Art at the Edge and The Heart of Newburgh

As you might know...I decided to have a little art event right here in my hometown, Newburgh Indiana...the place is vibrant, lively and a little beautiful little artsy mecca in Southern Indiana on the banks of the Ohio River.  Now, since I've invited you to Art at the Edge...I want to make sure we have fun things to do while you are in Newburgh...so, I'd like to introduce you to one of our merchant partners, The Heart of Newburgh.



The Heart of Newburgh has been in town since 1982, and it was first opened as a decorative paint studio where the owner Becky Geis, offered decorative painting and tole painting classes.  The place is extra special to me since it started as an art studio.  Over time, the retail part of Becky's business grew and evolved.  Now she offers jewelry, amazing primatives, she's a destination Vera Bradley store in the Midwest...and she's also know for her incredible antique finds...it's not just one building...it's two houses and an old garage turned junk pickers heaven!  Becky's eye for the simple, the elegant, and the eclectic will thrill you!  She is an amazing designer and an incredible retailer.   

 

 The Heart of Newburgh is a feast for the eyes!

There's something new and enticing at every turn!

 

 

And there's no question that Becky is an artist...do you see the pad of Strathmore water color paper tucked into the vignette below?  

 Her designing skills aren't limited to interior spaces...Her work in the garden is incredible. She has a knack for turning the ordinary into the extraordinary.  You'll find washtubs, chicken feeders, toolboxes, old teacups, wagons, pots, pans, colanders, all transformed into wonderfully whimsical planters filled with hen and chicks, black eyed susans, annuals, succulents and moss...her garden creations are inspiring!
 



 

And, The Heart of Newburgh is a picker's paradise. You're likely to find old typewriters, antique sleds, antique dishes, picture frames, vintage window frames, mason jars, antique pans, Antique pie safes, Antique Hoosiers, screen doors, there's just more than I could ever list out in this blog post.

 

So I should just let the pictures tell the story...

Believe me...I am taking some of these sleds home for my Christmas décor!

 

There are as many fun treats outside as inside!

 

If you like Vera Bradley, The Heart of Newburgh is the Vera Bradley destination in our area...

 

Becky stocks every color and style...again, this place is a feast for the eyes!

I am really pleased to let you know that The Heart of Newburgh is one of the Merchant Partners for Art at the Edge.  Throughout the weekend of October 24-26, 2014, Becky will offer special discounts and sales especially Art at the Edge attendees.  And, we're building in a little free time during Art at the Edge to let you explore Newburgh and shop a bit...

 

 

I believe that you are going the love The Heart of Newburgh...it's become my favorite hang out since I've moved back to town...

 

I hope you are thinking about coming to Newburgh to join us for a day of art at Art at the Edge...if you'd like a little more information, click on the Art at the Edge banner at the side of the page.  I hope to see you there!

Ken 

 

Sunrise at the Cottages

A couple weeks ago, I had a crazy idea to invite a few friends over for a day of art in my new hometown, Newburgh, Indiana.  Our waterfront town, with antique shops, boutiques, and historic homes would be the perfect setting for a day of arts and crafts over looking the river. The event is called Art at the Edge...because we're going to meet right at the edge of the Ohio River. 

 

 

I knew that out-of-town guests might be looking for lodging close to the event site, and come to find out, our town has historic cottages for rent overlooking the Ohio River.  I was really happy to hear from some friends who are coming that they'd already rented one of the cottages for their stay in Newburgh.  So...

 

 

I walked up the street today to get a sunrise view from the cottages...and...WOW...what a view.  The cottages are perched on a bluff over looking the water.  They were built in the 1920's for the lockmasters who tended to the system of locks and dams on the Ohio River.  Now, the cottages belong to the city and are made available for guests and out-of-towners who are visiting Newburgh.

 

 

 

There are two cottages, each cottage sleeps eight...and they are very reasonable. If you are planning to attend  Art at the Edge with 2-3 friends, the cottages are perfect.  They are within walking distance of the restaurants and shops, and they sit right on the town's greenway if you like to walk or run...

 

 

 

Both cottage have wide front porches to let you enjoy the river view. 

 

And the view will be especially beautiful, Art at the Edge is October 25th, at the height of the foliage season in our region. 

 

 If you are considering coming to Newburgh for Art at the Edge...you'll want to look at the cottages as a place to stay while you're here...you are going to love the view!

 

 

 

Here's a link where you get more information about the Lockmaster Cottages.  I kinda want to go stay there myself...and I live just down the street...Hope to see you in October!

 

Ken



Mixed Media Techniques for Art Journaling

This year, I'm involved in a really cool mixed media workshop...I'm teaching mixed media techniques for art journaling.  We meet once a month to learn a couple new techniques, to practice those techniques, and to share a little bit about what we've created since we last met. 

The premise is simple...let's get together and explore some new techniques using the vast array of products and tools we have at our disposal.  We started with a blank journal...

Then used stencils, spray mists, to add color and pattern to our pages...

 

 

I love this class because everyone's journal is a unique piece of personal art. 

 

We've even used vintage Tupperware doilies from the 60's to add some cool pattern...

 

Tonight we're going to work with some paints and mediums to mask out specific areas of pages we've already worked on....

 

We're also going to work with acrylic mediums to create interesting backgrounds...in this lesson we'll explore mixing color for energy and visual interest.

 

And we're going to use modeling paste to create some really cool texture with stencils...it's going to be a fun class. 

 

 

We're just getting started on our mixed media journey together...so up until now, we've been creating backgrounds and experimenting with color and texture...in a few weeks, we'll start stamping, adding collage pieces and using words as we continue our mixed media journey...

