the HOLIDAYS are here!

GREAT HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS @ theArtery.

Next weekend - SUPER SECRET CRAFTS & MOVIE

and SEWING SUNDAY!   SIGN UP NOW!

THIS Saturday -OCT 13th!

Come out to the Artery this Saturday night.  It is second saturdays in the RINO district.  We are hosting a FREE silkscreen your own TRICK OR TREAT bag.  Use the bags we have OR bring a pillowcase and come create something spooky!

FALL/WINTER schedule posted here first.

HERE IS A SNEAK PEEK OF THE SCHEDULE before it hits the calendar/workshop page on the Arterys website.

OCTOBER class schedule:

Saturday OCT 13th  6-9pm   Second Saturday -drop in -

Halloween TRICK OR TREAT BAGS.  FREE!

2nd saturdays in the RINO district.  Stop in and visit the Artery.  Bring your own bag, or use a paper bag to create something spooky.  Library of images available.  

Sunday OCT 21st 1-4pm drop in-Halloween TRICK OR TREAT BAGS.  $10

theArtery will be open from 1-4pm - all ages welcome.

Bring your own bag or use one of our canvas bags to SILKSCREEN something

goolish and spooky.  We have halloween art to choose from. 

NOVEMBER class schedule:

Saturday  NOV 17th - 1-330pm  Kids ages 6+ Holiday CARD EXCHANGE - $20   

Get a jump on the season.  Use the card stock we have, or bring your own.  Use the images we have to create Holiday or Thank You cards.  Make enough cards to trade with your fellow printers and go home with an eclectic bunch of cards to get you thru the season.

Sunday NOV 25th - 1-4pm   Kids ages 7+ Holiday keepsake CRAFTs.  Ornaments/etc.  $35

Using fabric, paper, paint and glitter - we will create some holiday keepsakes.  

Lisa Johnston & Kathryn Lepry.

Friday  NOV 30th - 530pm -9pm    Kids ages 7+  SUPER SECRET CRAFT & A MOVIE.  $35    ($25 for second child)

Drop your kids off Friday night for pizza/crafting and a movie.  We can't tell you what they will be making, but they will leave with a gift for their parents to open for the holidays.  We will also watch a (holiday) movie on the giant-screen.

DECEMBER class schedule:

Sunday DEC 2nd - 12pm -3pm    Kids ages 7+  Holiday Sewing.  $35  

Use fabric/scraps (what we have at the studio or bring your own) and sew a keepsake stocking or star to use each holiday.  Lisa Johnston & fabric artist, Nancy Briney.

Wednesday DEC 5th - 6pm-830pm  ADULT Holiday CARD EXCHANGE - $25   

Use the card stock we have, or bring your own.  Use the images we have to create Holiday or Thank You cards.  Make enough cards to trade with your fellow printers and go home with an eclectic bunch of cards to get you thru the season.

Sunday DEC 16th - 1pm-330pm  KIDS Holiday CARD EXCHANGE - $25  

Use the card stock we have, or bring your own.  Use the images we have to create Holiday or Thank You cards.  Make enough cards to trade with your fellow printers and go home with an eclectic bunch of cards to get you thru the season.

JANUARY class schedule:

Thursday JAN 3rd - 10am -4pm   Kids ages 8+   Wrap Skirts  $65 

First the kids will print their own custom fabric and then Designer, Denise Chaudhari will help them turn their fabric into unique wrap skirts.  Bring your own fabric or use the solid colors we have to print with.  

GET A GROUP TOGETHER

Do you have an end of the season party coming up?  Do you have a youth group to schedule an outing for?  How about a group of friends who need a night out? a work party to plan??

We are now taking RESERVATIONS for this fall & winter for private printing parties!

$75 STUDIO fee will include custom screens to print your theme/logo/art.  Bring what you want to print, bring some wine or beer and PRINT for 2+ hours (depending on the size of the group)   

For kids teams/girl scouts - I will burn a screen or two with your ideas for a logo/team name/mascot.  You can bring snacks, order a pizza - and the group can take turns printing their own custom Tshirts.

Round Two of the Artery - coming soon

Getting ready for ROUND TWO.

