ART CLASSES INFO!

Greetings, friends! While I know I promised you lots of stories and some great photos of my adventures (or lack there of) the past few weeks, I wonder if you would allow me the opportunity to do a little marketing for some art classes I am teaching at my local park district this summer.

Remember . . . that ART thing that I so love doing?

Well, way back when (in January, I think), I was given a great opportunity to develop some art classes for the New Lenox Park District. The classes will be held this summer . . . there are 5 of them all total . . . and as of today . . . gulp . . . WE ARE IN NEED OF STUDENTS!!! So, I thought I would tell you a little bit about the classes in the hopes that some of my local friends and family might be inspired to step up and take a class with me!

Here I will share the class description, taken directly from the park districts catalog, and then provide a photo or a little more info about the class for you. Please keep in mind . . . you do NOT have to be a resident of New Lenox to attend my classes. ALL CLASSES are available to residents AND NON-RESIDENTS, and ALL classes include SUPPLIES!!!

So, let's begin . . .

The idea for this six session class "Intro to Mixed Media Art" is to introduce the student to the wonderful world of Mixed Media Art and teach a LARGE VARIETY of techniques, tricks and tips when it comes to making your own whimsical art. I will provide lots of tools and materials to PLAY with, and will go through a huge amount of examples for mixed media techniques, then . . . you will create TWO of your own whimsical pieces. You get to decide themes, colors, quotes . . . but I will be there the whole way to encourage, inspire and assist. Class meets Tuesday evenings from 6:30 pm to 8:30 for six weeks as indicated above.  Here are a few photos of examples of YOU COULD MAKE in this class :

 

I am SO EXCITED for this "From Fridge to Canvas" class, and REALLY HOPE more people join in. The idea for this project came to me when I found myself looking at a pile of artwork both Katie and Ella have brought home, and not knowing what to do with it. I wanted to hang it somewhere, somehow, and then the idea came to me . . . why not take their art work and mount it on a canvas, throw some Mod Podge on top of it, and hang it on the wall for ALL to enjoy? The end result . . . AWESOME! All you need to bring is a stack of your child's art work (or your grandchild, your niece, your god child, whomever), and I will provide a 22"x28" canvas and all other materials. It is a ONE DAY, THREE HOUR COMMITMENT ONLY! We are offering it three different times this summer (see schedule above). I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THIS ONE! You will LOVE IT!

I showed this actual piece of Ella's work to my neighbors and they LOVED it! (They said they want to take the class, too!) Here is Ella's . . . I think you'll love it, too. Here I am starting the process of cutting up the work and laying it out on the canvas:

Here is is, finished:

And finished on our wall:

I LOVE INSTAGRAM! I do, I do, I do . . . I find it a super easy was to record the daily happenings of our life, and I love the awesome filters and ability to easily post to other social networking sites. I am an Instagram junkie! Then I realized . . . I wasn't keeping those photos for long term. The memories were snapped and caught on my iPhone, many were shared on Facebook with my family and friends, and that's as far as they went. So, I decided to make a REALLY EASY Instagram Album to capture these little moments! I love how quick and easy this project is. This is a ONE TIME, TWO to THREE HOUR COMMITMENT . . . QUICK, EASY, DONE, and OUT THE DOOR! If you are an Instagram-er, I think you will LOVE IT! Here are some photos of the album I created last year.

You'll start with an album, some great quotes on life, some adhesive and your photos (I provide everything, except your photos) . . .

And at the end of class . . . you'll have something really really COOL!!!!

Just . like . this . . .

This is something new I am trying out . . . a Mixed Media 3-day camp for girls between the ages of 11 and 15. We're calling it "HeART and Soul", and will meet three times during the week of June 17th  (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) for three hours each day. The project is to make an awesome HeART & Soul book . . . but the class will be so much more. Encouragement, inspiration, courage, motivating, and building up the girls of our community to believe in themselves! We'll be making our very own cardboard books and filling it with all the things that we need to remind us of the power of our heART and our souls.

 

 

This last class "Love of Birds Art- Mixed Media" is a three week, Tuesday evening class, where we will develop our own bird styles and made a whimsical and inspiring mixed media canvas piece to enjoy. Again, all materials are provided. Whatever your favorite bird may be . . . we will come up with something heart warming and beautiful to display in your home. Here are just a few examples of what YOU can do . . .

 

So, there we have it, friends. I am so VERY grateful for this opportunity to share a bit of my summer class schedule with you. Remember, you do NOT have to be a resident of New Lenox to participate. (However, living in the south/southwest suburbs of Chicago might be easiest for you!) 

If you are interested in registering for ANY or ALL of the above classes, click this link and connect to the New Lenox Park District website for information on registering online, or you can call 815.482.3584 to register by phone. You can also mail your registration in, drop it off, or even fax it over! It's a pretty painless process!

I would be honored and thrilled if anyone was interested in taking one of my classes. I promise you, they are going to be FUN, INSPIRING, and oh-so good!

Thanks, dear friends! Wishing you all much peace!

xo

All art images and projects are copyrighted © by Leanne Wargowsky.

The use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission from the artist is obtained.

Hi . . . My name is Leanne . . .

. . . and I used to blog.

A lot.

Then I caught a cold.

And I had to go to the doctor.

They took an x-ray.

Turns out, I had pneumonia.

Bad pneumonia. (As if there is a "good" pneumonia.)

I had to cancel a visitor who I had invited to my home months ago.

This made me sad. :(

Extremely sad.

But, still, I had that pneumonia.

So I had to take antibiotics, breathing treatments, cough medicine, and an inhaler .  . .

for a long time.

I was told to rest.

So, I did just that.

Then . . .

my back went out on me.

I went to the doctor. Again.

He said it was because of the type/strength/length of antibiotics I was on for the pneumonia.

