“I am seeking, I am striving, I am in it with all my heart.” Vincent Van Gogh
The winter season always brings me back to my childhood memories of warm mugs of hot cocoa, twinkling lights, festive decorations, snow falling, handmade gifts, a feeling of being warm & cozy by a fire, cookies, and the scent of freshly cut evergreens. It can be a time to learn a new art or craft, visiting with loved ones, sharing a home-cooked meal, playing games, helping others in need, finding a local art or craft market to see the sights, and shop for gifts. This is all a part of the season, and plenty more. As an artist and art teacher, I’ve got plenty of hands full (How many hands do I have? 4,5,6,8, that’s right!), with art classes, family-time, putting together an art exhibit, while also making more art for gifts & art shopping at places like the Holiday Festival of the Arts.
Tis the season for the upcoming Kids Art K-3 Winter after school classes in the school enrichment programs at some elementary schools here in Whatcom County. If you’ve a child at Carl Cozier, Silver Beach, or Sunnyland elementary schools, then you’ll be able to register for Kids Art classes this December-Janurary via 6Crickets and your school, so be sure to check it out.
FABulously Festive First Friday on December 1st!
Everyone’s invited to the FABulously Festive First Friday, Dec. 1st, between 5-9pm. We’ll enjoy some delicious hot mulled cider, meet and see how the artist makes their work in the studio, Art will be on display in the 201 Gallery, and all over the 2 stories of the FAB Building with 15 resident artists, some guest artists/crafters, and find something special this holiday shopping!
When & Where: First Friday Art Walk on this Friday, Dec. 1st, 5-9pm, at The FAB Studios, #201 Gallery, 314 East Holly Street, Bellingham, WA, 98225 @theFABstudios.
Find out more about The FAB Studios, the artist, this art walk event, and more here: https://www.facebook.com/TheFABStudiosBellingham
Wait, there’s more… at this festive event and a booth at the 44th Annual Holiday Festival of the Arts, https://www.alliedarts.org/holiday-festival/ where you can see some of Ms. Rachel Simpson’s original mixed-media art in the art show, and find Original Art, Magical Woodland Globes, Art Prints, Cards, Stickers, Surprise Art Kits, Mini-Paintings, Jewelry, Woodland Mushroom Birdhouses, interactive art, Winged Creatures, UV-lights glowing art, the Transcendence Phoenix, Kids Magical Wands, Fairy & Mermiad Crowns, and Crystal Haircombs to wear! http://rachelsimpsonart.com
When & Where: First Friday Art Walk on this Friday, Dec. 1st, 5-9pm, at The FAB Studios, #201 Gallery, 314 East Holly Street, Bellingham, WA, 98225 @theFABstudios.
Find out more about The FAB Studios, the artist, this art walk event, and more here: https://www.facebook.com/TheFABStudiosBellingham
Wait, there’s more… at this festive event and a booth at the 44th Annual Holiday Festival of the Arts, https://www.alliedarts.org/holiday-festival/ where you can see some of Ms. Rachel Simpson’s original mixed-media art in the art show, and find Original Art, Magical Woodland Globes, Art Prints, Cards, Stickers, Surprise Art Kits, Mini-Paintings, Jewelry, Woodland Mushroom Birdhouses, interactive art, Winged Creatures, UV-lights glowing art, the Transcendence Phoenix, Kids Magical Wands, Fairy & Mermiad Crowns, and Crystal Haircombs to wear! http://rachelsimpsonart.com
Art Workshops for Winter!
Explore Outer Space Painting for Kids @Jansen Art Center in January!
3 Day Workshop with Rachel Simpson, Saturdays, Jan. 20th-Feb. 3rd, 2023, 12:30–2:00pm. Kids ages 8-12.
Let's explore space, nebulae, planets, and more fun together! Students will get to learn how to draw an astronaut of their choice, and paint with watercolors in layers, use different kinds of brushes, try various painting techniques, and pick from various kinds of color palettes. We'll use different mixed-media supplies, and methods to add detail in the stars, the shine of the astronaut's helmet, and vivid colors! This project is great way to use our imagination and to discuss the ways in which NASA's telescopes and cameras are getting high-res and high quality photographs of far away nebulae, planets, comets, and stars! Your student will get to take home a wonderful painting on high quality watercolor paper, for you to display with the family.
