When I bought my very first watercolor set on a trip to Italy more than a decade ago, I grew so frustrated with my own clumsiness in using it that I regretted spending the 16 or so euros. I could have gotten a Negroni Sbagliato instead! Yes, those were already a thing in Italy circa 2010.
Fast forward a few years and my little watercolor set became my best friend, my lifeline, my escape, my portal to access what I still consider the closest I’ll ever come to meditation. Creativity totally turned my life around, and I would love to share some tips and tricks, as well as the sheer joy of it – and plenty of bubbly – with you.
Please be weird! Please be clumsy! Please be messy! Be a beginner or be well versed. Be a little scandalous (always extra points for that). Be shy or outgoing. Be a bit of a lush. Or a teetotaler. Whatever. Just be your lovely self and come take a creativity workshop with me.
My qualifications? Besides being weird, messy, scandalous, super shy with confusing outbursts of extroversion, and an occasional lush who often abstains… I have been a full-time artist and writer for over five years now, but have practiced daily creativity for over a decade. I also have taught college and graduate classes for over twenty years. Most of my classes were Political Science courses, but they also included fun things such as Fashion and Politics (for which I got an award!) and a very successful graduate grant-writing class that drew heavily on the process of generating and developing creativity. Students loved that! And it really helped them! Also, they had fun, and not just in my more artsy classes. Trust me, if I can make American Government fun (and I always did), I can make a bubbly-fueled creativity workshop with friends an absolute blast.
I have designed three different types of workshops for y’all’s enjoyment: Collage and Poetry (here we really get weird!), The Watercolor Experience, and Grab the Bag (a class where you get to make your own artsy tote bag and keep it). Please read on for details, ticket links, and schedules.
Collage and Poetry is a workshop where we play with images and words. I will have magazines, glue, other collage supplies, and help you brainstorm for inspiration. In my mind, poetry is like collage – putting images together. But you may disagree and so might the gallery dog who happens to be a published poet. If this craziness is tempting to you and you’re game to laugh a lot while playing with words and images, please join us. It goes without saying that there will be unlimited cold cava for you to enjoy.
Buy Tickets for September 14 6pm-8pm
The Watercolor Experience is a class for all levels of skill and confidence. If I can paint watercolors you can paint watercolors. And if I can expand my practice by trying new things, so can you.
I will teach a very non-conformist class in which we ignore the most common techniques and rules. I can’t guarantee you’ll love your painting, but you will have fun, and I will try to give you all the tools to make this practice that has helped me so much part of your life. Literally, in addition to my knowledge and experience, I will give you a watercolor set and paper to take home and keep practicing. But it’s totally ok if you don’t!
Buy tickets for September 7th, 6-8pm
Buy tickets for September 9th, 2-4pm
Grab the Bag is an artsy irreverent class for people who like interesting fashion. I love making artsy tote bags! I use paint, lace, and random junk clogging up my drawers (aka found objects) to create unique designs on cloth tote bags. I’m happy to show you and to share my vast collection of painting supplies, needles (for sewing, not shooting up!), and assorted found objects – including macrame tablecloths we can cut up with gusto. Obviously I will also provide blank tote bags for the class.
I’d rather we gossip while we do this. If we don’t have juicy gossip, let’s make stuff up. Have you heard about the horses living in that Galveston mansion?
There’ll be bubbly to fuel our creativity – and love of scandal.
Buy Tickets for September 21st 6-8pm
Buy Tickets for September 23rd 2-4pm
All classes will be held at Sandovici Gallery in the Houston Heights. The gallery is housed in a sweet 1920s bungalow full of art and carousel horses. Address will be sent to you after purchase of tickets. More info available by email: elenasandovici@gmail.com
