New Summer Camp Sessions Added:

MIXED MEDIA - 4 DAY ART CAMP
July 20 - 23
9:00am - 12noon AGES 7+
Campers will learn to use a variety of materials - from nature, and from diverse art media! This is a week to explore, celebrate - and stretch your imagination! Bring a healthy (non-peanut) snack + something to drink and arrive ready to get messy and have some fun! All supplies are included. Maximum: 8
Course #SC097a $155.

FUSED GLASS - 4 DAY ART CAMP
July 20 - 23
1:00pm - 3:30pm AGES 9+
Spend those last (?) rainy days having FUN & discover the exciting process of fusing glass! Students will complete several projects while learning about studio safety, cutting, assembling and fusing glass. All supplies are included. Bring a (non-peanut) snack and something healthy to drink. All supplies are included. Maximum: 8
Course #SC097b $165.

Look for new Summer Workshops and Master Classes that will post on the website soon!!!

The votes are in !!

More than 20,000 of them! And The Ranch has been named 2nd Best! We're grateful for your votes - and happy to be included. Check it out at: http://best.king5.com/winners/northwest-escapes/4261/arts-and-entertainment/children-s-entertainment?place=2

Just Scheduled: PMC™ and GOLD !!

MASTER CLASS with Patrik Kusek
PMC™ and GOLD!
April 20
10:00am - 4:00pm

Explore two methods of adding real gold to your PMC designs in this action-packed workshop! In the morning, we'll discuss what designs are suitable for the addition of gold; then we'll design and complete a few sample projects so we can fire them during lunch. After lunch, we'll learn about Keum Boo (pronounced kum-boo) the ancient Korean Method of fusing actual gold (in the form of foil) to silver - and how it relates to PMC™. You'll discover that adding Keum Boo to your metal clay isn't nearly as complicated as people would have you think! And, you'll have a chance to apply Keum Boo to your sample designs. Then we'll explore the process of adding Aura 22 (real 22K gold) to our designs - including unique techniques that aren't typically a part of introductory Aura 22 instruction! Next we'll learn how to torch fire Aura 22 - and get a chance to apply what we've learned to our pieces.

Course #09SW420 $125. Materials Fee: $40.00 (includes use of Aura 22 and gold foil)

Students should bring their PMC™ tool kit with favorite tools, textures, etc and at least 1 package of PMC+™ (28 gram). Instructor will have extra PMC™ for students to purchase.

Call or e-mail now to reserve your spot!!

New Master Class with Ronna Sarvas Weltman

Wire and Membrane Wearable Art
May 17
10 am – 5pm

Learn how to bend and texture wire to build primitive organic armatures and then cover them with polymer clay membrane reminiscent of gut – “vegan gut!”. No experience necessary for this class - and even if you have played with wire and/or polymer clay before, this class will take you to new places as you learn to create w-a-y outside the lines.
Course # 09SW517 $125. Materials fee: $10.
Ronna has had her work featured in Art Jewelry, Bead Style, Lapidary Journal/Jewelry Artist, Step by Step Wire, and Wire Artist Jeweler magazines. She regularly teaches workshops in polymer clay and wireworking and has appeared on That’s Clever! on HGTV. Her book, Ancient Modern: Polymer Clay + Wire Jewelry hits the shelves in May!

This class is filling FAST - call or email now to reserve your spot!!

What Art Teaches Us

Here's another amazing opportunity to participate in a meaningful art activity that is sure to broaden your world-view and deepen your commitment to healing the World Community:

This Saturday, March 28, 11am – 3pm
at the Seattle Art Museum
1300 First Avenue

And this event is FREE.

SAM and the "Nothing But Nets Campaign" offers an insightful journey into the life of an African refugee. Nothing But Nets is a grassroots campaign to fight malaria, a leading killer of children in Africa.

You can participate in the Nothing But Nets/United Nations Foundation interactive display in Brotman Forum and join curator Pam McClusky and members of the African Arts Council for a public tour of the African Galleries at 1pm.

AND - Seattle Artist Marita Dingus invites kids and their parents to join in the Fabric Fences project the WaMu Open Studio from noon to 2pm.

For more information about how you can get involved with the campaign, visitwww.nothingbutnets.net.

The “Bag Lady” Project:

A while back, I worked a few years for our state’s Division of Developmental Disabilities, helping families to negotiate “the system” and to access resources for their children. During those years I worked with only 3 fathers. And I learned that, more than 87% of the time, it is mothers who end up (often alone, and living in poverty) caring for their disabled children. What they give/give up for years on end, what they learn – and what they teach – generally goes un-noticed and un-rewarded.

At The Ranch, we gather every few months to create a little something for women who – because of violence, poverty, mental or physical disabilities – get left “holding the bag”. We hope that what we create will honor them and bring them just a bit of joy. This month we made scarves with lovely glass slides – for women like:

K.J, a successful banker who adopted her niece when the mother was unable to care for her. No one suspected that this beautiful little girl would have a myriad of special needs. 17 years later, K.J. is physically and emotionally spent - unemployed, and in foreclosure.

M.K.- who probably fits several definitions of “Bag Lady”. She never had children of her own, but fell in love with a charming man who had a child with a disability - and spent several years being the “parent”. Although she finally brought herself to leave the father, she is still very invested in the child. And is willing to do most anything to stay involved.

W.K., who gave up a successful career for a life on welfare – because she knew that she couldn’t provide the therapies, advocate for her child’s rights and needs, and still work outside the home.

M.C., a beautiful mother of 2 – whose marriage, like many, could not withstand the stresses of having a child with a severe seizure disorder. Now, like many women who have spent years caring for others, she feels she is “too old” and has “too much baggage” to ever consider re-marrying.

And others. Women who learn to thread a tube through their infant’s nose, into their stomachs – knowing how easy it is for that tube to wind up in the lungs. But it's the only way to feed their baby. Women who work and raise a family during the day – and get up every 2 hours all night long – every single night - to care for their special needs child. For a year – or two - or ten.

Ask them: “How can you?” They will answer: “How can I not?”

Just Scheduled: Mixing it up with Polymer Clay

MASTER CLASS: Mixing it up with Polymer Clay
Featuring: Ronna Sarvas Weltman
Saturday, March 28 10:00am - 4pm

Jewelry Artist and author, Ronna Sarvas Weltman is known for her inspired mixed media work! Ronna will introduce you to the unique properties and possibilities of polymer clay. You will learn a variety of polymer clay techniques including; beadmaking, custom color mixing, marbleizing, caning, and embellishing with a surprisingly large array of materials. Participants are encouraged to bring tools and materials for wirework, metalwork, beading, fiber, paper, painting and other mediums they currently work with - as you will explore combining, and completing your work with polymer clay. Ronna's classes are joyful and relaxed - expect to play hard, color outside the lines - and push your artistic limits! Prior experience with polymer clay is helpful, but not mandatory.
Course #W09MC41 $105. ($20. materials fee)