I am currently writing and almost finished with the Arterys Fall schedule.  I have workshops for halloween treat bag printing, card exchanges, holiday wrapping paper printing, kids keepsakes/gift giving and some sewing classes over winter break.  STAY TUNED - will post them very soon.

my apron printing team - theArtery now has 12 new aprons to keep your threads clean(er)

Bookmaking 101

I loved bookmaking in college. It was fun to bust out my notes and brush up on my binding skills.   I had a great class of enthusiastic kids who were very into book binding.  One made a 5 series, 50 page book.  It was a lot of sewing but she was up for the challenge and she went home with a great journal.  We also did duct tape covers on a few and they turned out great.

MORE T-Shirt printing. OH, SO FUN!

Each class has a life of it's own.  For the record, I have burned a screen with a JUSTIN BIEBER graphic and no one has wanted it printed on their shirt.  I have fans, but it just takes one nay sayer and the entire group swings and turns aloof to the idea.   This class was fun - we made DANCE PARTY shirts.  

Stay tuned, I am working on some group pricing so that you can bring your soccer team, church group, girl scout troop or just a group of friends down to print.  I will post the details soon.

Fabric to Fashion - WRAP skirts

Beautiful -2 sided wrap skirts were made at the Fabric to Fashion class this week.  More classes will be scheduled soon.   This was a great group, with some great skirts!

ADULT/ Prayer Flag class - JULY 18th

The next class that is available is the ADULT/ Prayer FLAG class being taught by Nancy Briney.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 18TH from 6-9PM

Bring some items from your personal crafting stash, or use the things we have collected to make a personalized prayer flag for your garden or back porch.  Do you have someone fighting cancer, leaving for college, deployed in the armed forces or someone effected by the wildfires - that needs some extra love and prayers sent their way.  This is a good way to put your time and thought into a project with purpose.  We will have basic fabrics, lace etc.  And can screen print, stamp, paint and sew (will have a few sewing machines to share)  Come and enjoy a night at the Artery with friends.

This definition is taken from the http://www.lovehopestrength.org website.  I thought it was the best way to describe what the meaning of Prayer Flags are.

"Traditionally, prayer flags are used to promote peace, compassion, strength, and wisdom. The flags do not carry prayers to ‘gods,’ a common misconception, rather the Tibetans believe the prayers and mantras will be blown by the wind to spread the good will and compassion into all pervading space. Therefore, prayer flags are thought to bring benefit to all. By hanging flags in high places the “Wind Horse” will carry the blessings depicted on the flags to all beings. As wind passes over the surface of the flags, which are sensitive to the slightest movement of the wind, the air is purified and sanctified by the Mantras."

FOUND OBJECTS

WOW this class was fun!  We are collectors of junk - from things you find in the alley, to estate sales and antique stores.  John and Scott are great at making something old, new again.  We sorted thru some of our found objects and the kids brought some of their own.  It was a great mix and a fun day.  They stared with sketches and left with some fabulous sculptures.

T-SHIRTS for everyone

This printmaking class was a 2 day class where the students could design and print their own Tshirt.  Most of the emphasis was on Silkscreening.  We had a lot of fun watching everyone come up with their concept for their Tshirt art.  We had some fun clip art to start with and also some amazing free-handers.  The 2nd day of the class the kids printed.  There were so many OOHs and AAhhs - it was like a magic show.   GREAT CLASS!

Fabric to Fashion

We had a great day in the studio.  The girls spent the morning printing their own fabric and drawing out their patterns.   They could choose between a shirt, skirt or bag.  After the fabric was printed, it was time to sew.  Each girl had something really great at the end of the day.

behind the scenes

SIGN UP NOW!

My website is up and the calendar is filled with my classes for June & July.  I have lots of fun classes, so go check them out and sign up.  Kids & Adult classes are offered.

The website allows you to reserve your spot and pay via Paypal.

The studio is located at 2701 Lawrence st. in Downtown Denver.
(suite 31 in the back of the building)  

We got messy

Over SPRING BREAK I hosted some kids at the space for two days to test out some ideas and see how things would run.  We all had a great time and I learned so much already.  Many good ideas of what works and what doesn't.  Stick around for more classes coming soon.

Also, please friend the Artery on facebook!  

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Artery-Denver/166234163485001

SNEAK PEEK - summer class schedule posted.

