Stamps & Stencils: We Turned Our Dreams Into Plans

She turned her can'ts into cans, and her dreams into plans. -Unknown

Abbie Preston and I have been friends for about 3 1/2 years. We met while working for The Art Project, Houston, a project of the Bread of Life that empowers mostly men and women living on the streets of Houston to tap into their creativity, heal and re-imagine life.  It was there that our friendship began to bloom and dreams of future collaborations were soon born.  I remember a number of times we would sit after work and dream over coffee of what could be.

Earlier this year I was forced to stop.  The stopping creating space to be still, heal, discover new artists for daily inspiration, be exposed to a whole new world on pinterest, listen to life, be revived by grace, and begin re-imagine life without fear being louder than love.  It was beautiful.  Once I started to trust and surrender to the unfolding, things started to take shape in ways I had not believed were possible.  

In June of this year my creativity found a home at Hardy & Nance Studios, where I share a studio with Abbie Preston and Carole Sconfitto.  Amazing!  This step towards our dreams in this particular space created the opportunity for one of our dreams to become a reality... Stamps & Stencils!

Last weekend we hosted our first Stamps and Stencils, a mixed media workshop experience where each participant is provided the supplies and the instructions necessary to allow their creativity to flow. Each person was able to create stamps and two stencils that they used to make square or rectangle masterpieces by the end of the 2-hour experience.  Abbie and I use these techniques in the art we create, and found so much delight in sharing them with others and seeing what flowed from their creativity.

It was fabulous... a dream come true!

Special thanks to Abbie for sharing the journey with me, Cleve for being my partner & cheerleader in all of this, Andrea Sawyer-Gray (photographer & creative), Chap Edmonson (filmed & produced our Stamps & Stencils video), all of the friends who helped us set-up & breakdown, all the participants, my family for encouraging me to be the artist I am, the artists of TAPH for teaching me to be brave and all  those who invested in this event. 

So thankful I do not have to go through this life alone.

Our next workshop experience is scheduled for Saturday, November 1 (7-9pm). 
Stay tuned for details and reserve your space early, it is going to be a fun one!

Stamps & Stencils Video was filmed and produced by Chap Edmonson 
&
Stamps & Stencils Photography by Andrea Sawyer-Gray