Wanna learn something new?

You know what Fall means, right? Yep. Back to School.

You're never too old to learn some new tricks and this semester you can pick up some new tricks of your own.
I've been teaching Adult art courses at School 33 for the last few years and am happy to say I'll be back with another round of exciting classes to inspire even the MOST beginning of beginning students. I promise.

*********
Drawing with Light: Beginning Drawing for Adults & Teens

Learn to draw in 8 weeks! Even if you’ve never picked up a pencil before,
you’ll walk away with new skills & drawings you can be proud of.
This popular drawing class uses light, and simple observation techniques
anyone can employ to create confident & masterful drawings from the first
class!
Students will move sequentially through new concepts & techniques, beginning
with line drawings and concluding with complicated still lives and
interiors. Other coursework will include work with a live model &
portraiture.
Individual instruction and student centered lessons make this the perfect
class for the beginner AND the experienced artist looking to brush up on
basic skills.
Mondays 6:30- 9:30pm
Monday, August 17, 24, 31, Sept. 7, 14, 21, 28 and Oct. 5th
Class Cost: $180 plus materials
Instructor: Danamarie Hosler, www.greenstarstudio.com
contact: knitimal@gmail.com
Materials: compressed charcoal, vine charcoal, black ink, a sumi or
watercolor brush, charcoal pencil, HB & 2H pencil, micron pen, a sketchbook,
kneaded eraser, white rubber eraser, drawing paper (Roughly $50 for
materials)


Wednesday Night Whip Up!

Wish you could draw? Wonder what it would be like to paint? Intrigued by
printmaking? Popular Baltimore teacher, illustrator,
muralist & fiber artist Danamarie Hosler will lead students through a little
bit of everything. You'd be surprised what you can whip up in one night!

This 6 week course allows students to try their hand at a variety of
traditional & non-traditional art making techniques--- see what they like &
gain some new skills without having to commit to a single course of study.
Each night, students will be introduced to a new material & will leave with
a small piece of finished work! Learn how to use your new skills to make
great gifts & functional art.

A great way to spend a Wednesday night--- casual atmosphere, perfect for all
skill levels. And you don't need to invest in a bunch of stuff either,
because all materials are included!
Wednesdays 6:30- 9:30p,
Wednesday, August 26, Sept, 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30th
Class Cost: $160 (all materials included)
Instructor: Danamarie Hosler, www.greenstarstudio.com
contact: knitimal@gmail.com

********
To register for classes, just email me!
AND, just for BEST Blog readers: sign up with a friends and you both get $15 class cost! Just register with the code: BEST15

PLUSH YOU 2009!

Plush You is just around the corner... and I'm in it!

What's Plush You, you say?
Plush You! is an annual exhibit that showcases plush creations from artists all over the globe. The first show was held at Schmancy in downtown Seattle in 2005. Since then, Plush You has grown tremendously. With a recent book from F+W Publications, an enormous list of applicants each year, as well as a second, 2008 show scheduled at Double Punch Gallery in San Francisco -- Plush You continues to show the world the impressive and boundless possibilities of plush!

And this year will be no exception. I took a year off from Plush You last year, and am SO excited to be a part of it again.

Most exciting?
This year i won't be exhibiting Knitimals, nope.
What then?

Ah ha!
Stay tuned... I'll be posted "work in progress" sneak peek updates all along the way.

I'm a member!

I'm happy to report that i have been accepted into the very prestigious and awfully talented Plush Team.

The Plush Team works to celebrate & draw attention to all the wonderful soft things in the etsy world. The team constructs competitions and has a team shop, the funds from sales helping to promote the artists & the team. Plush Team has members all over the world and my, oh, my are they ever fun!

The Mission Statement...
We're a group of artists supporting and furthering ideas behind plush dolls, toys and all the soft areas in between.

isn't that great?
soft areas?

love that.

Have you heard about this?

We need to support the places we love! Every little bit helps. For more information, visit the 350 Project website.

Such a great idea--- AND, it saves you gas money, keeps you out of traffic and promotes good karma.

New & Totally Top Secret

These OoAKies-to-be have quite a journey ahead of them.
(both literally and figuratively...)
and, i'll let you in on all of it, one step at a time.

stay tuned!

love notes...

THREE DAY SALE!!!

holy cow!
three days of one-of-a-kind sale goodness!

I've been doing inventory and photographing and photoshopping and getting ready for a shop update... but first we need to make some room. SO, I'm offering a major 3 day sale.

I've marked down prices in the etsy shop, which would be cool enough, but I'm also upping the ante. How so?
Oh, like so...

Buy 1 item, get free shipping.
Buy 2 or more items, get one the lowest priced item for free.
Buy 4 or more items and not only do you get one item for free, but you'll also get free shipping!

wow.

all you need to do is fill your cart and complete your order; make sure to write "THREEDAY" in the message to seller section at check out, and proceed to PayPal to complete the sale. I will refund the overage once I get notice of payment.

Sale ends Midnight on Sunday, and all orders will ship Monday!
enjoy.

xoxo, dana

love notes...

me too. 

Zoo Love

and now for a random zoo wrap up...

the rock hyrax. 

the absolute best thing at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. 

we spend hours just watching him do, well not much. 

google him. 

love him. 

the aviary... amazing

i call this donkey Oreo-Donkey. 

that's probably not the technical name for this animal, but it makes sense. 

the goat petting and brushing area. goats are awesome. 

these particular goats are SO patient... kids literally climb on them and they're just like "what evs". 

Can barely concentrate...

We're going to see Neko Case tonight.

I've never been able to see her play before... I feel I will be changed a little tonight ( as I have been by They Might Be Giants and Andrew Bird, and really, between the 3 of them, I think you have me, my art & my dreams in musical form).

I LOVE Neko Case.
Her voice, her lyrics, the fact that by all accounts she's a genuinely nice person.

I have a lot of work to get done today, before the show, but I'm doing it with Neko on permanent rotation on the studio iPod.

Who do YOU listen to that illustrates you?