 

We meet once a month at Mary's Scrapden in Evansville Indiana...the class is basically full at 20 students and we're on a wait list for anyone else who wants to join in...depending upon availability...this is really a cool experience...

 

Art at the Edge in Newburgh Indiana

Would you like to see this project taught at your store or art event?  It's a beautiful A4 sized book...it's big.  The class will include everything you need to create the book...it's really a nice project that you will be proud of. 

 

I am planning to teach this book as one of the projects at an upcoming art event I holding in my hometown, Newburgh, Indiana. 

The event is called "Art at the Edge." It's a one day event that includes: 2 classes, lunch, some time to shop and explore the antique stores and trendy boutiques in town, and a little studio tour of where I live and work.  It's going to be a great day, and our event will be during Newburgh's Harvest Festival...there will be a parade and the town will be decked out in fall decorations...and I've already arranged some cooperative discounts with some of the nearby antique stores. 

Art on the Edge will be October 25th 2014, in Newburgh IN.  I'll be announcing more details soon...so check back here.  In the meantime...here's a little glimpse of the venue and some of the shops nearby.

 

This is the room where we'll have "Art at the Edge." This is the second floor event space at The Edgewater Grill (hence the name "Art on the Edge).  It's an amazing venue with views of the Ohio River on three sides.  And there's a veranda that wraps around the entire space...you can take a quick break outside to enjoy the crisp fall air and a close up view of the river.

 

Our downtown is as pretty as a Norman Rockwell painting.   

 

More views of our event space...the space and the waterfront views are inspiring in themselves. 

 

We have some of the best antique shopping in the Midwest.

 

The views are spectacular!

 

And the brick streets of our town are lined with stately 19th century homes...it's really quite beautiful. 

 

So, if you'd like to attend "Art on the Edge" or you'd like to see this book project taught at your  store at your next event,

 

 

 

Leave a comment below...I will be sharing more event details as soon as they are available.  I am really looking forward to "Art on the Edge."  I can't wait to share my quaint little river town with everybody. 

 

Let me know what you think!

 

thank you,

Ken

 

 

DYI Handmade Cards that are Fresh, Clean and Simple

Today, I set out to make some unique handmade cards...and wanted them to be fresh, clean and simple.  They needed to be simple and clean in design and easy to assemble...let's face it, we're all short on time these days. 

 

 

I also wanted to keep the supply list simple...so I started with one sheet of paper and one pack of ephemera from Prima Marketing Inc. The paper I selected is from one of their recent summer releases Forever Green.  The botanical themes are perfect for summer and it's "chalkboard look" is right on target with the DIY trend in stationery and décor.  It's perfect for what I wanted to do. 

 

 

I love making cards, but all too often it seems that my cards get done, done, and over done...and when I've finished I've used every ink, every die cut, nearly every stamp in my stash, and had to run out to the scrapbook store for just one more embellishment...today, I just needed to keep it simple.  And I love the results.

 

 

The botanical themes and positive sentiments are really nice...who wouldn't love a card whose simple message is "Chase Happiness?"

 

 

 

Or, a "Hello" card with illustrations of woodland birds.  It's happy stuff!

 

 

"Life's a Garden Dig it," is a collage of floral themed ephemera, a wooden embellishment and new lace trim...this card is both vintage and fresh and very appealing.

 

 And, all the positive affirmations in the paper and ephemera will make the cards I created "just right" for anyone on my card list. 

 

 

And some of the sentiments lend themselves well to some of my more artistic friends...these cards were fun to make and I hope to offer this as a class soon...I'd love to share it with you. 

 

 

Thank you for stopping by today...I hope you've enjoyed the clean and simple cards I created.  I'd love to see you in a class soon...make sure to look over at my "events" page...I have classes listed through the end of August. 

 

Thank you again,

Ken

A Post Card from Historic Newburgh, Indiana

This summer, I've been really busy and as much as I am ashamed to admit it...this blog has suffered from "blog-lect." Blog-lect is the act of neglecting one's blog for an extended period of time.  I plan to get back on the blog-wagon though and wanted to share this little post card from my new hometown.

 

 

On a whim, I pulled up, and moved back home to Newburgh, Indiana from Phoenix, Arizona.  I'd only lived in Phoenix for a couple years, and it just wasn't right for me.  So rather than stay in a job that wasn't working for me, in a climate that can only be described as harsh and unbearable...it only made sense to come home so I could be close to my family and enjoy the pleasures of small town living in the Midwest. 

 

It seems the folks in our town have a real love for things that are old...after all,  our little village has been around since 1803 and still has some structures from pre-1850.  Our town recently celebrated it's 211th birthday...there was a little parade, ice cream, cake and punch, guided tours to visit the historic homes and buildings, and a vintage car show.  It was awesome...the sense of community, the pride for our town, and the real connections between the residents who call this place home. 

 

I wanted to share just a few shots, or a postcard of some of the vintage autos.  They were so lovingly restored and in perfect condition.

 

Our town has also had a calliope since the old days...they bring it out for parades and special occasions.  It seems calliope music has been part of the town's tradition since the middle of the 19th century.  Newburgh first became prosperous as a river port, and the big steam boats that docked at our port had calliopes as part of the on board entertainment.  Hearing calliope music in the distance signaled that a paddle wheeler had docked on our shore, and was the "call" to go to town to see what the excitement was all about. It's amazing to me that someone in our town, has lovingly restored the calliope and keeps the tradition alive.  Here's a little video snippet of what calliope music sounds like.  It has a sound all of it's own. 

 

 

 

Over the next few days, I'll share a few more postcards and glimpses into life in my new hometown...thanks for stopping by.

 

Ken