"To The Nines" Collage by Crystal Neubauer Rounding Out the Year with Gratitude! Sitting here this evening looking back at 2014, I am keenly aware of how much I have to be grateful for. Thanksgiving brought a house filled to the overflowing with family, friends and canine guests in a true testament to the power of love. From a daughter who survived a hit and run while walking home from work the weekend before, to four wedding celebrations- not the least of which was my own daughter and new son-in-law, anniversaries of sobriety, and collage graduations, not to mention the long drive many family and friends made just to be with us that day. Add to that incredible list, finishing up the manuscript for my book on collage, opening a studio with space for hosting workshops, getting accepted into outstanding shows, seeing my work printed in several publications, traveling to awesome locations to teach, and so very much more, and you'll understand why my eyes have been brimming all week long! Open Registration for the first 2015 Workshop at The Healing House Art Studio My first workshop of 2015 will be held in my own studio, The Healing House Art Studio, in the far North Suburb of Chicago, Gages Lake, the last weekend of February/first weekend of March - called Encaustic Wax on Plexi. Plexiglas as a foundation for encaustic wax offers options that cannot be achieved with a traditional canvas. For beginner to experienced artist, this encaustic how-to workshop provides an excellent overview for combining encaustic wax with the mixed-media collage look you love while achieving a beautiful light filtering luminosity. Read more about this workshop and register to participate on the workshop page of my blog here. 2015 Schedule & Guest Artists Announced And speaking of heading over to the workshop page on the blog. I've just finished updating my personal workshop schedule for next year. There are one or two more dates and locations to come, but for the most part it is up and complete. I've also listed the schedule and names of the guest artists who will be traveling from all over the country to come teach at The Healing House Art Studio in the coming year. Specifics about the class offerings will be posted over the next few months, and registration will open in February, but for now, I am beside myself with excitement to tell you who is coming over to play - check it out on the workshop page here. Last Minute Offering at The Healing House Art Studio The Healing House Art Studio, Artist in Residence, Rebecca Stahr has a few seats left for her Intro to Encaustics class on Saturday December 13th. Take a break from the holiday rush and spend a creative day learning technique and good studio practice for this dynamic art medium. To see some beautiful examples of Rebecca's work, find out more about the class, and register hop over to Rebecca's website here. Stepping Back As amazing as the year has been, it was an absolute whirlwind of activity. From showing up at the table to write and prepare images for the book, preparing for a two-person show in Seattle last March, cleaning, painting, cleaning some more, painting some more, hauling equipment, setting up and organizing from dusk until dawn for an entire month to open the studio, to back to back to back workshops in the new space, Seattle, and Phoenix in the month of July, coming home and diving in to the work to prepare for the American Craft Expo in August, more workshops, more writing, more deadlines, more organizing, and phew! This is one exhausted girl! Aside from the writing I need to do for the editing process of the book, and the updates I'll be making to get the blog ready for opening workshop registration in February, I plan to pull back from almost all of my activities and commitments for the next few months. I'll be spending my time letting myself play in my studio and enjoying family on the home front and just generally getting back into a steadier rhythm of life. This will probably be the last post you will get from me until after the holidays. I can't wait to celebrate Christmas with my family and am super excited to see what is birthed artistically in these quieter months of winter! Until Next Year - May all of your days be Merry and your Christmases be White! Crystal