Art Camp for Women

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Our BIG Give Away!

OUR BIG GIVE AWAY!

Register 3 friends in Mini-Camp by June 30, 2010
and win your camp in one of two ways!

WHAT YOU WIN

Mini-Art Camp for Women
ABSOLUTELY FREE!!
August 4-8, 2010

You will be a full participant in our August 4 - 8, 2010 Mini-Camp, supplies, food, lodging and all the fun that goes along with it!

OR

You can take $995 off of your fall session Art Camp for Women, October 5 - 11, 2010. Again your prize includes full participation in our Fall Art Camp for Women in Winter Park, Colorado.

RULES and DETAILS:

Although we wish to fill up our August Mini-Camp you are welcome to choose either camp in 2010.

RULES:

1. Three people that say you sent them must have their deposit of $500 USD paid by July 1, 2010.
2. Mini-Camp balance due date is July 5th by which time they must be paid in full.
3. YOUR PRIZE CAMP includes a double occupancy room and all the benefits of camp.
4. CANCELLATION POLICY - All of our policies, including our cancellation policies, apply to you and your friends. Please read them carefully. By sending in your deposit you agree that you have read and will abide by all of the policies of Art Camp for Women.
5. In the event all 2010 camps are full you will win a comparable camp in 2011. Camps will be awarded on a first-come/first-serve basis.

SO PLAY FULL OUT!
YOU ONLY HAVE A FEW WEEKS - BUT WON'T IT BE WORTH IT?

If you have any questions please feel free to call or e-mail us at:
registration@artcampforwomen.com
toll free 1-888-678-8775

Our Little Give Away!

OUR LITTLE GIVE AWAY!

Have three of your friends sign up to receive our newsletter and say you referred them, to be entered in our drawing for this incredible Nantucket Bagg. (See below for details on the bag. Bag color may vary from picture.)

THE RULES:
1. Have your friends sign up in the "Join our Mailing List" box. The box is located on the left near the top on our newsletter.

2. Alternately, your friends can sign up in the "Sign up here for Art Camp Newsletter" box on our website,  also located on the left near the top.

3. In the sign-up process there is a box that asks who referred them - they must fill  in this box with your name and the next box with your e-mail address.

4. E-mail us at registration@artcampforwomen when 3 of your friends have signed up. We will verify and your name will be put in the drawing. We will use a random name chooser so the drawing will be completely non-partial.

5. If your name is drawn - you will win the Incredible Nantucket Poly-Canvas Diddy Bagg.

6. The drawing will be held no later than July 15, 2010 and the bag will be shipped immediately.

Good Luck!
Here are more details about the bag.

The Nantucket Diddy Bagg

• Double thickness 600 denier Polyester Canvas
• 30 Pockets
• 15" high 10" wide 6" deep
  ___________________________

• Stands upright when filled
• Washable - lay flat to dry
  
• Converts to a Tote, Roll, or Backpack
  
• Great for art supplies, beading supplies, knitters and much more
  
• Designed by a master carpenter and used by everyone!
  
• Pockets can be enlarged by removing a few stitches

10 Ways We are Different from Other Art Vacations

We are in the Rocky Mountains - view from front deck.

1. We are smaller - we can accommodate a maximum of 20 women per camp session, so we are much quieter with less hustle and bustle.

2. We supply all the art materials - this allows you to try new art media using the best supplies available, without having to buy a bunch of stuff you may never use. And packing for camp is so easy!

3. We offer fewer classes than the larger art camp venues, but the campers get to try every one of them. At our week long Fall Camp we offer basic drawing, water color painting, plein air painting (water color) and composition. Then in the fabric arts we offer surface design, gel medium photo transfer, stamp making, embellishment and collage. Art journaling gives you a means to integrate your experiences at art camp with the rest of your life, and may well become your every day artistic expression. At the mini-camp we play in the same 3 media as in the longer camp, but the experience is compressed into less time.

4. You get more personal attention from the instructors - in addition, one of our partners is a professional life coach and offers a  life coaching session at no additional cost. The coaching ranges from "what do I want to do with my life?" to "how do I get more organized around my art?"

5. All meals are prepared by a chef and are delicious AND healthy; a vegetarian option is always offered. And of course there is always wine, chocolate and a late evening dessert.

Want to come to camp this year?

6.  The art room is always available to you - some time in the course of the week, you might find yourself staying up until midnight in your pajamas to finish your favorite project. No problem, camp is held in comfortable lodges with all of the modern conveniences, yet away from the urban hustle.

7. Smaller numbers allow for friendships to develop - you are together much of the time, i.e. classes and meals, and you get to know women you might never have met otherwise. Of course people split into smaller groups, some people go hiking while others continue working on a project. Some people do the morning Sun Salutation Yoga while others sleep in. There is also plenty of room for time to yourself. 

 Are you ready to register?

