Susan Shie is a gift-If you haven't taken a class from her, you are missing out

Above is a photo of Susan who is a painter and a teacher and a Grandmother who adores her Granddaughter-She is one of the best teachers I have ever taken a class from. I may go back to painting and give up quilting and applique completely after taking this class. Mari Linfesty told me to take this class and I would love it and she was so right!

Twenty of us took the workshop for two wonderful days and everyone did something fabulous. What fun to take a class and think about creating! This is the very building in Idaho outside Spokane that I plan to do my own retreat next year. More of that to come later.

Susan lecturing in front of three of her pieces....just wonderful and she is so NICE....just great

Above is the piece she started in class. She bought a Hello Kitty for her Granddaughter and she calls her Possom. So, she has begun her painting and her story.

The class chose the theme "self portrait" which I wasn't thrilled about since I teach that class and have time to think about it. I just decided to do my little drawing on paper (which Susan calls Library) to kind of think about what to do. Above is my drawing.....
So, when it came time to take a BLACK permanant marker and just draw on the cloth, I decided to let go and change any of my plans I wanted to and so I started for some reason with a clothesline and then it just grew....fun and kind of scary as NO erasing your lines!

Nelow my piece is painted and then I added the paint-thank heavens I had painting experience-I know that light is a good start and you can add your colors later---some people learned the hard way that dark colors were sometimes a problem....

After the class that day was over I came home and my husband was gone to work. I had a terrific pain in my shoulder (I have been fighting this for months) and I had my choice between bed, a pain pill or a glass of red wine. I chose the wine, took my piece, turned on the tv, watched the office and wrote notes all over the piece. What fun! I also watched Prairie Home Companion the movie and talk about funny stuff for someone to write! Below is the piece before quilting and embellishing-Susan does not embroider or embellish any longer-I am still addicted!


So, then the second day the theme was cooking. I was very excited about this as my Father always had this great memory of his Mother baking pies in the kitchen during the depression and he and his brother Phil would go to the factories and sell them to the men and bring home the money. My Grandmother made the best baked goods anywhere-they owned a cafe in both South Dakota and Wyoming....
Here is the beginning of my piece, I will be adding more color to this and then the words...it is going to be great when it is done I know and then I can show my uncle who had this same wonderful memory.....
I AM HOOKED ON THESE....I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN SEW NOW....THIS MAY BE THE END OF MY APPLIQUED QUILTS.....

Below Susan uses her airpen to write her messages about her Granddaughter

Here Susan smiles and makes me very happy to see her do so............

Below is my friend Mary Ann Meshima. Mary Ann used to be a newscaster in Spokane and she is fun, smart and talented. She took a class from me a long time ago and we have known each other ever since.

My dear friend Nancy Nelson did this painting about the things she loves, her cats, reading, making cookies and she is always attended with her special angel.

The lady below is an art quilter who I have heard is really talented-I cannot remember her name. This was her second piece and I was happy she picked pie because I am a pie person too.

So, I like to sit by people I know and like....don't you. Below is Nicky who does alot of art with paint and cloth and she is always stretching. I was glad she came and sat with me.

Jude is below and she made me really laugh as her Mother is in a care facility and she said that some older lady there said "there is so and so's daughter, her hair is always in her face." Wow, someday I hope I can be at a place where my thoughts just pop out and I have the excuse of age. Anyway I think Jude's hair is one of the most charming things about her----look at that curl!

I loved this ladies use of color and she smiled alot too....which always draws me in........

This lady did a fish quilt first (below) and started this quilt- would be fun to see it done!

The talented girl below is 14 and skipped school for two days to learn how to do this. Isn't this tree wonderful? Can you imagine making something like this and having it now to remember?

The lady that did the piece below is from Sequim where some of my family lives-she is a Pieces, her family fishes and she worked at building the color on this piece

The lady below is one of my most favorite people in the art quilt group-she is fun, willing to risk and really nice. This is her with rose colored glasses-she lives in Athol Idaho and misses the city

Below is Jean Vanbockel who is a quilt author and artist from Idaho-I ahve known her for many many years and she wins all kinds of quilting awards and most of all she is really fun!

The piece below was framed in by some of my fabric from Benartex-I wish I had a better photo of the lady that did this....she is beautiful and fun too

I LOVED the quilt below which had angels on it and that is a theme I love. This lady was positive the entire class and I would love to get to know her better. It is always great to be around positive energy and there was alot of that there.

The lady below was modest and said it was intimidating but her work was great and she was nice

The lady below is from Mexico and was wonderful- this quilt had a donut theme-what fun!

Vavavooooooooom! The quilt above and below is sold to a good friend of Susan's in Canada (6 yrs to make!) The lady made payments on it for years......

Below is Obama's daughter- Susan adores Obama and has done many pieces about him- I avoid anything to do with politics and I am a Christian and love angels- Susan is into tarot cards, shakras and loads of other stuff I have no idea about....this is what makes everyone's work interesting. I do want to do a piece about Passover and the lovely dinner we shared with friends.

There were other nice people in class and my photos kind of goofed up so I didn't get everyone.

If you want to hire a great teacher who is thoughtful, smart, talented and savvy, get Susan Shie. She is awesome in so many ways. I am adding her as a link on my blogsite.