News, Party Prizes, and Fun

My Rose in watercolor pencils and graphite

As many of you are aware, I have been teaching pencil art drawing classes online through a video format for several years now.  And I have had my own site, Creative Pencils, for 2 years.  I love working with students from all over the world and watching them delight as they discover they can draw.   I am predominately self taught.  I was once a beginner too.  I know how it feels to be unsure.  And I know how it feels to be overwhelmed with laughter when I realized my pencil scratches actually looked like something real.  I love sharing the steps with new students and helping them find that same delight.  Here are some drawings by current students that all started out as beginners in Pencils 101.

Sandra Petersen

Jaffra Masad

Sandra Simpson

For those of you that are new here and don't know me, I am Elizabeth Johnson of Wind and Honey Creations.  I have created art in many mediums but my true love is pencil art.  I have taught drawing since 1999 in local settings and online since 2011.  I teach drawing from a right-brained perspective.  If you've taken any drawing classes from a traditional approach, this will be very different for you.  And lots of fun!  You can see a little more about me and the workshops I've been teaching here at Creative Pencils.

My Cat Eyes in Tinted Charcoal

The exciting news I have today as I join this blog party is that I am moving my pencil art workshops to Creative Workshops.   This decision has come with much thought.  I have loved having my own site.   But life has brought some new adventures to my schedule (see this post on The Graceful Artist).  I want to give my very best to my drawing students.  Moving my workshops to Creative Workshops will enable me to continue to do so.  I am very grateful to Gail for welcoming me with open arms.

My Portrait of Toby

The first workshops to move will be the Pencils Series -- Pencils 101, 201, 301, and Colored Pencils 101.  These are my foundational lessons.  They start at the very beginning and move quickly into rich lessons that will deepen your pencil skills and broaden your creativity.  After the first of the year, the Cat and Dog graphite portrait workshops will move.  Then the other workshops will follow as the months unfold.  

My Tulips in Colored Pencils

Creative Workshops has just moved to a brand new site.  And we are having a party with prizes to celebrate. 

Here are a few great things about Creative Workshops:

•   Available online 24/7 to fit your schedule. You can watch videos as often as you want, when you want. AND ipad access!
  
•   You get instant access with your receipt to any Open class you purchase. No waiting for u send you an invitation, no more confusing membership to join.
  
•   All video content is available from the first day a class opens so you can work at your own pace. Doesn't matter if you are a turtle or a rabbit!
  
•   Once a class opens there is no take down date to worry about so no pressure to be done by a certain date. If a teacher must retire a class (very few do) we give you 6 months notice.

Pencils 301

To celebrate the opening of my Pencils Series on Creative Workshops, the prize I am giving is one enrollment in Pencils 101.  

Pencils 101

If you are interested in starting on a new adventure in pencil art, leave a comment with this post.  The party runs Sept. 23-Sept.29. I will use a random number generator to choose the lucky winner and announce the name Monday Sept 30. 

Pencils 201

After you have left your comment here, be sure and check out the other teacher's blogs for their exciting prizes.   At the bottom of this post you will find a list of all the party participating teachers, and the links to their blogs.   Each teacher is giving away one of their classes for free to a lucky commenter!  You can follow the party trail from blog to blog, leaving a comment on each blog you visit.   This will increase your chance of winning a free class from one of the talented teachers. Fun, huh?!

Sara Naumann
Cat Kerr  
Jodi Ohl
Martha Lever
Nancy Lefko
Cathy Bluteau
Mechelle Harrison
Liz Miller
Terri Heinz
Kerr Pelto
Lori Vliegen
Diana Frey
Marilyn Harris-Mills
Nellie Wortman
Gaye Medbury
Ann Butler
Dawn Meisch
Gail Schmidt



Wind and Honey Creations

Grow Your Blog Party

Dancing Swan

Today I am joining the Grow Your Blog Party hosted by Vicki at 2 Bags Full.   I will begin by telling you the obvious.  I am Elizabeth Johnson of Wind and Honey Creations and Creative Pencils.   Wind and Honey is the name under which I create my own personal art.  I have used that name for almost 25 years now.  --I was but a toddler when I started.  Hahahahaha!!!!!

This has nothing to do with anything.  I just thought is was pretty.

 I have created a variety of types of art.  But in my wanderings, I always end up coming home to my first love, artist's pencils.  The sparkle and excitement of paint and glitter call to me.  But bringing life to a blank piece of paper with nothing but a simple pencil is what makes my heart sing.  Somehow when I've drawn something I love, it feels as if a part of that subject is then in my heart in a way that cannot ever be removed.   My passionate first and forever subject of choice is animals.  I love them all -- domestic and wild.  I strive to capture each one's unique personality and show it to the world. 

Just some of my pencils

Mattie

Creative Pencils is the name under which I teach drawing 

workshops.   I first began teaching in my local community 14 years ago.  I started with children and eventually grew up to adult classes.  I have taught almost as many media as I have experimented with.  But, as with my own art, I always return home to my pencils.  I have taught many students my right-brained approach to drawing.  And it has been a delight to watch them blossom and discover they could do something they thought they could not.  I love watching the look on their faces as they begin to realize they are actually drawing.  Last year I opened an online site called Creative Pencils where I teach online with a video format.  That has been quite an adventure.  

Lydia

I began blogging when I had a shop on Etsy some years ago and it was suggested that it would be a good thing to do.  Oh my!  I had no clue what I was doing or what to say or what to do!  But I stumbled in anyway.  Through visiting other blogs and basically following what I saw in others, I found this to be an enjoyable place to be.  I much prefer blog hopping to spending hours on other social media.  When I visit blogs I feel I've spend time in someone's living room or had tea in their quaint gift shop.  I hope my blog communicates that kind of warm atmosphere too.  And, although I do brag on my students here, and I do show my work here, my blog has become much more than just a place to promote my business.  It has become a place to visit friends and share my world.  

Kenya

As to my personal life, I have been married over 30 years to a man that spends his free time writing poetry.  And yes, ladies, some of those poems have been written to me.  I have to say, its pretty nice. 

I have 2 grown children.  My son is a chef and my daughter is a sculpture artist.   They are the delights of my life. 

I have 2 cats and a Great Pyrenees who grace my home with warm snuggles, lots of laughter, and constant studio supervision.  

Thank you for visiting me here today.  I am giving away a prize!  Fun, fun!  And anyone can participate.  I will hold a drawing on February 1, 2013 using the names of those that comment here.  The winner will receive a Giclee fine art print of my Dancing Swan created with mixed media pencils.  It is the image at the top of this post.   It is 10" x 8" and will come ready for you to mat and frame as you wish to coordinate with your own personal decor. 

 
Wind and Honey Creations