8. Our excursions involve going to nearby hot springs the Rocky Mountains (October camp only) and a walk through the splendors of nature. And really, the Rocky Mountains rival the natural wonders of any place in the world. We predict warm sunny days with crisp cool nights, all at the peak of our fall foliage season.

9. We offer carefree relaxation. We are out in the mountains, and if you don't want to wear makeup, no one will care. You will not need to get into a car the entire time if you don't want to.

10. Wildlife abounds - at our October camp you may see deer, elk, fox, or even a bear. A herd of deer is often seen at the August mini-camp location.

Please join us this year.

And the Ways We are Almost the Same

1. Camp provides a time out from life, a time just for you to explore who you are this year, with no obligations other than to have a good time, whatever that looks like for you.

2. Some one else does all the cooking, cleaning and errand running.

Our breakfast buffet and Diane the chef - 2008

3. You will learn and have fun in a non-judgmental atmosphere no matter what level of skill you have.

4. Our instructors are highly qualified working artists and teachers.

5. You will meet other like-minded women while getting out of your comfort zone and learning new things about your creative ability and yourself.

6. When people stretch their limits of creativity with others,these others do become lifelong friends.

7. You will have a week of complete freedom to do something you have a passion for.

8. You will go home recharged for your family and your work, with new techniques to apply to your life and your art until the next time.

Room to breathe.

So - if you suspect you are an unexpressed artist and want to find out, or if you are a fully accomplished artist and want to expand your horizons, or if you want to cross-fertilize your art and experiment with other media in the company of professionals, or if you just want an art vacation..... Art Camp for Women may be for you.

Delicious Decadent Dessert - Lemon Tarts!

Lemon Curd Ingredients:

6 oz.     Fresh lemon juice, strained
1 Tbs.   Fine lemon zest
9 oz.     Sugar
3 oz.     Butter
3 oz.     Heavy Cream
6 ea.     Eggs
            pinch of salt
Yield: 3 cups

Technique & Method:
1. Boil lemon juice, lemon zest, half of sugar, butter, salt and heavy cream in a sauce pan
2. Whisk eggs and remaining sugar in a bowl.
3. Temper hot lemon juice mixture into eggs.
4. Add mixture back into saucepan. Bring just to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is very thick.
5. Immediately strain and stir over an ice bath to cool. Place plastic wrap directly on curd and continue to cool over ice or in the refrigerator
6. Can be refrigerated up to 4 days or frozen for a few months.
7. For Lemon Curd Tarts, fill fully baked and cooled tart shells with chilled lemon curd. Fill tart shell so about 1/8" - 1/4" of crust is showing depending on size of tart.

Variations:
Use lime juice in place of lemon juice. Grapefruit juice, passion fruit juice, blood orange juice and other high acid juices can replace the lemon juice, but you may need to add an additional egg in order to thicken properly.

Savory Heirloom Tomato Tart!

Savory Heirloom Tomato Tart
Another Art Camp favorite!

Savory Heirloom Tomato Tart

We served this dinner at fall camp. Both our chef, Lori Loschiavo, and our partner Lori (art journal Lori) graciously donated fresh organic vegetables from their gardens.

If you are not so lucky to have gardeners like our Loris in your life, it is worth a trip to your local Farmer's Market for in season Tomatoes and parsley, anytime after mid-summer.

Ingredients:

Pastry (enough for 2 tarts)
12 oz.      All-purpose flour
1 tsp.       Salt
6 oz         Unsalted butter, cold and cut into bits
5-8 Tbs.  Chilled water
2 tsp.      Vinegar

Filling:
1/4 C.     Dijon-style mustard
1/4 lb      Gruyere, coarsely grated
3 large     Firm tomatoes, peeled and sliced

Topping:
2 Tbs.        Fresh parsley
1 Tbs.        Fresh oregano or thyme, minced
1 tsp.        Garlic, minced
1/4 C.        Extra-virgin Olive oil

1. Place flour and salt in a bowl. Add butter and work quickly to blend until the mixture resembles small peas.
2. Add vinegar and 5 Tbs. water all at once, working together with your fingers. Add more water, 1/2 Tbs. at a time, until it begins to clump together. You can also do this in a food processor.
3. Form into 2 disks, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes to 2 hours.
4. Roll out the dough, place in a tart pan and chill again.
5. Spread the mustard in the bottom of the chilled shell and sprinkle Gruyere evenly over it.
6. Arrange the tomato slices, overlapping slightly, over the cheese.
7. Bake the tart in a preheated 400F degree oven for 40 minutes.
8. In a small bowl, stir together parsley, herbs and garlic. Sprinkle the tart with the herbs and oil and serve.

Our chef and her recipes come to us from the
Culinary School of the Rockies

 

Moving from Assignment to Creative Gush!