SINCE POSTING THIS - MY WEBSITE HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH A NEW FANCY CALENDAR AND MY SCHEDULE HAS HAD A FEW TWEAKS!  PLEASE REFER TO THE CALENDAR ON THE WEBSITE FOR THE MOST UPDATED CLASSES.


JUNE class schedule:

JUNE 4th  9am-4pm   Fabric to Fashion   for ages 9-12+   $75 sm. supply list to bring. 
work on your own textile design & then make a skirt, shirt or bag


JUNE 11th - 12th   beginners PRINT   $60
learn basic printmaking skills.  silkscreen, monoprints, sunprints, woodblock printing, etc.
printing of T-shirts, wrapping paper, cards - etc.
1-4pm for ages 8-12

JUNE 13th - 10-2pm   Found OBJECTS  for ages 5-10  $40  space limited

recycled art at its finest.  robots, wall hangings, mobiles, fairy houses... come make something cool.

JUNE 26th - 1-4pm   Upcycled Weaving (rug)  for recommended age 7+  $35 + donation supply list

recycled art at its finest.  ... come make something cool.

JULY class schedule:

JULY 9th  9am-4pm   Fabric to Fashion   age 5- 8      $70 sm. supply list to bring.
work on your own textile design & then make a skirt, shirt or bag


JULY 19th - 6-9pm   ADULT CLASS - WEAVING with Nancy Briney    $35

JULY 23th - 10-2pm   Bookmaking  for recommended age 8+  $35 + donation supply list

Learn how to make a books/journals out of recycled material.  Will leave with a journal or two.

JULY 25th - 6-9pm   ADULT CLASS - PRINTMAKING     $35
Learn how to make silkscreen.  Use the screens at the studio to print some Tshirts/etc.
bring t-shirts, fabric, paper- etc.  and learn to  print.

AUGUST class schedule:

Still finishing the details & dates for August.

live on stage -

The first event for THE ARTERY takes place THIS WEEKEND at the We ♥ Art fair at Southmoor elementary. I will be running a few workshops throughout the day for the kids who are attending. I will have silkscreen valentines, silkscreen t-shirts and some other crafts the kids can make and take home. It is going to be a run event. I will be on the stage - arting - from 10am-3pm. If you are in Denver, stop by and say HI!

information here 

What's coming?

MARCH 1ST (a day before my oldest daughters 10th birthday) I hope to have my schedule of classes posted for the spring/summer 2012.

Some fun things I am working on are:
UPCYCLED ART
FIBER ARTS
PRINTMAKING (my favorite)
silkscreen, monoprints, block printing/etc.
DRAWING & PAINTING

Most workshops will be 2-4 hours long and take place on days off of school (holidays/etc) and summer break.

I have a few more secrets I am not ready to share just yet - so keep checking back!

"The Artery" was born

For weeks I have scribbled potential studio names on all surfaces thru out my house.  A big newprint pad, a steamy shower door and at the tops of grocery lists.  Nothing stuck with me.  There was no clear winner.

I woke up this morning knowing that today would be the day I named the studio.  (20 days behind schedule - since I promised we would name it by the new year)  Right before I left to walk out the door to get my ladies from school it came to me.  I smiled, and it instantly stuck.

Welcome to THE ARTERY.

New space for 2012.

After almost 10 years at the studio on Walnut st. we are saying a (tearful) farewell.  John's business started there, We celebrated countless birthdays there for our kids, and our friends.  We ate dinners, enjoyed company and the girls learned to ride their bikes there.  But, sometimes with change comes new and exciting opportunities.  John Johnston Creative is moving to 2701 Lawrence and with the move I am carving out a space for myself and for classes/workshops.  I have always wanted to have a space where kids are welcome to come and create.

Our girls (and their friends) have always loved getting a hand me down piece of backdrop paper and rummaging thru all of the art supplies at the studio.  To watch their creative wheels turning has been a highlight of being a mom for the last 10 years.  The studio will offer a bit more structure with some set workshops/classes but I also know that sometimes it is nice to just let things happen.

The emphasis on many of the workshops I am working on seem to be upcycling and repurposing things to give them new life.  My background is in Printmaking and have some fun things planned with Silkscreening and woodblocks.  I also love to use recycled papers and fabrics.

Stay tuned because I am still trying to name my space.  It is driving us all insane.  Every day there are 5 new names and 3 reasons why each of those names won't work.