My pneumonia went away.

But my back was messed up.

So, I stopped the antibiotics.

And a couple days later, my back felt better.

But then, like clock work, my allergies kicked in.

Tree pollen is bad.

For me.

I went to the doctor.

Yes . . . again.

He said I was a mess.

I told him I was a hot mess.

They think they are so clever . . . those doctors.

If you are going to call me a mess . . . you better get it right.

So, we talked a great deal about this and that.

He gave me eye drops and nose spray. I started drinking green tea with local honey. I closed the windows, and turned the air conditioner on.

And I felt better. A lot.

Then . . .

I turned 42.

Yikes.

42.

I refuse to be a mess at 42.

My dear friend Peggy reminded me that I am most at peace when I blog.

And . . . she is right.

I had forgotten all.about.my.blog.

So today . . . I introduce myself to you, my faithful friend and blog reader.

My name is Leanne. I don't have pneumonia any longer. My back is much better. My allergies are improving day by day. And I am 42.

Oh, and I am an artist. And a wife. And a mom. (In no particular order.)

But we'll talk more about that at another time.

I have much to share. Many stories to tell of the past few weeks. Lots of beautiful photos to show you. And I can't wait to do just that.

But for now . . . I'll leave you with a short story.

While watching the girls play outside yesterday afternoon, I noticed that one single rose had started to open from my rose bushes.

One little rose bud. All by itself.

I have three rose bushes in front of my house that truly are the envy of many who see them. I can't even take credit for them, as we hired a landscaper to bring them and put them in. They are probably the plant that brings me the most joy . . . and I'll remember to take a photo of them and share it with you later this summer.

I could have looked at that single rose for hours . . . and I think I did.

Lately, I've been feeling very much like this rose. Alone. Surrounded by a few thorns who, while trying to protect it, may prick it and cause it the most harm. This little rose . . . desperately trying to open up, to heal, but uncertain what will happen to it when it does. Bright and beautiful. But cautiously optimistic.

I love this rose.

And I can't wait to see what happens to it in the next few months.

I am starting a new journey this summer, too. Oh, yes . . .  number of adventures are ahead of me. Traveling. Making and teaching art. Standing up for myself when people say hurtful things to me. Yes, I am cautiously optimistic.

Because even when faced with pneumonia or thorns . . . this life is good.

Wishing you peace, my dear friends.

And a great deal of thanks for the well wishes this month.

Oh, and hugs. Great big hugs.

xo

Recovering with my Peeps

One breath at a time.

I caught pneumonia last week. Ella was fighting a cold, which she (in her most lovingly ways of kisses and hugs) shared with me. But I knew by Thursday evening it was something a little more serious than just a normal cold for me. And when Friday evening arrived, I feared the pneumonia bug had settled its nasty self in my lungs.

A quick visit to the urgent care on Saturday morning (after a breathing treatment and an x-ray) confirmed it.

That right lung . . . was full of ick. Antibiotics, steroids, and breathing treatments would do the trick. And I have found myself in and out of a medicated stooper since that day.

It's kind of crazy what your body goes through when fighting off an illness like this. This is my second bout of pneumonia . . . I think I first suffered through it three or four years ago. It certainly isn't any easier this time - other than the fact that I kind of know what to expect. It definitely takes so much energy from you, that it is almost impossible to think of anything else in the world while battling it. Keeping focused on your breaths coming in and out, and trying to get enough oxygen into your body . . . yes, it takes quite a lot of energy. Those lungs . . . you kind of need them to live, I'm guessing.

I have found myself in various stages of delusion the past few days.

Friday evening, I lay in bed imagining my lungs were a balloon filling with air in each breath that I took - although my balloon would not inflate completely. With eyes closed, I prayed for that last little bit of air to go into my lungs, but it just couldn't find it's way. That tiny section of balloon crushed at the bottom would not inflate . . . and it was frustrating. That's when I knew this was more than just a cold.

Saturday evening, I found myself focusing on the strength of those in my life. As I lay in bed in a heavily medicated state, my eyes drifted in and out of sleep with the image of loved ones gathered around me. It was the most haunting yet comforting feeling I think I have ever felt before, and as I close my eyes right now, I can picture their faces looking over at me. I am lying in bed, with Katie and Ella laying at my sides. Phil is at the right side of my head, with his face close to mine. To my left, my mother and sister and brother-in-law, followed by my sister-in-law June, and brother Joe.  To my right, next to Phil, my sister-in-law Maria, my oldest and dearest friend Kathleen, my soul friend Peggy, my mother-in-laws Lill and Rita, and my father-in-law Rich.

What a mix of people. I am surprised myself by much of it.

It's funny . . . as I lay there Saturday night, I would move people in out of the mix, but none gave me the feeling of peace as the grouping I described above. In and out I came from sleep, and in and out I moved the image of people from this group . . . but none made me feel as comforted as these.

My peeps.

So I lay there Saturday, and pulled from their strength.

I know it sounds utterly ridiculous . . . but it was some sort of experience . . . that evening . . . that pulled me through. Their faces were encouraging, as if cheering me on . . . smiling . . . sharing their strength. And I felt it.

I should add that there were many more people around us . . . in layers. Mary, Rose, Pam, Jorie, Nicole, so many friends who I gain strength from. They were definitely in the room. But those first faces . . . they were clear. And I felt so strong in their presence.

I want badly to remember that moment, so I am writing about it today. I am still feeling very weak, and still short of breath this morning, but the wheezing has improved so much - I am confident I am on the mend.

I may be gone for a week or so - but I promise to be back as soon as I can. Until then, I wish you good health, and a life surrounded by your strongest peeps. Pull from them when you need them, my friend . . . I am fairly certain they don't mind.

Wishing you Peace.