Faerie Enchantment

Sunday April 5, 2009, Artful Adventure at Visual Arts Center!
On Sunday from 10am-5pm, The Summit Visual Arts Center http://www.artcenternj.org/ was holding The East Coast Art Expo, hosted by Jerry's Artist Supply, with many of the industries top art suppliers such as Pebeo, Colorfin, Daler-Rowney, Art Molds, and More.
I arrived with my mom Joan, around 11:30am to meet up with friends Suze, Bonnie, Linda and Lennis, together we explored the Expo, buying things from many of the booths as we came upon them. What was even better was many of my fave art suppliers were on hand selling their fabulous products at expo prices.!Here is Suze and I shopping and smiling.

To start I found the girls at the Colorfin Booth, which is beyond amazing, more of their produts in a minute.
Then we came upon Art Molds Booth, and lets just say I was there for a bit, they have every kind of molding product and solution I could think of from latex, plaster to resin supplies. Whats even better is they are located on Bank Street in Summit, NJ, Ed McCormick was on hand to show me some techniques using their products, I can't wait to drop by their location for a visit(I might not leave). You can visit Art Molds/Environ Molds at http://www.artmolds.com/ plus they also teach workshops, classes and have a wonderful lesson book out called: Lesson Plans That WOW, Vol.1, I love it! I mean after all, my studio looks like a secret doll factory with my own doll molds everywhere.

Afterwards I found Pebeo and it was like entering the Emerald City, or land of Art Candy, their products make my heart sing, literally, look at these new paints from the High Viscosity Acrylic line: Now look at these paints upclose on canvas: I have been experimenting with Pebeo's products for years and love the results from their glass/ceramic Paints to acrylics, now with these new High Viscosity Acrylics, I can't wait to start mixing them into my mixed media projects and canvas illustrations, plus I want to pick up some of their textured paints which have sand in them, they could really add some nice dimension. Couldn't you see a mermaid fin with sand texture? You can visit Pebeo Products at www.pebeo.com

Above is a picture of Me, Heather (SVAC) and Johanne(Pebeo), we had so much fun. Johanne was beyond nice, and I'm so glad we met

Now I found my way upstairs and said I need to sit, because I entered the room of another fave supplier: Daler and Rowney, they are one of England's Premier Art Suppliers who have been in business since 1783, I have been using their products since I started experimenting with fine art in High School, and loved them ever since. I use their FW Artists Inks in many of my illustrations, they consistancy and richness in my opinion can not be beat, their drawing supplies are wonderful and now I can't wait to try their watercolour paper, its so sturdy, perfect for extreme painting, please visit their site at http://www.daler-rowney.com/ I promise to share my new illustrations soon using their products.
Here is Mom and Suze at the Center before we headed to lunch.
Here is Mom and Me at the Diner.
Now we all broke for lunch, art shopping can be exhausting, the 6 of us headed for the vintage and authentic Summit Diner, which serves breakfast only on Sunday's til 1:00pm, I opted for the French Toast, it was delicious. If you are in town, its a must do.

Now we all headed back to the Arts Center to pick up our purchases and see some more things. This was when I actually had the time to explore the Colorfin Booth and I am so glad I did, to start let me say one thing when I met Berni, it was instant wonderful, she has to be one of the nicest people I have met and so passionate about the products, both Ladd and Berni were showing me how their products work and techniques, I can see why Bonnie, Suze, Linda and Lennis were there forever, I was too. Their Pan Pastels are Artists Pastels that are in a class of their own, I have never seen such rich velvety colors and vibrate chalks before, they hold to the paper wonderfully. I highly recommend these chalks to everyone, they are so versatile, easy to control and can work with other art materials as well, plus they are fully erasable as well. Can you see the possibilities, try using them to fill in a stamped image or blended with other paints on watercolor paper, use with pastel sticks or with paint. Their soft tools are equally as wonderful to learn more about their products visit http://www.colorfin.com/ to learn about sofft tools visit www.sofftart.com

Visit Suze Blog for more photos and story from the day at:
http://suzeweinberg.typepad.com/suzeblogz/
Bonnie's Blog at:
http://bonnieegenton.blogspot.com/
My Mom's blog is almost done, I'm sure she'll have some posts about the day as well.
http://auroratique.blogspot.com/
Visit Jerry's Artists Outlet for AMAZING prices and supplies:
http://www.jerrysartistoutlet.com/
There's nothing like spending a day with good friends, sharing stories, laughter and well ART! If you can dream it, you can create it and when you have great supplies the possibilities are endless.
Xo! Lisa!
P.S. Visit me at one of my workshops at the Summit Visual Arts Center as well at:
http://www.artcenternj.org/ I'll also have some of these supplies on hand for my next workshop The Illustrative Assemblage, which you can experiment and play with on your projects!