Art and Soul Radio with Lesley Riley

Diana Trout has been arting as long as she can remember. Trained as a fine artist, she discovered that art journaling is where her passion truly lies. While she still expresses herself through many media, it’s through journaling that it all spills out – especially in her book, Journal Spilling. Find out more in this fantastic interview.

Love to create but can't find the time? Pam Carriker has the answer. Join us as she discusses her book and philosophies areound living a creative life and following your passion. Her book, Art at the Speed of Life hit #1 on Amazon the week it was released and continues to be a best-seller and garner rave reviews.

Nian Bagley is a jeweler, a mixed media artist and blogger at www.Ornamental.typepad.com. Her art and her words are inspired by the poetic view she has on life, family and nature. Nina finds beauty in the everyday and turns it into works and words of art that take your breath away. Listen in and find out how she captures the essence of life so masterfully.

In her own words, “I am a wife, mother and grandmother who is deeply touched by the suffering of the people I meet in the desert. In their faces I see myself and the faces of my family and think of the saying, “There but for the grace of God go I”. I have certainly had tough times in my life and can thank my education, family and life’s opportunities for where I am today. With this in mind I create art that is a way for me to release my pain when I return from a day walking the trails that the migrants walk through the desert so near to where I live.”

Guest Jenifer Robin, author of Growing More Beautiful: An Artful Approach to Personal Style, will share her insights and talents as both an artist and personal style consultant to help you create a more beautiful YOU. You make beautiful art, why not create a beautiful you that reflects the beauty in your soul?

The Christmas holiday season seems to be an appropriate time to take a look at the spiritual side of art. On this episode of Art & Soul Radio we’ll be taking a look at a unique quilt show, Sacred Threads, an exhibit celebrating and featuring quilts that focus on the spiritual and the personal. In 2011, the sixth bi-annual Sacred Thread exhibit will be in a new location and as shop owners say, “under new management.” Join me when I talk with the new co-chairs of the exhibit, Lisa Ellis and Christine Adams.

Art Quilter, Lynne Brotman approaches her work with a “beginner’s mind”. She considers herself a member of quilting activists everywhere who use their art work to convey messages of social injustice, political dissent, environmental issues, spiritual awakening or personal experiences. Lynne says she doesn’t have to look too far for her subjects. When she recently reached a roadblock in her work, Lynne concluded that “you can turn around, risk crossing over [the road] only to discover a cliff or you can build your own road. I have decided to build my very own road.” That road has resulted in a personal challenge “100 Art Quilts in 100 Days.

Judy Coates Perez is an international award winning textile artist who is well known for her highly detailed, colorfully painted whole cloth quilts. She explores themes drawn from folklore, mythology and nature, working in a variety of media. Often blending quilting skills with techniques drawn from her graphic arts background, she uses textile paints, dyes, inks, acrylic powders, artist’s pencils and craft metal on her art quilts and mixed media textile work.

Since 1999, Claudine Hellmuth has been a leading creative force in the ever-growing arena of collage and mixed media. From her original romantic style to her new whimsical creations, Claudine has been a major influence to artists and crafters all over the world. Discover how she began her career just 10 short years ago and the mindset and know-how she uses to keep it fresh and grow her business.

Mary Taylor's art evokes visions of another time yet is a combination of the latest digital technology and common everday, often found materials. "In my studio you’ll find flat files and cabinets filled with hand made papers, printmaking papers, sheet metal, wood, stones, gelatin, limestone, acrylics, oils, pastels, wax, inks and pigments as well as found objects. The tools in my studio range from computer, digital printers, digital cameras, scanner, brushes, knives, brayers, drill, hammers, clamps and saws. Materials come to me from art suppliers, friends, hardware stores, dumpsters, recycling bins, thrift shops, and tag sales. From all these resources I create one of a kind wall hung art and artist’s books." That leaves me wanting to know more. How about you?

Pat started sewing as a child (love those doll clothes!) and continued to sew clothing for herself until she discovered quilting. She's been quilting for over 15 years. A few years ago Pat started teaching and then decided to put her ideas into patterns. She now run her own design business called Pat Sloan & Company located in Fairfax County, Virginia. In addition to publishing her own patterns, She designs patterns for McCall's Quilting, McCall's Quick Quilts, American Patchwork & Quilting, Quilters World, Create & Decorate, and the Fons and Porter magazines. Pat has also designed several fabric lines for P&B Textiles. She has published more than 15 books with Leisure Arts.

Serena Barton is a masterful painter who began painting later in life. Serena rediscovered her desire to make art after her first trip to Italy which has influenced much of her work since. She taught herself to paint and create mixed media work in her forties, earning her the right to insist that it is never too late to delve into what inspires us. Serena, a licensed counselor, shows and sells her work in galleries and online. Her business, 'The Art of Your Life' provides creativity/art workshops and individual, couple, and family counseling. Serena teaches classes on women and art in the Women's Studies Program at Portland State University. She lives in Portland, Oregon. http://www.SerenaBarton.com

Stephanie has a passion for getting plastered - NO, not that kind of plastered, but the art of working with plaster. She's taken it out of the hardware store and into the studio, crafting amazing works of art that you would never associate with plaster, including books and paintings. Besides plaster, Stephanie's talents extend to jewelry and metalsmithing, turning what she calls semiprecious salvage into lush works of art. Join us to find out how she does all this while juggling a family and a very full and often sold-out teaching schedule at Art & Soul, online and across the country

Entirely self-taught, Reno decided early in his career to forego formal training, opting to develop his individualistic style through a prolific and exuberant output of creation. His materials range from acrylic paint and oil pastels to colored pencils laid primarily over wood panel and canvas. He generally works on five to ten canvases at once, apportioning equal time to each, in the interest of allowing the thematic content to germinate organically. Open as the artist is to the unfolding of subconscious content, his paintings emerge as pieces of a dreamlike mythic narrative. Reno has recently begun teaching his organic methods at art retreats, including Art & Soul Retreat this October, 2010 and next year.

What happens when you leave the corporate world and follow your heart? Tracie knows. In only 3 short years, Tracie has turned her part-time dreams into a full-time art career. Her list of accomplishments runs long and includes articles in Cloth Paper Scissors, Quilting Arts Gifts, Artful Blogger and the cover of Somerset Studio. In addition to teaching at art retreats both nationally and internationally, Tracie is the author of Nature Inspired: Mixed-Media Techniques for Gathering, Sketching, Painting, Journaling, and Assemblage (Quarry 2009). And wait until you hear what's happening this fall.....tune in to find out! Visit Tracie's blog at www.TheRedDoor-Studio.com