Register at JAC: https://www.jansenartcenter.org/events/painting-explore-outer-space/
Macro Butterfly Art Workshop @BellinghamART!
Macro Butterfly Acrylic Painting Workshop with Rachel Simpson . December 2 | 11 am - 3:30 pm (includes a 30 minute lunch break) For children (9 and up) & adults
Children and their parents are encouraged to join!
Join our wonderful guest teacher Rachel as she guides us through creating a large scale butterfly on canvas. Each student in this workshop will use a large canvas to map out their butterfly design, plan their color scheme (bright colors encouraged for this one!), then work with acrylic to paint their beautiful creature. Time will be spent at the end to add texture and details, and maybe even some metallic paint to really make your butterfly pop! This workshop is appropriate for children as well as adults, and is a great one to do with a family member. If you have no experience with acrylic paint, not to worry, Rachel will guide you through everything from start to finish. Walk away with a finished piece of artwork ready to be hung, or gifted for the holidays.
This workshop is taught by Rachel Simpson. Rachel is a local artist and art educator. She teaches at many of the public schools in Bellingham, as well as Franklin Academy, and through Allied Arts of Whatcom County. Rachel has a diverse style and works in a range of mediums including acrylic, sculpture, collage, textiles, and more. Rachel is enthusiastic and excited to share her love for art with others. We are excited to have her guest teach for BellinghamART.
BellinghamART 1701 Ellis Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
info@bellinghamart.com (360) 738 8379
Register: https://www.bellinghamart.com/workshops/p/macro-butterfly
3 Day Workshop with Rachel Simpson, Saturdays, Jan. 20th-Feb. 3rd, 2023, 12:30–2:00pm. Kids ages 8-12.
Let's explore space, nebulae, planets, and more fun together! Students will get to learn how to draw an astronaut of their choice, and paint with watercolors in layers, use different kinds of brushes, try various painting techniques, and pick from various kinds of color palettes. We'll use different mixed-media supplies, and methods to add detail in the stars, the shine of the astronaut's helmet, and vivid colors! This project is great way to use our imagination and to discuss the ways in which NASA's telescopes and cameras are getting high-res and high quality photographs of far away nebulae, planets, comets, and stars! Your student will get to take home a wonderful painting on high quality watercolor paper, for you to display with the family.
Register at JAC: https://www.jansenartcenter.org/events/painting-explore-outer-space/
Macro Butterfly Art Workshop @BellinghamART!
Macro Butterfly Acrylic Painting Workshop with Rachel Simpson . December 2 | 11 am - 3:30 pm (includes a 30 minute lunch break) For children (9 and up) & adults
Children and their parents are encouraged to join!
Join our wonderful guest teacher Rachel as she guides us through creating a large scale butterfly on canvas. Each student in this workshop will use a large canvas to map out their butterfly design, plan their color scheme (bright colors encouraged for this one!), then work with acrylic to paint their beautiful creature. Time will be spent at the end to add texture and details, and maybe even some metallic paint to really make your butterfly pop! This workshop is appropriate for children as well as adults, and is a great one to do with a family member. If you have no experience with acrylic paint, not to worry, Rachel will guide you through everything from start to finish. Walk away with a finished piece of artwork ready to be hung, or gifted for the holidays.
This workshop is taught by Rachel Simpson. Rachel is a local artist and art educator. She teaches at many of the public schools in Bellingham, as well as Franklin Academy, and through Allied Arts of Whatcom County. Rachel has a diverse style and works in a range of mediums including acrylic, sculpture, collage, textiles, and more. Rachel is enthusiastic and excited to share her love for art with others. We are excited to have her guest teach for BellinghamART.
