description of the evolution of our garden and yard into a wildlife habitat:

Killing our lawn, by George McRae

If you have any questions, just let me know in the comments.  Hope you can make it to the display.