Can you believe it is the year 2020? I just can't believe it, years ago I thought the year 2000 was wild, well this one is wilder!   

Plans are underway to make this year amazing. New teaching venue, new gallery representation, new look to the studio and new artists in the studio. More to come. I am taking a step back and focusing more on stained glass this year. First Fridays will have stained glass focused demos. Second Saturdays will have a Make It Take It jewelry project.

I purchased quite a bit of glass- Desag, Bullseye and more. I suggest you have some experience before you invest in these brands of glass as they are higher priced but they are amazing. Added a new workbench so we can have more students and more space. Also got a new batch of pattern books in.

I hope you have wonderful ideas and projects to work on this year. I am going to stretch myself to to do new works. I also will let you know of any opportunities to take classes at other venues, both within and out of state. I think it is paramount to learn from different instructors because it broadens your knowledge base and also supports other instructors. I value all that I have learned over the years and the fabulous instructors I have met in New Mexico, Hawaii, Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland.

Hope everyone is having a great start to the New Year and New Decade!
​Kim

Did Christmas come early? Or am I just behind?
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So I usually send out Christmas cards and presents weeks before Christmas.... not this year! I sent them out a week before and was sweating it that they would not make it. I need to put a timeline on my 2020 calendar so I am not caught off guard next year. I had planned to make Advent Calendars for my sisters and daughters and fill them with jewelry goodies like last year but it did not happen because I remembered it December 12 and had not made a damn thing yet. Ugh!

Santa was good to me. Patrick came home for the third year in a row. Love that boy! I know the girls could not- Meagan just started a new job and had to work day before and day after.  Michelle has a hard schedule to match up also. We did talk and it was wonderful. I also talked with my sisters on Christmas. I think the last Christmas we were all together was before our Dad died so that would have been 1978. I can not remember if they came home before Mom sold the house in 1985. Time has taken those memories. I do have great memories of childhood Christmases and photos and slides to look at.

2020 for Art Happens on Tarboro and Kim S Joy Stained Glass is looking good. The store will be offering more stained glass supplies and lots more stained glass based classes. Last year I was all over the road trying to figure out what people might want. I did not make excellent choices so I have decided to step back and offer the classes and workshops that are close to my heart in hopes that others will fall in love with stained glass also.

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I will also be doing demos on First Fridays. At the January 3 First Friday I will be demoing the Hand Tools of Stained Glass and how to use them. I know a lot of you know how to use them, this will give those that have not tried stained glass a chance to see them in action.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I look forward to seeing what you are going to make in 2020. Please email me photos of some of your 2019 projects and I will share them with the rest of the VIPs on the mailing list, if that is ok with you!

We only have 3 full days left to the year. Let's make them three amazing days!

Remember to keep art in your heART!

​Kim

I dropped off the latest batch of Beerings at the Downtown Public House. The rack is full and there are lots of new ones to choose from. These Beerings are only found at DPH aka Downtown Public House 113 B Goldsboro Street Wilson NC. Stop by and check them out along with the beers and ciders on tap and the huge selection of beer that you can pick your 6 and take home.
The Beerings are made from recycled beer cans from DPH and are only $5/pair. Get your Christmas shopping done while having a cold one.
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Here it is the day before Thanksgiving and I am in the store dreaming about Steamed Pumpkin Pudding. It is hard to concentrate! There are so many things that need to happen at the studio-
1) post December classes on website, Facebook and 2 community calendars
2) put December class samples in the window
3) work on side light commission drawing.... finally found the 4 x 6 ovals I need!
4) make tags for Alvin's new pieces
5) get the December newsletter out
6) work on Lena's lampshade 
7) make Christmas pieces
There is more but I don't want to bore you!

I am hoping all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! Hopefully you will be with family, if not make the most of your day and treat yourself to some yummy food you would not normally eat!  That is what I am going to do. Also going to binge watch The Crown.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today is the Christmas Parade in Historic Downtown Wilson. It is chilly out and so far the rain has held out. Lots of school bands, dance companies and new this year is Barton College Football Team and Cheerleaders. Looking forward to some good college football!!!! I stayed in the studio as it is damp out. I ran out to get a few photos, you can see below.
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This afternoon a girls soccer team from Prince William County, that are here for a tournament, are coming in to make the Beaded Wire Wreath. Should be fun with fifteen 14 year old girls! Can't wait to see folks from the "old neighborhood".

On Black Friday we will be having Make it-Take Its all day starting at 10 am, call the studio for more details at 252-650-2530.

On Small Business Saturday there are still seats available in the 3 D Stained Glass Christmas Tree on November 30 from 1-5 pm.
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It is pouring rain right now, glad the parade missed this downpour! 

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Hope you and yours have a wonderful day! I will be spending the day curled up on the sofa with Fred and Wesley watching Season 3 of The Crown, don't judge I love Queen Elizabeth!

It is cooling down here in Wilson! It was 47 yesterday morning and actually cold in the house. I did not want to get out of bed and neither did Fred or Wesley! We finally got out of bed and started our day.