(From Constraint to Freedom!)
by Carol Sass Tuttle, Artist and Entrepreneur

I promised to post a finished picture of my pastel assignment after it had been critiqued by my coach, Linda Doll. Her advice was to make the piece predominantly  warm or cool and I chose warm.

Before

We were limited to a triad of colors so I subdued some of the colors that didn't comply. I'm pleased withthe final picture and I think the piece was pushed to a new level with the coaching I received.

After

After the constraint and restriction of the 'assignment' was lifted I felt a gush of creative freedom, and turned to my photo files for subject matter.

I found the photos below that I took several years ago at Walker Ranch, a historical site outside of Boulder where volunteers dress in period costumes and portray early settlers.

Continuing with pastels, I created the painting below from one of the photos.

These young girls caught my eye as they sat together in the barn on the Ranch. 

Then I switched to watercolor on canvas to paint the collapsing fences and outbuildings on the ranch.

That picture inspired a desire to do a series of paintings all loosely based on the them 'garden.' I continued to work in watercolor on canvas, all sized 12inches by 12inches. Longer days and sunny skies have kept my interest in the garden theme going and I have started several other paintings in this series.

But now, enough fun, its time to settle down and tackle my next assignment for class. I'll be more eager to bring my latest pieces in for critique.

 

Fish Tacos Coming Up!

Delicious, different and filling
Another Art Camp favorite!
First the fish:

• 2 lb mahi-mahi
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tbsp lime juice
• 5 tsp chili powder
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1 1/2 tsp minced garlic
• Salt, to taste
• 8 flour tortillas, 8 inches in diameter
  

Grill the fish on the first side over direct heat until the flesh is firm and well-marked, about 2 minutes. Turn the fish and grill until cooked through, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes more.

Grill the tortillas until they have light grill marks and are heated through, about 15 seconds on the first side. Turn the tortillas and grill them until they just start to bubble, another 15 seconds.

Center 2 pieces of grilled fish on each tortilla, and top with the Southwestern Slaw and Chipotle Pico de Gallo. Add a dollop of Mexican Crema, fold in half, and serve immediately.

Southwestern Slaw

• 2 cups fine-shredded green cabbage
• 2 tsp lime juice
• 2 tsp honey
• 2 tbsp minced red onion
• 2 tsp minced jalapeños
• 2 tsp chopped cilantro
• Salt, to taste
  
  

Chipotle Pico de Gallo

• 1 cup medium-dice tomatoes (seeded before dicing)
• 4 tsp minced red onion
• 1/2 tsp red wine vinegar
• 1/2 canned chipotle pepper, minced
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp cilantro chiffonade (cut into thin strips)

Combine all the ingredients and mix well. The pico de gallo is ready to use now or it can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Mexican Crema

• 1/2 cup Mexican sour cream
• 1/2 tsp finely grated lime zest
• 2 tsp lime juice

Combine all the ingredients and mix well. The cream is ready to use now or it can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Organizing Space and Supplies

No point in having it if you can't find it!

While I was expanding and organizing my art studio last week I realized that many of the things I was incorporating would work in any space. Whether your studio subs as the dining room table or your walk-in closet, many of these items would work for your space too.

Crock and Basket. Good for all types of paper rolls, material bolts, long tools and rulers. I got the crock at an auction years ago and have the heavy container on a plant stand with wheels. The heaviness makes it good for my bigger rolls of paper i.e. newsprint ends. The orange wastebasket was a thrift store find. Lorri Flint, our fiber artist, keeps her long rolls of cloth in a 32-gallon Rubbermaid Roughneck trash barrel, which also has wheels. She tried a galvanized trash can, but while it looked really cool, it was awkward to move. We have found that a straight-sided container is the most stable and space efficient.

Flexible bag holder. Another Rubbermaid oldie, often found in thrift stores. This can hang on your wall or on the inside of a door or cupboard door. As a mixed media artist I save interesting bags, foreign newsprint and plain brown packing paper for use in my hand made journals. This is the most compact and efficient method I've found so far. I don't know if the company still carries them, but I keep an eye out for the unassuming beige piece of plastic at garage sales and thrift stores.

Tape or ribbon holder. This is a favorite for me. I found these paper towel holders at Home Depot. So you should be able to find them
easily too. They are short so that you can spot your favorite spool easily and then get to it without unloading your entire col-
lection. Used this way your goodies are kept relatively dust free and undamaged by stacking. Also your bright colored items contribute to the 'art' of your room.

Folding Print Holder. Light weight and convenient, this folding print rack is a favorite for Carol Tuttle, our water color artist.  The stand is easy to set up and also easy to stash in the closet or under a table when she is working away from her studio.
This one anyone, anywhere can manage.
A Clothesline. Yes an ordinary old clothesline, strung along one side of a room can be wonderful for your large or funny-shaped art pieces and materials. You can use it for display or storage or both. Hanging can also help keep your items clean. With care this could also be used to hang large pieces as they dry.