BlueFrogArts

Fiber Day at the Frog a Success!

 

What fun!

Vikki Morain, weaver, and spinner-wannabe, invited area spinners, weavers, knitters and curious observers to participate in the first Spin-In at The Blue Frog.  Apparently, people were more than ready to break away from cabin fever in Lamoni.  More than twenty visitors stopped into the Blue Frog to spin, learn to spin, have experienced spinners urge antique wheels into working order, knit, share patterns, chat with other fiber enthusiasts and generally just have a good day together.  Lamoni residents came to be supportive and feed their wondfully curious minds.  Great to have you all there!

Spinners Anna Knapp (Lamoni), Linda Graves (Osceola), Mary Parks (Pleasantville) and Sue Olson Jamison, MO) shared their expertise and were enthusiastic and patient teachers.  Thank you so much!

If you missed out, don't worry.  The consensus was that there should be a repeat performance so watch this space for another invitation in 6 weeks or so. 

Come Spin a Yarn at the Blue Frog

Really, no tall tale here.

 

 

There will be spinners and spinning wheels at The Blue Frog on Thursday, January 14 from 11:00 am-3:00pm.  Come watch a demonstration of spinning by area spinners.  You can even give it a try if you'd like to.  This is not a formal class but just an opportunity to watch and talk with people who have mastered an ancient/modern skill.

  Don't let work hours keep you away.  Even if you can come only during your lunch break, feel free to pack a lunch or bring take-out from one of our local restaurants and come to The Blue Frog.  Consider it a brown-bag lunch opportunity to learn about another art form.  

There will also be knitters and weavers, so if you have a project you are working on and would like some company while you knit, you are welcome to join the fun for a few minutes or a few hours.

Registration Open for Winter Classes at Blue Frog Arts

Jan 5 12 and 19     1-3 pm      Color and Texture in the "Key of Cool"

        Watercolor class with Beth Knotts

Jan 17      2-4:30 pm            Let It Snow -- Fused Glass Jewelry

        Create snowflake and stacked glass fused jewelry with Vikki Morain, instructor

Jan 28 and Feb 4  6:30-8 pm            Beginning Knitting

        Winter is a great time to learn to knit---with Priscilla Eppinger

Feb 27   10-3 and Feb 28   2-5ish pm     Bring Your Cocoa and Weave Mug Rugs

        Basics of weaving from winding a warp and dressing a loom to weaving a finished set of mug rug coasters with weaving instructor, Vikki Morain  (Actually, I'll bring the cocoa for you!)

^{Mar 4 and 11  7-8:30 pm}                    Simple Knitted Shrug

        A great project for the novice knitter!  Priscilla Eppinger, instructor

Mar 7  2-4:30pm               Escape the Winter Slump--Fusing and Slumping Glass

        Make a beautiful glass dish while exploring warm glass techniques of contour fuse, full fuse and slumping.  Instructor: Vikki Morain

Mar 23 and 30                  Color Three Ways!

        Intermediate knitting: intarsia, fair isle, mosaic...with Priscilla Eppinger

For more details and to register, contact:

Blue Frog Arts   119 E Main       Lamoni  IA      641 784 6827       Open Wed-Sat 10-5

Holiday Sparkle from the Blue Frog

Lamoni and surrounding areas sparkled just a bit brighter this year thanks to glittery glass ornaments created by a group of creative students who gathered at Blue Frog Arts to learn about the fun of creating with fused glass.

   

Let me tell you a little story about the young girl in the center of the picture.  Lily Meline and her dad, Randy, came into Blue Frog Arts not long ago searching for just the right birthday present for her mom, Linda.  They found it, but IT wasn't a thing...it was an experience...a mother/daughter shared class at The Blue Frog.   What a great idea, Lily!  And what a great time everyone had learning about how glass changes from solid to liquid in a kiln and then back to solid again in a new form that had been created by the new glass artists. The expressions in the picture above capture the fun and creativity of a great group of students from Lamoni, Sun Valley Lake at Ellston, Decatur and Des Moines.  

This inaugural fused glass class was taught by Vikki Morain, Blue Frog Artist and Co-op member.  The next fused glass class will be offered January 17, 2010. we'll be learning how to fuse dichroic glass to make jewelry----- looks like more sparkle ahead in the new year.  Of course, YOU are invited to join in the fun and learning and creating by registering at Blue Frog Arts, open Wednesdays through Saturdays on Main Street in Lamoni, Iowa.  641 784 6827 
 

Learning Continues at The Blue Frog

  Two new weavers were introduced to looms and the art of weaving by taking November classes at The Blue Frog.  Both students learned weaving skills while creating cozy winter scarves.  Carolyn Smith from Decatur, Iowa, chose to weave with a variegated yarn which created a self-striping effect on her colorful scarf.   

 

Karen Van Buskirk from Sun Valley Lake has a loom at home.  Her aunt who has been an expert weaver for years gave her the loom which Karen is eager to use.  She just needed to learn how!  So she signed up for a class at The Blue Frog so soon she will have a shuttle flying on a loom of her own.  Karen's scarf is made of a fluffy, nubby yarn woven in a novlty weave pattern on four harnesses of the loom.   

Well done!   We'll look for Karen and Carolyn and YOU???? in future weaving classes.  Watch for new classes to be announced soon at The Blue Frog.

Beth Knotts--- Another Great Showing!

Our Blue Frog award winning artist, Elizabeth Knotts has done it again.  Her colorful, dynamic watercolor, Four Horses,  was one of only 79 entries accepted to be displayed in the "Iowa Exhibited" 24th Annual Show which was recently held at the Heritage Art Gallery in Des Moines, IA.  Nearly 50 artists entered  280 items.   We are very proud that she is one of the talented, multi-award winning members of Blue Frog Arts whose artwork was selected for the show.  "Iowa Exhibted" is a juried show.

 

 

Beth lives here in Lamoni and she teaches art classes here at The Blue Frog.  Beth has been a teacher and lecturer in Iowa, Oklahoma and Missouri, and has exhibited widely in the Midwest.  She served as a teacher of Native American crafts, assisting with camps on reservations in Oklahoma, Kansas, Arizona, Alberta and Ontario

The  Blue Frog will be publishing the Fall/Winter class scedule soon.  Watch this website and sign up for a class with Beth or any one of our other terrific teachers.  Put a polish on your skills or come to learn something new.  Educational and FUN!

Congratulations, Beth!