This has been a hard week. Last weekend we started clearing the back corner of the yard to start putting up the Fred Fence! The pile for branches and wines was huge.  And yes there was poison ivy in there! And it found me... my face, neck, wrists and ankles are covered with blisters.  Having my friend Cindy helping sure makes the job go faster and more interesting. We even had a contest to see how many wacks it took us to drive the t-posts in. My record is 14. Fred is going to be so surprised when he is finally running around it in the yard. We put a back door on the screen room so we can just let Fred out through there instead of walking out kitchen door and opening gate. I will take photos when it is all done.

I am working on a commission piece for my friend Tedd. It is a a Green Bay Packer panel. This is it cut out, still need to grind, wrap with copper foil, solder and frame.  Here is a photo of it on the workbench. 

I have few other pieces on the bench that are in the works.... a job to complete for a student, a repair job and 2 commissions to work up.

Are you ready for fall? Do you have any big projects on your plate? I love the season with all the soup options. The squashes are calling me to throw them in the soup pot. I need to find some seasoned firewood. I did get the fireplace screen put up and the cracks were sealed. Looking forward to a fire in the fireplace this winter with Fred and Wesley curled up in front of it.

Thank you for everyone that supported American Craft Week at Art Happens on Tarboro.  I am looking for new projects that we can do next year. If you have any ideas for classes or workshops that you would like to take or like to teach please let me know. Would love to share the experience with you!

Happy Fall to you!

Remember to keep art in your heART!

​Kim

Where did summer go? It seems like yesterday was the end of spring! I wish I could slow down time. I had so many plans for the summer and now they have to move to fall or wait util next summer for sunny day products.

Lots going on in September.... Wilson Active Artists Association Annual Art Show, new classes, new projects. Check out the Classes and Events Pages. Second Saturday September 14 we will have a Make It Take It bracelets for $3.

Big things are coming in October, Art Happens on Tarboro is participating in American Craft Week October 4-13 and we will be have classes and workshops everyday. Click on the link and then on North Carolina and scroll down to Art Happens, it is near the bottom because we are in the w's for Wilson. Jewelry, stained glass, mixed media and more!

I hope you had a good summer and made memories. This summer I grew in knowledge and experienced many new things. It was truly a learning summer.

All the best to you and your,
​Kim

Do you ever have days when you feel like not seeing anyone or going anywhere? Woke up today and felt that way. I did have to take Fred and Wesley to the vet this am so I had to leave the house and see people. I do love the staff and vet at their doctor's. Fred was crazy this trip. He hates getting his nails trimmed, I can not do them. So we go to the vet where he is muzzled and held tightly. Today he cried and yelled like a baby. We talked about a relaxer for the next visit so he will not be as anxious. Wesley got switched to sensitive skin food as he is licking spots down to the skin. He growled like a mountain lion and hid in a cupboard ever chance he got. Let's face it.... both of them were angry as hell this morning.

This week I signed up for classes in Street Photography,Insect Micro Photography, Bird Photography, Astro Landscape and Landscape Adventure Photography. I am looking for a new media, just want to expand my personal experience and knowledge base. I have taken a Street Photography course before and it was very eye opening- it was uncomfortable in the beginning asking people if they minded if I took their photo. As the day went on it became a lot more easy to approach strangers.

In the studio this week I will be cleaning up the art class supplies as Homeschool Art will be starting again in September. I am hoping the class numbers will increase. Teaching art with kids is so much fun.

I have numerous stained glass repairs on the workbench waiting to be done. Mailing a commission piece to new home also. Two lampshades that need to be picked up by their owner that have been done since mid July.

The job I really need to do but am not looking forward to is taking new photos of my Etsy items and Artfire items. My photos right now are not crisp and are not the feel I want to convey. When I look through other Etsy or Artfire stores I am amazed at the quality of photography.

I am working on class/workshops for American Craft Week October 4-13. I really want to have numerous new classes I want to introduce and think that week would be great timing. If you were to come to class during Craft Week what would you like to take/learn?

What are you up to? Have you created some yummy pieces this summer? Did you try anything new?

Remember to keep art in your heART,
​Kim

This morning I played hookie from work! I went on the final Eyes on Main Street Walking Tour. It was a good size crowd and the newest Resident Photographer, Vicky Roy was with us and he shared the insight of his photography. It was great to hear how Jerome managed to get some of the photographs.  I learned about the Library of Congress Photograph Archives. Truly amazing how much I have learned about photography since moving to Wilson

Tonight is the Welcome Potluck for Vicky at the Eyes on Australia Gallery. It will be fun to see all the supporters of Eyes on Main Street there

Hope you are having a great summer and enjoying yourselves. Remember to leave time for some art in your schedule!

Keep art in your heART
​Kim 

Well today was a productive day in the studio. I updated the website with classes for August, did 5 days of Tailwind (scheduled Instagram), started background work on a repair job and  designed 2 Pet Memorial stained glass pieces. I had wanted to do them for awhile but kept putting them off. I got 4 cut out, ground and wrapped. I will solder them tomorrow but thought you might want to see them where they are now.
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​The bigger ones have red hearts for the 3 toe pad. They are for Nanook and Gordon, my sweet studio dogs that crossed the Rainbow Bridge. Nanook's is black and Gordy's is black and white. A little sad working on them but cherish the wonderful memories I  have.

​I will post photos tomorrow when they are done.