BellinghamART 1701 Ellis Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
info@bellinghamart.com (360) 738 8379
Register: https://www.bellinghamart.com/workshops/p/macro-butterfly
After School Arts are Happening!
The Whimsical Kids Art after school art classes for both the K-2nd and 3rd-5th grades in the school year are ending at our local elementary schools. You may have also found me teaching at a few locations working as a Teaching Artist with Allied Arts of Whatcom County, and DBA – Rachel’s Whimsical Arts, as a guest Art Educator at local galleries, museums such as the Allied Arts of Whatcom County, Unique Technique Dance Studio, Jansen Art Center, the Museum of Northwest Art, Cordata Gallery, Museum of Northwest Art, Bellingham Art, and in after school arts enrichment at a few local elementary schools such as: Carl Cozier, Silver Beach, Lowell, Parkview, Skyline, and Sunnyland. If your child attends one of these schools, you can find out more by asking your PTA enrichment program and/or going to 6Crickets then selecting your school, and going through the list of classes. Register on 6Crickets: https://www.6crickets.com/
Art Education & More!
Support your local artist and teachers in any way possible! In case you didn’t know, I’m a teaching artist and art educator K-12, at various elementary schools & middle schools who teaches for art education programs, and after school enrichment programs in Whatcom County, in the Bellingham School District as an independent contractor, as well as fun summer art camps, private art lessons, parties/events, private lessons, present and at museums/galleries, and I’m also the VP Board Member with Allied Arts of Whatcom County. This non-profit is one that brings the arts to many kids throughout the schools, and I’m so thankful I can be a part of it and this community.
Are you buying local? There are ways for you to do this by contact via email: Rachelsimpsonart@gmail.com , or on social media #RachelsWhimsicalArt (FB & IG) and to shop, buy $20 Gift Cards, or work with the artist to make special Commission artwork, make an appointment to visit the studio, to see original pieces of art, matted prints, cards, stickers, kids wands, & jewelry such as glowing earrings.
Newsletter Reminder! This is a bi-monthly art newsletter. There are 6 art newsletters a year in the months of: February, April, June, August, October, and December. You’re welcome to follow in my journey through my professional art, support my art through Patreon, or be a part of the kids art projects/classes, writing the monthly newsletter, social media, and blog. Everyone is welcome to follow on social media with Instagram, Facebook: #RachelsWhimsicalArt, to learn about future art events & art classes. Thank you.
You can find more about all the fun art events, my artwork, commissions, art exhibits, and art classes on my website and Instagram/Facebook pages: Rachel’s Whimsical Art.
Thank you for all your enthusiasm for The Arts and keeping it alive within our community!
Be Kind, Let’s Shine!
~ Rachel Simpson
~ Artist, Art Teacher, (K-12)
~ http://rachelsimpsonart.com
Are you buying local? There are ways for you to do this by contact via email: Rachelsimpsonart@gmail.com , or on social media #RachelsWhimsicalArt (FB & IG) and to shop, buy $20 Gift Cards, or work with the artist to make special Commission artwork, make an appointment to visit the studio, to see original pieces of art, matted prints, cards, stickers, kids wands, & jewelry such as glowing earrings.
Newsletter Reminder! This is a bi-monthly art newsletter. There are 6 art newsletters a year in the months of: February, April, June, August, October, and December. You’re welcome to follow in my journey through my professional art, support my art through Patreon, or be a part of the kids art projects/classes, writing the monthly newsletter, social media, and blog. Everyone is welcome to follow on social media with Instagram, Facebook: #RachelsWhimsicalArt, to learn about future art events & art classes. Thank you.
You can find more about all the fun art events, my artwork, commissions, art exhibits, and art classes on my website and Instagram/Facebook pages: Rachel’s Whimsical Art.
Thank you for all your enthusiasm for The Arts and keeping it alive within our community!
Be Kind, Let’s Shine!
~ Rachel Simpson
~ Artist, Art Teacher, (K-12)
~ http://rachelsimpsonart.com
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